Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events

Abstract Virtual conferences can be easily accessed, promotes audience diversity, and leads to cost reduction. However, motivation and social interaction need amelioration. Gamification is a strategy that uses the structure of games to promote motivation and engagement. The annual student conference...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Samuel I. M. Horita, Beatriz M. S. Gonzaga, Renata M. F. Mélo, Aline B. M. Rodrigues, Aline T. Ferreira, Andreon S. M. Silva, Anne C. S. B. Marcos, Giovane F. S. Junior, Hugo A. S. Souza, João P. S. Oliveira-Correia, Lorrane A. Pereira, Mayara M. L. Carvalho, Norma C. C. Brandão, Raissa S. L. Rosa, Thiago M. Ribeiro, Yuli R. M. Souza, Mariana Alberti Gonçalves, Roberto R. Ferreira, Ingo Riederer, Andrea Henriques Pons, Luciana R. Garzoni, Tania C. Araujo-Jorge, Clélia C. Mello-Silva
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-05-01
Series:Smart Learning Environments
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00386-1
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849309324660178944
author Samuel I. M. Horita
Beatriz M. S. Gonzaga
Renata M. F. Mélo
Aline B. M. Rodrigues
Aline T. Ferreira
Andreon S. M. Silva
Anne C. S. B. Marcos
Giovane F. S. Junior
Hugo A. S. Souza
João P. S. Oliveira-Correia
Lorrane A. Pereira
Mayara M. L. Carvalho
Norma C. C. Brandão
Raissa S. L. Rosa
Thiago M. Ribeiro
Yuli R. M. Souza
Mariana Alberti Gonçalves
Roberto R. Ferreira
Ingo Riederer
Andrea Henriques Pons
Luciana R. Garzoni
Tania C. Araujo-Jorge
Clélia C. Mello-Silva
author_facet Samuel I. M. Horita
Beatriz M. S. Gonzaga
Renata M. F. Mélo
Aline B. M. Rodrigues
Aline T. Ferreira
Andreon S. M. Silva
Anne C. S. B. Marcos
Giovane F. S. Junior
Hugo A. S. Souza
João P. S. Oliveira-Correia
Lorrane A. Pereira
Mayara M. L. Carvalho
Norma C. C. Brandão
Raissa S. L. Rosa
Thiago M. Ribeiro
Yuli R. M. Souza
Mariana Alberti Gonçalves
Roberto R. Ferreira
Ingo Riederer
Andrea Henriques Pons
Luciana R. Garzoni
Tania C. Araujo-Jorge
Clélia C. Mello-Silva
author_sort Samuel I. M. Horita
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Virtual conferences can be easily accessed, promotes audience diversity, and leads to cost reduction. However, motivation and social interaction need amelioration. Gamification is a strategy that uses the structure of games to promote motivation and engagement. The annual student conference was created to promote discussion about the students’ projects and issues found during their studies. In 2021, gamification was implemented to improve the event. Here, we report our experience using gamification in the annual student conference of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. The construction of the platform involved the student council, the direction of the institute, the journalism team, and the company Ekoá. The gamified platform was built with elements of affective memory of the institute, using clickable icons with the appearance of buildings from the Institute, organized based on their functions. We noticed the number of participants increased from 240 to 759 when compared to the previous year’s remote event. The discussion of science projects was adapted to the remote environment, so that students could expose their difficulties during the pandemic. Activities were proposed to increase social interaction, focused on mental health improvement, and a multi-participant online game was available to boost engagement. At the end, participants answered a voluntary survey to collect feedback. In conclusion, the use of gamification enriches remote events and is a good resource to improve motivation, continuity and social interaction.
