Impact of gamification on student motivation: a gender-based moderation analysis

The integration of gamification in higher education has gained traction as a strategy to enhance learner motivation, yet its effectiveness remains underexplored within the framework of established motivational theories. This study investigates the impact of gamification on student motivation through the ARCS model (Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction), with gender examined as a moderating factor. A quantitative survey was conducted among 396 undergraduate business students in Klang Valley, Malaysia, following gamified learning activities implemented via Socrative. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that relevance, confidence, and satisfaction significantly enhance motivation, while attention shows no direct effect. However, gender moderates the relationship between attention and motivation, with male students exhibiting greater responsiveness to attention-driven strategies. The findings highlight that gamification is most effective when it fosters relevance, confidence, and satisfaction, while attention plays a differentiated role across genders. The study contributes to theory by extending the ARCS framework with gender-based insights and offers practical guidance for designing inclusive gamified learning environments. Implications for pedagogy, curriculum design, and future research are discussed.