GAMIFICATION IN LEARNING: DIGITAL CULTURE, ENGAGEMENT AND PEDAGOGICAL MEDIATION IN CONTEMPORARY EDUCATION

Abstract

Gamification has consolidated in recent decades as one of the most debated pedagogical strategies within digital culture and contemporary educational transformations. More than simply introducing games into school settings, it refers to the intentional use of structural elements of games — such as challenges, rules, narratives, goals, and feedback systems — in learning environments, aiming to promote engagement, participation, and meaning-making. This chapter discusses gamification as a situated pedagogical practice, connected to the sociocultural dynamics of the digital era and to the demand for more active and dialogical methodologies. Grounded in authors such as Fardo, Busarello, Moran, and Jenkins, the text problematizes both the potentialities and tensions of gamification in everyday school life, avoiding purely instrumental or motivational approaches. It argues that gamifying does not merely mean “making classes fun”, but rather reorganizing learning experiences through critical teaching mediation that fosters autonomy, student authorship, and meaningful learning. The chapter also addresses the risks of reductionism, such as applying decontextualized reward systems that may empty the educational meaning of the proposal. It concludes that gamification, when linked to a consistent educational project, can contribute to more participatory and culturally connected practices, provided it is sustained by pedagogical intentionality, ethical reflection, and formative commitment.