Investigating teachers' gamification attitudes and user types in different disciplines

This study explores teachers' attitudes towards gamification, their user types, and the game components they prefer to implement in classroom practices, through an interdisciplinary view. Employing a mixed-methods design, quantitative data were collected from 362 teachers using a gamification attitude scale and a user type inventory. Qualitative data were obtained through semi-structured interviews with 20 teachers selected from different subject areas. Quantitative findings revealed that teachers generally held positive attitudes towards gamification, with the most prefferred user types being "Free Spirit," "Philanthropist," and "Achiever." Significant differences emerged across disciplines: STEM teachers favored rule-based components such as levels, points, and leaderboards; language teachers preferred socially interactive elements like badges, group work, and team-based progress; while social sciences and arts teachers leaned towards creative and personalized features such as storytelling, feedback, and customization. Qualitative data were categorized under four main themes: "Gamification Knowledge," "In-Class Practices," "Impact of Gamification," and "Taioloring Gamification." Interview results highlighted the positive impacts of gamification on attracting students' attention, increasing engagement, and fostering collaboration. Additionally, teachers' individual user tendencies and discipline-specific differences influenced their gamification practices. The findings emphasize the importance of planning gamification in a manner that is sensitive to disciplinary contexts, aligned with user profiles, and consistent with pedagogical goals to ensure effective and sustainable implementation.