GAMIFICATION AS AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO TEACHING ENGLISH TO MASTER’S STUDENTS IN MANAGEMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35433/pedagogy.3(122).2025.22Keywords:
gamification, innovative teaching methods, English language teaching, professional communicative competence, Master’s students in Management, agricultural education, game-based learning, learning motivation, critical thinking, MoodleAbstract
The article considers gamification as an innovative approach to teaching English. The relevance of the study is due to the need to increase students' motivation to learn a foreign language and develop their professional communicative competence, which is an important component of training future managers in the agricultural industry. Traditional teaching methods do not always provide a sufficient level of involvement and do not meet the needs of modern students who are focused on interactivity and digital technologies. In this context, gamification is considered an effective tool for improving the quality of education, which involves the use of game techniques (point systems, badges, ratings, quests, role-playing games, simulations) in the teaching process.
The purpose of this paper is to substantiate the theoretical foundations and analyse the practical experience of applying gamification in teaching the course "English for Professional Communication" as a case study for Master’s students of Management. The research includes objectives: to reveal the potential of gamification as an innovative teaching method in higher education, to specify its application in teaching English to management students, to assess the effectiveness of game-based practices in the learning process, and to provide methodological recommendations for integrating them into the curriculum.
The pedagogical experiment was conducted with master's students majoring in "Management" and "Public Administration" specialities. The results revealed a positive impact of gamification on students’ motivational, cognitive, and behavioural aspects of learning. In the experimental group, where points, badges, leaderboards, role-playing, and online simulations in Moodle were applied, the average level of learning motivation increased by 28%, classroom activity grew by 35%, and final test performance improved by 17% compared to the control group. Students reported that game-based activities facilitated easier acquisition of English terminology, enhanced critical thinking, teamwork, and strengthened their confidence in professional communication.
The findings confirm that gamification can serve as an effective tool for improving higher education if it is implemented methodologically and in balance with traditional teaching methods. However, several challenges were identified: high demand for time and technical resources, diverse perceptions of gamified methods among students, and the need to maintain the academic rigor of the discipline.
Future research prospects include designing gamification models adapted to the specifics of management disciplines in the agricultural sector, identifying the optimal combination of game techniques and conventional teaching strategies, and analysing the long-term impact of gamification on the development of professional competencies of future managers.
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