Due to increasing digitization, modern teaching-learning forms, such as digital- and e-learning (Dumford & Miller, 2018; López-Belmonte et al., 2021), blended learning (López-Pérez et al., 2011), or flipped classrooms (Akçayır, 2018), gain great importance in higher education. Thereby, game-based elements often represent an integral part of digital teaching-learning arrangements (Sailer & Homner, 2020).

Reasons for this are that they 

• have their origins in digital video games (e.g., Sailer et al., 2017) and
• are considered to have great potential for promoting engagement, motivation, and attention while working on a task (e.g., Toda et al., 2019).

Therefore, numerous research groups have been studying the influence of game-based elements in digital learning for many years (see Abdul Rahman et al., 2018; Aljawarneh, 2020; Subhash & Cudney, 2018). Points, digital badges, and leaderboards (so-called PBL triad, Sailer et al., 2017) are identified as the most important elements that not only have a positive impact on learning success but can also be easily implemented (ibid., see also Subhash & Cudney, 2018). Despite these findings, key limitations of previous research can be identified.

These include

1. the bundled use of game-based elements so that the effects of single elements and their interaction can only be investigated to a limited extent;
2. the lack of integration of learning theories (Wu et al., 2012) that take into account the actual learning process (cf. Biggs & Tang, 2011);
3. the lack of experimental and longitudinal studies (Sailer & Homner, 2020); 
4. the lack of inclusion of learning prerequisites and game experiences; and
5. the lack of consideration of the learning environment, esp. different social forms.

The present research project addresses these deficits. The pedagogical interest theory by Prenzel et al. (1993) serves as the theoretical framework, which complements the self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 1993; Ryan & Deci, 2017, 2020) that has already been frequently studied in the context of game-based approaches by integrating the object-related interest. Therefore, situational and long-term interest can be theoretically embedded alongside the gaming experience (Renninger & Hidi, 2019; in summary Krapp & Ryan, 2002). To connect these to the game-based elements, previous work can be used to build upon (Deterding et al., 2011; Toda et al., 2019).

For the methodological approach, it is planned to investigate the specific use of (non-grade-relevant) badges in the basic course "Introduction to Business Administration" with approx. 1,300 students (approx. 20 classes á approx. 65 persons). The restriction to a game-based element prevents confounding effects by other elements.

Furthermore, digital badges are suitable because they allow for clear task-relatedness (Toda et al., 2019). Different variantions were planned to implement digital badges. Thus, five treatment and one control group (2-3 classes each) are defined. These variations thereby cover the dimensions of game-based approaches defined by Toda et al. (2019). The implementation will be done on the Moodle learning platform, for which relevant preliminary work already exists (Strmečki et al., 2015). Piloting was conducted using the model of Wongso et al. (2014) and Urh et al. (2015) in Fall 2023. The major study was conducted in Fall 2024.

With this experimental study, it will be possible for the first time to analyze the causal effects of the digital use of game-based elements and their variation over a longer period, which will not only provide central empirical basic knowledge but also enable an immediate practical application in higher education.