Influence of Gamification on Students’ Motivation, Attitude, Knowledge and Engagement in Sexual Health Education among undergraduate Adolescents in Awka, Anambra State

Abstract

Modern learning strategies encourage students’ engagement similar to what games can do, to improve their particular skills and optimize their learning. To address the demands of technology in the 21st century, sexual health education needs an effective, innovative pedagogy. This study investigated influence of gamification on students' motivation, attitude, knowledge, and engagement (MAKE) in sexual health education among undergraduates in Awka, Anambra state. The study employed quasi-experimental study design. The researchers experimented for three months with 40 100 level undergraduate students on gamification and another 40 undergraduates on traditional teaching strategy as control. 100 level undergraduate students of health promotion and public health education department of Nnamdi Azikiwe university at the time of this study were 80 in number, so the whole class were used. Three months of instruction on sexual health issues lasted for 60 minutes each week. Data analysis was done using mean and standard deviation for research questions and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) for the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. There was a significant difference between the mean sexual health on motivation, attitude, knowledge, and engagement (MAKE) scores of adolescents in Anambra state exposed to gamification intervention and the control. F, (1,137) = 480.215, p =.000 < 0.05. The null hypothesis of no significant difference between the two groups was therefore rejected. The pre-test was used to establish the baseline students’ motivation, attitude, knowledge, and engagement on sexual health education before the treatment. The post-test was used to determine the influence of gamification strategy after the treatment. Deduction from the entire findings proved that gamification has potential to boost motivation, generate skills required for positive attitudinal change, influencing the acquisition of the knowledge and raises awareness for engagement towards sexual health education. Health Education policy makers are therefore recommended to incorporated gamification strategy as a new teaching strategy for our adolescents since it increases engagement by incorporating game elements into an educational environment.