Gamification in Economics Pedagogy: Empirical Perspectives and Policy Implications for Developing Economies

Background This dataset was created to examine the impact of gamified learning environments on student retention, motivation, and engagement among undergraduate economics students in Nigeria. It integrates quantitative and qualitative data to provide robust evidence on digital pedagogy in higher education. Research Design A mixed methods design was adopted: • Quantitative quasi-experiments compared students exposed to gamification with those taught traditionally. • Qualitative interviews and focus groups explored perceptions, challenges, and best practices. Population and Sampling The population comprised undergraduate economics students from Nigerian universities with integrated digital learning. Stratified random sampling captured students from levels 100–400. Institutions were purposively selected for diversity and documented gamification initiatives. Five universities participated: Covenant University, Babcock University, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and Benue State University. Data Collection Three instruments were used: • Structured questionnaire (adapted from validated scales such as the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory). • Classroom observations (participation and attentiveness). • Semi-structured interviews and focus groups (perceptions of gamification). Validity and Reliability Content validity was established through expert review, and pilot testing refined clarity; Cronbach’s alpha exceeded 0.70, confirming reliability. Triangulation of quantitative and qualitative strands enhanced credibility. Data Analysis • Quantitative: Descriptive statistics (means, frequencies, SDs) and inferential tests (t-tests, ANOVA, regression, chi-square). A chi-square test revealed a highly significant association between gamification exposure and retention, with Phi = 0.989 (near-perfect correlation) and a contingency coefficient of 0.703 (strong association). • Qualitative: Thematic analysis identified effectiveness, challenges, and best practices. Dataset Contents • Quantitative files: demographics, gamification exposure (binary), motivation, engagement, retention scores, cross-tabulations. • Qualitative transcripts: interviews and focus groups. • Metadata: institutional gamification practices, sampling framework, coding schemes. Ethics Ethical approval was obtained, informed consent secured, and confidentiality maintained through anonymization. Data are used solely for academic purposes. Significance This dataset provides empirical evidence linking gamification to improved retention in economics education. It offers both statistical rigor and contextual depth, supporting replication, meta-analysis, and policy development in digital pedagogy.