Effects of Gamification on Academic Performance and Motivation in Learning Electrochemistry among SS2 Students in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

Chemistry is an important science subject, but students often experience difficulties in understanding abstract topics such as electrochemistry. The use of conventional teaching methods may not adequately promote students’ active participation and motivation. Gamification, which incorporates game elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, rewards, and quizzes into learning, has emerged as an innovative strategy for improving students’ engagement and academic outcomes. Previous studies have reported that gamified instruction can enhance students’ motivation and achievement in science education. However, its application in teaching electrochemistry among secondary school students in Nigeria remains limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of gamification on academic performance and intrinsic motivation among SS2 students learning Electrochemistry in Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest, non-equivalent control group design was adopted, guided by Self-Determination Theory. From a population of 6,053 SS2 Chemistry students across 48 public schools, 91 students were purposively sampled from two schools: 43 experimental, 48 control. The experimental group received six weeks of gamified instruction incorporating leaderboards, digital badges, a point reward system, and game-based quizzes, while the control group received conventional chalk-and-talk instruction on identical content. Data were collected using the Electrochemistry Achievement Test (EAT, PPMC = 0.81) and the Electrochemistry Students' Motivation Questionnaire (ESMQ, α = 0.86), and analysed using ANCOVA at the 0.05 level of significance. The gamified group recorded significantly higher post-test academic performance, F(1,88) = 184.30, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.68, and significantly higher intrinsic motivation, F(1,88) = 601.75, p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.872, than the control group. Both null hypotheses were rejected. The study concludes that gamification is an effective, contextually adaptable strategy for improving Electrochemistry outcomes and recommends its structured adoption alongside teacher training and infrastructural support