Gamification and directed motivational currents in optimizing language learning environments through Octalysis

For a long time, games have been used to increase individuals' engagement with the tasks in non-game contexts. However, it is seen that integrating a whole game into a context or creating a totally new game for a specific context can cause several problems in practice. Thus, researchers, especially the ones who are interested in digital games, have proposed game elements, which enable users to go on playing and make a game fun, to be used in non-game contexts, and have developed the concept of gamification. And scientists from various fields have conducted studies on gamification since 2010, and developed many models. Yet, when investigated, it is seen that their studies lack statistical evidence to validate their models. In this study, theoretical background of Octalysis which is one of the comprehensive gamification models was investigated in terms of Directed Motivational Currents Theory and whether gamification could be used for this purpose was tested. Hypothesis were formed according to the factors which are told to affect motivation and their relationships with long-term motivation and they were tested through Structural Equation Modeling. In the second phase of the study, an Octalysis application was applied in face-to-face foreign language classrooms and the model was tested empirically. Qualitative and quantitative data which were obtained during the intervention were compared and a justification about usability of the model was made. As a result, it was found out that gamification applications could be used to improve students' engagement with tasks and/or classes to improve students' motivation. Keywords: gamification, octalysis, flow theory, self-determination theory, directed motivational currents.