Effective Professional Development and Gamification Enacting Curriculum Changes in Critical Mathematics Education

Bibliographic Data

ID22047181
AuthorsCiara Mc Kevitt (0009-0008-0894-0693, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway, corresponding author), Sarah Porcenaluk (0000-0002-5660-2559, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway), Cornelia Connolly (0000-0001-9778-5569, Ollscoil na Gaillimhe – University of Galway)
Year2025
Volume15
Issue7
Pages843
Publication date2025-07-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueEducation Sciences (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2227-7102 • E-ISSN: 2227-7102
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/educsci15070843
OpenAlexW4411962185
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited18

In response to challenges around student engagement and teacher technological proficiency, this paper looks at the impact of gamification on students’ mathematical resilience whilst monitoring their mathematical anxiety plus investigating teachers’ experiences, willingness, and professional development ambitions to utilise gamified instructional tools in the mathematics classroom. Drawing on strategies to motivate students, the aim of this paper is to unbundle gamification in enacting curriculum change and the role of teacher professional development in using the pedagogical approach in mathematics in Ireland. Ireland is currently experiencing second-level curriculum reforms that are placing particular emphasis on digital competence and technological fluency from both teachers and students. With teachers highlighting the gap in educators’ pedagogical skills for the smooth roll out of recent curriculum reform due to the lack of knowledge and competency in technological teaching strategies, this study is both relevant and timely. Games have been used in multiple industries aiming to motivate participants and increase engagement on a particular matter. However, the term “gamification” has been coined by Pelling as the use of games in a non-gaming context. Current students are very technologically savvy due to the exposure of software applications from a young age and the integration of technological appliances in all walks of life. Traditional teaching and learning strategies are potentially seen as monotonous and somewhat boring to today’s students. Utilising game-based design such as leaderboards, points, and badges encourages motivation and enhances engagement of students. With this in mind, and the rate of change in mathematics curricula globally in recent years, there is a significant emphasis on the necessity of professional development initiatives to adapt at the same rate

Curriculum · Curriculum development · Faculty Development · Mathematics education · Pedagogy · Professional development · Computer Science · Educational Games and Gamification · Educational Research and Pedagogy · Psychology · Teaching and Learning Programming

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