format Article
id doaj-art-3ee25d474f0c4db695f3b5f34d04d99f
institution Kabale University
issn 2196-7091
language English
publishDate 2025-05-01
publisher SpringerOpen
record_format Article
series Smart Learning Environments
spelling doaj-art-3ee25d474f0c4db695f3b5f34d04d99f2025-08-20T03:54:11ZengSpringerOpenSmart Learning Environments2196-70912025-05-0112111810.1186/s40561-025-00386-1Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online eventsSamuel I. M. Horita0Beatriz M. S. Gonzaga1Renata M. F. Mélo2Aline B. M. Rodrigues3Aline T. Ferreira4Andreon S. M. Silva5Anne C. S. B. Marcos6Giovane F. S. Junior7Hugo A. S. Souza8João P. S. Oliveira-Correia9Lorrane A. Pereira10Mayara M. L. Carvalho11Norma C. C. Brandão12Raissa S. L. Rosa13Thiago M. Ribeiro14Yuli R. M. Souza15Mariana Alberti Gonçalves16Roberto R. Ferreira17Ingo Riederer18Andrea Henriques Pons19Luciana R. Garzoni20Tania C. Araujo-Jorge21Clélia C. Mello-Silva22Laboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Applied Genomics and Bioinnovations, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Mosquitoes Transmitting Haematozoa, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Technological Development in Virology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Arboviruses and Hemorrhagic Viruses, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationPostgraduate Program in Design, School of Fine Arts, Federal University of Rio de JaneiroLaboratory on Malaria Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationNational and International Reference Laboratory in Triatomine Taxonomy, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Cell Microbiology, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationEducation, Information and Communication/Academic Secretariat, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationPostgraduate Program in Computational Biology and Systems, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationFiocruz Events Center, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Experimental Medicine and Health, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory on Thymus Research, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Education and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationLaboratory for Environmental Health Assessment and Promotion, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz FoundationAbstract Virtual conferences can be easily accessed, promotes audience diversity, and leads to cost reduction. However, motivation and social interaction need amelioration. Gamification is a strategy that uses the structure of games to promote motivation and engagement. The annual student conference was created to promote discussion about the students’ projects and issues found during their studies. In 2021, gamification was implemented to improve the event. Here, we report our experience using gamification in the annual student conference of the Oswaldo Cruz Institute. The construction of the platform involved the student council, the direction of the institute, the journalism team, and the company Ekoá. The gamified platform was built with elements of affective memory of the institute, using clickable icons with the appearance of buildings from the Institute, organized based on their functions. We noticed the number of participants increased from 240 to 759 when compared to the previous year’s remote event. The discussion of science projects was adapted to the remote environment, so that students could expose their difficulties during the pandemic. Activities were proposed to increase social interaction, focused on mental health improvement, and a multi-participant online game was available to boost engagement. At the end, participants answered a voluntary survey to collect feedback. In conclusion, the use of gamification enriches remote events and is a good resource to improve motivation, continuity and social interaction.https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00386-1GamificationEducational challengesOnline eventsStudents conference
spellingShingle Samuel I. M. Horita
Beatriz M. S. Gonzaga
Renata M. F. Mélo
Aline B. M. Rodrigues
Aline T. Ferreira
Andreon S. M. Silva
Anne C. S. B. Marcos
Giovane F. S. Junior
Hugo A. S. Souza
João P. S. Oliveira-Correia
Lorrane A. Pereira
Mayara M. L. Carvalho
Norma C. C. Brandão
Raissa S. L. Rosa
Thiago M. Ribeiro
Yuli R. M. Souza
Mariana Alberti Gonçalves
Roberto R. Ferreira
Ingo Riederer
Andrea Henriques Pons
Luciana R. Garzoni
Tania C. Araujo-Jorge
Clélia C. Mello-Silva
Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
Smart Learning Environments
Gamification
Educational challenges
Online events
Students conference
title Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
title_full Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
title_fullStr Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
title_full_unstemmed Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
title_short Leveling up engagement: gamification’s role in creating immersive online events
title_sort leveling up engagement gamification s role in creating immersive online events
topic Gamification
Educational challenges
Online events
Students conference
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40561-025-00386-1
work_keys_str_mv AT samuelimhorita levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT beatrizmsgonzaga levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT renatamfmelo levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT alinebmrodrigues levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT alinetferreira levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT andreonsmsilva levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT annecsbmarcos levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT giovanefsjunior levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT hugoassouza levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT joaopsoliveiracorreia levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT lorraneapereira levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT mayaramlcarvalho levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT normaccbrandao levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT raissaslrosa levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT thiagomribeiro levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT yulirmsouza levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT marianaalbertigoncalves levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT robertorferreira levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT ingoriederer levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT andreahenriquespons levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT lucianargarzoni levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT taniacaraujojorge levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents
AT cleliacmellosilva levelingupengagementgamificationsroleincreatingimmersiveonlineevents