# Influence of Gamification on the Commitment of the Students of a Programming Course: A Case Study
## 4 Discussion and Conclusions  
This section discusses the implications of the findings in relation to the research questions, compares the results with prior studies, and addresses the study's hypotheses and limitations. The aim is to contextualize the results within the broader framework of gamification research, highlighting the unique contributions and insights of this investigation. Regarding the first research question, \"What is the tool's influence on the student's commitment to the subject?\", the data derived from the performance impact of gamification provide a compelling answer. The stark contrast in the pass rates between students who achieved the extra 0.4 points through gamification and those who did not is indicative of the tool's positive influence on student commitment. Specifically, 82.61% of students who scored the additional points successfully passed the programming course, compared to a significantly lower pass rate of 35.48% among students who did not achieve the extra points. This substantial difference underscores the effectiveness of the gamified tool in enhancing commitment to the subject. Furthermore, the dropout rates provide additional insights into the tool's impact on student commitment. A total of 10.14% of students who earned the extra points opted to drop out of the course, whereas a considerably higher percentage of 48.39% from the group that did not achieve the extra points chose to drop out. These data suggest that the gamified tool not only motivates students to excel in their studies but also significantly reduces the likelihood of them abandoning the course. The failure rates further corroborate the tool's positive influence. Only 7.25% of students who secured the extra points failed the programming course, while this percentage slightly increased to 16.13% for those who did not achieve the additional points. The reduced failure rate among students who engaged with the gamified tool is a testament to its efficacy in fostering a deeper commitment to the subject matter. In corroborating the positive influence of gamification on student commitment, our findings align with multiple studies in the field. [PERSON] and [PERSON] observed a significant increase in both course attendance (from 38% to 66%) and pass rates  
Figure 9: Impact of gamification on overall student performance in the programming course. (from 22% to 34%) in manufacturing engineering courses after introducing gamification tools like Kahoot quizzes and Moodle activities [23]. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. reported that gamification led to a remarkable rise in Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) completion rates, with 13.7% of participants completing gamified MOOCs compared to a mere 1.7% for non-gamified ones [24]. These studies, in conjunction with our own, underscore the profound potential of gamification for not only enhancing student commitment but also for motivating them to excel academically. Regarding the second research question, \"What are the students' perceptions and experiences regarding the usability and the effectiveness of the web-based gamified tool?\", the survey results provide valuable insights into the students' experiences and perceptions of the tool's usability and effectiveness. A significant majority of students found the gamification tool user-friendly. Specifically, 56.64% of respondents completely agreed that the tool was easy to use, and an additional 34.51% concurred with this sentiment. This combined total of 91.15% indicates that the tool's design and interface are intuitive and accessible, allowing students to engage with the gamified elements without facing usability barriers. The minimal percentages of disagreement (0.89% each for disagree and completely disagree) further underscore the tool's user-centric design. Turning to the utility of unit tests within the gamified exercises, the results suggest that students found these tests valuable for their learning experience.