Theoretical Principles of Gamification: a conceptual and reflective analysis

Abstract

This article proposes a comprehensive analysis of gamification in education, exploring its historical evolution, its current state and its future perspectives. The review of different concepts provided by various authors about gamification, the research design and the theoretical referential framework of an exhaustive review of concepts by various authors, regarding gamification. The objective of this article is to analyze the theoretical principles that support gamification from a reflective conceptual perspective. Through this journey, the theoretical foundations, practical applications and challenges faced by this innovative pedagogical strategy are examined. It is concluded that gamification finds solid theoretical support in its ability to promote self-regulated learning, recreate the playful experience of the game and satisfy the basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relationship.