AI-mediated feedback in gamified programming education: effects on vocational students’ achievement and motivation

This study examined the effects of an AI-enhanced gamified learning platform on vocational students’ programming achievement and interaction-related motivation. The platform was designed based on the GAFCC instructional model and incorporated real-time AI-mediated feedback to support learners during Java programming tasks. A quasi-experimental design was conducted with 90 first-year vocational students assigned to either an AI-enhanced gamified condition or a gamified condition without AI support. Programming achievement and interaction-related motivation were assessed following the intervention. Statistical analyses indicated that students in the AI-enhanced condition achieved significantly higher programming performance and reported stronger interaction-related motivation, particularly in confidence and satisfaction. The findings suggest that AI-mediated feedback is associated with improvements in learner–system interaction quality, which in turn supports better task performance and motivational responses.