Gamification and Student Acceptance of Technology-Enhanced Learning Platforms: Evidence from an Extended TAM Pilot Study

Abstract

Technology-Enhanced Learning (TEL) platforms have become an operational default in higher education, yet student acceptance and sustained engagement vary considerably across cohorts and course designs. Gamification—the deliberate use of game-design elements such as points, badges, challenges, feedback, and narrative in non-game learning contexts—has been widely adopted to improve motivation and persistence, but its influence on technology acceptance is often reported inconsistently and is frequently evaluated without explicit theoretical grounding. Building on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study tests an extended acceptance model that positions perceived gamification features (GAM) as an additional predictor of behavioural intention to use (BIU), alongside perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). A cross-sectional survey of higher-education students (N = 71) with prior exposure to gamified TEL experiences was analysed using reliability tests, Pearson correlations, and multiple regression. All constructs met exploratory reliability thresholds. Correlations indicate strong positive associations between BIU and GAM, PEOU, and PU. In the regression model, GAM and PEOU significantly predicted BIU, while PU was not significant. The findings suggest that in contemporary TEL contexts where baseline functional utility is assumed, motivational and experience-oriented design may play a decisive role in acceptance and continuance intention. The paper contributes a transparent, pilot-evidence-based extension of TAM, offers actionable design implications, and provides instrument-level reporting to support replication. Limitations include non-probability sampling, self-reported measures, and cross-sectional design; future research should validate causal mechanisms using longitudinal and experimental designs and test alternative specifications.