Integrating sustainability education into higher education is crucial for equipping students with the necessary skills to tackle global challenges such as climate change and resource conservation. Conventional teaching approaches often struggle to engage students and promote sustainable behaviors effectively. Gamification, which applies game-based elements to learning, has emerged as a promising method to boost student motivation and learning outcomes. Although its cognitive and motivational advantages are well-established, its influence on behavioral transformation within sustainability education requires further exploration. This study investigates the role of gamification in shaping student engagement, knowledge retention, and sustainable behaviors in higher education sustainability courses. A structured questionnaire featuring Likert-scale items was administered to 154 university students in the UAE. Adopting Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and factor analysis, four key factors were identified as influencing sustainability learning: Interactive Learning and Environmental Influence, Active Learning through Technology, Experiential and Pedagogical Approaches, and Technology-Driven Motivation for Sustainability. The results from the study demonstrate that gamified learning significantly enhances engagement, intrinsic motivation, and pro-environmental behaviors. Moreover, factors such as technological accessibility, practical, real-world applications, and instructor guidance play a critical role in optimizing gamification's effectiveness. This study bridges gaps in existing literature and offers valuable insights for educators, curriculum designers, and policymakers. The study highlights importance of refining gamification strategies to support long-term behavioral change and enhance sustainability education.

Authors:
Ashish Dwivedi, Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global University, India
Shri Krishna Pandey, Manipal Academy of Higher Education Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Suchi Dubey, Symbiosis International University Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Tausif Mulla, Symbiosis International University Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Akansha Tripathi, Indian Institute of Information Technology Sonepat, India

About the Presenter(s)
Ashish Dwivedi works as a Professor in Operations Management and Decision Sciences at Jindal Global Business School, O.P. Jindal Global (Institution of Eminence Deemed to be University), Sonipat.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Friday Schedule

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