The use of Gamification for English language assessment in Higher Education: an innovative perspective

Resumen

Assessment within the context of Higher Education plays a pivotal role in the educational process, as its main objective is to gauge students' progress and knowledge acquisition. However, traditional assessment approaches are often perceived as monotonous and demotivating, leading to a lack of engagement and unsatisfactory outcomes. In the era of Digital Technology, which brings forth new perspectives across various aspects of human life, Gamification emerges as an innovative proposal capable of transforming educational practices. This article aims to analyze the effects of Gamification on the assessment of English language teaching and learning in Higher Education. Methodologically, we conducted a quantitative and qualitative descriptive study, employing a case study approach. The research involved two sixth-semester undergraduate students majoring in Portuguese and English at an institution of Higher Education in Recife. Additionally, a participating English language professor and ten randomly selected English language teachers were interviewed through semi-structured digital interviews. Our strategies encompassed: (i) observation of sixth-semester English language classes, (ii) conducting semi-structured interviews with both students and teachers of English, (iii) development of the Gamified Assessment, (iv) implementation of the Gamified Assessment during the Teaching and Learning process, and (v) conducting follow-up semi-structured interviews with students after the conclusion of the Gamified Assessment. The results confirm the effectiveness of the Gamified Assessment in enhancing English language teaching, learning, and evaluation in Higher Education.