The relationship between perceived gamified learning support, students' motivation, affective engagement, and self-efficacy: A structural equation modelling approach

Abstract

The integration of gamification tools such as Quizizz and Kahoot! into formative assessment and learning support has attracted growing interest among educators worldwide. Research linking perceived gamified learning support to affective engagement and self-efficacy nevertheless remains scarce, and evidence on how such tools shape intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation is limited, particularly in developing-country contexts such as Cambodia. This study examines the influence of perceived gamified learning support on students' intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation, affective engagement, and self-efficacy. A quantitative correlational design was employed, with data collected from 73 students at a private university in Cambodia who had experienced gamified learning. Given the modest sample, the estimates were supported by bootstrapping with 5,000 resamples, and the hypothesised model was tested using structural equation modelling (SEM) with the diagonally weighted least squares estimator. Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated good measurement model fit and strong construct validity. The SEM analysis revealed that perceived gamified learning support significantly influences students' intrinsic and extrinsic learning motivation, affective engagement, and self-efficacy, confirming all four study hypotheses. Grounded in self-determination theory and self-efficacy theory, the study demonstrates the role of gamification tools in supporting students' learning in the Cambodian higher education context, offering guidance for both researchers and practitioners. The findings suggest that educators should draw on gamification tools in their instructional design to foster students' learning motivation, affective engagement, and self-efficacy.