Using gamification to develop academic writing skills in dental undergraduate students.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the satisfaction of first-year dental students with gamification and its effect on perceived and actual improvement of academic writing.


METHODS
Two first-year classes of dental undergraduate students were recruited for the study which extended over 4 months and ended in January 2015. A pre-intervention assessment of students' academic writing skills was performed using criteria to evaluate writing. The same criteria were used to evaluate the final writing assignment after the intervention. Students' satisfaction with game aspects was assessed. The per cent change in writing score was regressed on scores of satisfaction with game aspects controlling for gender. Perceived improvement in writing was also assessed.


RESULTS
Data from 87 (94.6%) students were available for analysis. Students' overall satisfaction with the gamified experience was modest [mean (SD) = 5.9 (2.1)] and so was their overall perception of improvement in writing [mean (SD) = 6.0 (2.2)]. The per cent score of the first assignment was 35.6 which improved to 80 in the last assignment. Satisfaction with playing the game was significantly associated with higher percentage of improvement in actual writing skills [regression coefficient (95% confidence interval) = 21.1 (1.9, 40.2)].


CONCLUSIONS
Using gamification in an obligatory course for first-year dental students was associated with an improvement in academic writing skills although students' satisfaction with game aspects was modest and their willingness to use gamification in future courses was minimal.
Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Maha
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4989-6584
M
El Tantawi
Department of Dental Education, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Shazia
S
Sadaf
Department of Preventive Dental Sciences, College of Dentistry, University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia.
Jehan
J
AlHumaid
D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D000068957:Games, Recreational; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D013335:Students, Dental / Q000523:psychology; D014956:Writing / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult
formative feedback; gamification; plagiarism; role-playing; writing