Attitude and Self Efficacy in Gamification Use for Learning Among Secondary School Teachers in Kwara State

ABSTRACT
  Gamification is the application of game design elements and mechanics in non-game contexts to enhance motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes. In the simplest term, it involves incorporating elements such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges to make learning more interactive and enjoyable. Secondary school teachers encounter challenges when utilizing gamification strategies in education. This may be lack of necessary knowledge and skills to effectively integrate gamification technology into their teaching practices. They encounter compatibility issues with existing curriculum structures and limited resources, making it difficult to implement gamification solutions in their classrooms. The main purpose of this research study were to explore the attitudes and self-efficacy of secondary school teachers in implementing gamification strategies for learning in Kwara State, Nigeria. The study was concluded specially to: (i) Determine teachers' current attitudes towards gamification in learning; (ii) Determine their self-efficacy levels in implementing gamification strategies; (iii) Determine the correlation between attitudes and self-efficacy; and (iv) Determine the challenges faced in implementing gamification in learning environments.
This study was a descriptive research study of the survey method. The population consisted of secondary school teachers in Kwara State, Nigeria. The total population was represented by a sample of 200 secondary school teachers comprising 115 males (57.5%) and 85 females (42.5%) from both public (71%) and private (29%) schools. And simple random sampling technique was used to select the sample at 95% confidence level used design questionnaire.
The findings were summarized as follows:
1) teachers demonstrate predominantly positive attitudes towards gamification, with 82.5% agreeing it improves student motivation and 80.5% recognizing its ability to enhance engagement;
2) teachers showed moderate self-efficacy levels, with highest confidence in establishing clear rules and goals (78.5%) and creating non-digital gamified experiences (73.5%);
3) there was a strong positive correlation between teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy in gamification use (t = 2.45, p < 0.05);
4) significant implementation barriers persist including limited internet connectivity (86%), insufficient training (86.5%), limited technology access (84.5%), and lack of preparation time (80.5%).
This study concluded that secondary school teachers' attitudes and self-efficacy towards gamification strategies for learning was positive. It's implies on the high level of positive attitudes among teachers suggested that they are ready to embrace gamification strategies in education. Also, teacher education programs can confidently integrate gamification-related content into their curricula to better prepare educators for technology-enhanced learning environments. And the recommendation was that teacher education programs should incorporate gamification technology into ICT related courses to enhance teachers' theoretical and practical understanding of it's application in educational settings. Word count = 416