EFFECTIVENESS OF GAMIFIED MICROLEARNING ON CLASSROOM ENGAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE RETENTION AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS
Keywords:
Pakistan, mediator state, US-Iran ceasefire, global leaders, critical discourse analysis.Abstract
Background: Undergraduate nursing education in Pakistan faces persistent challenges of low classroom engagement and suboptimal knowledge retention, particularly in resource-constrained public-sector institutions. Gamified microlearning the integration of game design elements into short, focused learning units has emerged as a promising pedagogical innovation internationally, yet evidence from Pakistani nursing education contexts remains scarce.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of gamified microlearning on classroom engagement and knowledge retention among undergraduate nursing students at the College of Nursing, Nishtar Medical University, Multan.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test control group design was employed with 80 second-year BSN students (40 experimental, 40 control) recruited through purposive sampling. The experimental group received six weeks of gamified microlearning modules (Kahoot!-based quizzes, 5–10-minute micro-lectures, leaderboards, and badges) integrated into the Adult Health Nursing course. The control group received conventional lecture-based instruction. Classroom engagement was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale-Student version (UWES-S), while knowledge retention was assessed via a 40-item multiple-choice test administered immediately post-intervention and at four-week follow-up. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests and repeated-measures ANOVA.
Results: The experimental group demonstrated significantly higher classroom engagement scores (M = 4.52, SD = 0.61) compared to the control group (M = 3.67, SD = 0.72), t(78) = 5.66, p < .001, d = 1.27. Knowledge retention was significantly greater in the experimental group at both immediate post-test (M = 34.2, SD = 3.8 vs. M = 29.6, SD = 4.2; p < .001) and four-week follow-up (M = 31.8, SD = 3.5 vs. M = 26.4, SD = 4.6; p < .001). Repeated-measures ANOVA revealed a significant group × time interaction (F(1,78) = 18.42, p < .001, η² = .19).
Conclusion: Gamified microlearning significantly enhanced both classroom engagement and knowledge retention among undergraduate nursing students. These findings support the integration of gamified microlearning strategies into nursing curricula at Nishtar Medical University and comparable institutions in Pakistan.
