## 2 Literature Review  
### Gamification  
Gamification is a technique that incorporates elements of games into non-game contexts to improve engagement, motivation, and performance [2; 18; 19; 20]. This strategy focuses on psychological theories of motivation and co-creating individual value [21]. By introducing game elements, such as rewards, competitions, and achievements, into non-game settings, the goal is to stimulate people's participation and concentration on tasks or activities that might otherwise be monotonous or uninteresting [18].  
Existing studies show that gamification has been used in education, the workplace, and marketing [12; 22; 23], with benefits such as increased motivation and engagement, but there remains limited understanding of its long-term effects and best practices [22; 24; 25].  
The gamification techniques employed in this study are derived from PBL (Points, Badges, and Leaderboards), which has been utilized in numerous studies related to gamification [26; 27]. In our studies, we will use two techniques from PBL:  
* Scores: This is one of the most common elements in gamification. They involve rewarding user points for performing specific desired actions in a gamified system [28]. Studies utilizing scores demonstrate positive effects, as seen in [29], where implementation of a scoring system in a programming course increased student motivation and engagement with learning. Furthermore, the obtained score correlated with academic performance. In the study by [30], it is noted that scores generate a positive feedback loop by providing users with instant information about their performance. This reinforces desired behavior in the learning process. However, placing too much emphasis on scores may foster unhealthy student competition. Focusing on skill mastery rather than score accumulation is recommended [31].
* Leaderboards: These correspond to ranking boards that publicly display a sorted list of participants based on their performance in a specific activity. In learning, leaderboards allow students to see how they compare to their peers in academic tasks. Studies have shown that leaderboards can positively affect student motivation and engagement. For instance, in [7], a leaderboard was implemented in a university programming course, and it was found that students performed 28% more voluntary tasks when a leaderboard was visible. Students reported that it motivated them to track and compare their progress. In the case of [32], a study with computer science students demonstrated that leaderboards stimulated healthy competition among peers and helped improve participation in programming tasks. Additionally, [31] implemented leaderboards and observed increased student motivation, satisfaction, and commitment. However, some studies warn about the potential adverse effects of excessive competition promoted by leaderboards, such as anxiety and reduced collaboration among students. A systematic review by [33] identified a performance loss as the most common adverse effect, with leaderboards being the most cited game design element associated with adverse effects. Therefore, it is essential to implement leaderboards carefully, balancing them and aligning them with pedagogical objectives. In our case, the leaderboard is automatically constructed based on the cumulative scores of students.