Impact of Gamification as Compared to Conventional Teaching Methods Among Dental Students in Egypt

Summary

This study is designed to evaluate the effect of gamification-based teaching strategies on learning outcomes and student engagement in undergraduate oral pathology education. Traditional didactic teaching methods in dental education are often associated with passive learning and variable student engagement. In response, educational gamification has emerged as an innovative pedagogical approach that integrates game elements into learning activities to enhance motivation, participation, and knowledge retention.

This study employs a crossover interventional design involving undergraduate dental students enrolled in an Oral Pathology course. Participants will be exposed to both traditional teaching methods and gamified learning interventions in a structured sequence, allowing each participant to serve as their own control. The gamified intervention includes the use of an online game designed on Genially to reinforce key concepts in Oral Pathology. The traditional control arm consists of standard lecture-based instruction without gamification elements.

The primary objective of this study is to compare knowledge acquisition between gamified and traditional teaching approaches, measured through standardized assessments administered after each intervention phase. Secondary objectives include evaluating student engagement, satisfaction, and perception of learning effectiveness using validated structured questionnaires.

The study aims to determine whether gamification enhances academic performance and improves student engagement compared to conventional teaching methods. It also seeks to explore student perceptions of innovative teaching strategies and their potential integration into the dental curriculum.

Data will be collected at multiple time points corresponding to each phase of the crossover design. Statistical analysis will compare outcomes between intervention periods, accounting for within-subject variability. The findings are expected to provide evidence-based insights into the effectiveness of gamification in dental education and support curriculum development strategies aimed at improving active learning and student-centered teaching approaches.

This study addresses an important gap in dental education research by systematically evaluating gamification using a controlled crossover design, providing robust comparative data between traditional and innovative teaching methods in oral pathology education.

Conditions

• Gamification in Oral Pathology Education

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Gamification-based Teaching

Two custom-designed digital games will be designed on Genially(reference). To reduce content-related confounding and to enhance the reliability of comparisons across the two intervention phases, a single Oral Pathology topic was selected for the study. The topic was deliberately divided into two equivalent parts, each covering distinct but comparable subtopics with similar learning objectives and cognitive demands. Educational Principles Incorporated 1. Retrieval Practice: The game emphasizes active retrieval of information through repeated questioning and case-based challenges. 2. Spaced Repetition: Core Oral Pathology concepts are revisited across multiple stages of gameplay. 3. Scaffolding (Progressive Difficulty): Game levels are structured to progress from simple to complex cognitive demands. This progressive structure aimed to support cognitive load management and facilitate deeper learning. 4. Feedback: Immediate feedback is provided after each response.

BEHAVIORAL

Traditional Lecture-based Teaching

Conventional teaching method used in Oral Pathology education, consisting of structured instructor-led lectures and standard PowerPoint presentations without gamification elements. The teaching is delivered in a passive learning format focusing on theoretical explanation of Oral Pathology concepts.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Pharos University in Alexandria

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

22 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2026-02-12

Primary Completion

2026-04-09

Completion

2026-04-16

Countries

• Egypt

Study Locations