Islamic Religious Education and Character Education plays an important role in helping elementary school students develop religious understanding, moral values, and positive character. However, learning motivation can become a challenge when classroom activities rely heavily on lectures, memorization, and one-way explanations.
The growing use of digital technology has also changed the way many students engage with learning. Interactive activities, instant feedback, and game-based challenges can often attract students’ attention more effectively than passive classroom activities. This situation has encouraged educators to explore learning strategies that combine educational content with digital technology.
One approach that has gained attention is gamification. The method incorporates game elements such as points, rewards, challenges, leaderboards, avatars, and immediate feedback into educational activities. Rather than turning learning into a game without educational purpose, gamification uses game mechanics to encourage students to participate more actively and remain engaged with learning tasks.
Gimkit Combines Learning with Interactive Game Elements
In the study conducted by H. Lukman, Muhammad Asrul Sultan, and Riska Amelya of Universitas Negeri Makassar, gamification was implemented using Gimkit.
Gimkit is a web-based learning platform that presents quizzes and educational activities in an interactive game format. Students can answer questions, receive immediate feedback, earn points, and participate in competitive learning activities.
The researchers used Gimkit to support learning in Islamic Religious Education and Character Education, particularly material related to faith in the Hereafter. The topic requires students to understand religious concepts while remaining actively engaged in the learning process.
The researchers compared two groups of fifth-grade students. One group learned through Gimkit-assisted gamification, while the other received direct instruction supported by PowerPoint. The study involved 44 students from SD Negeri 3 Lemba, with 23 students in the experimental group and 21 students in the control group.
Students’ learning motivation was measured using a questionnaire containing 25 statements. The questionnaire assessed several aspects of motivation, including the desire to succeed, learning needs, future aspirations, appreciation during learning, interest in learning activities, and the learning environment. Classroom observations were also used to examine students’ participation during the learning process.
Motivation Score Reached 85.65 in the Gimkit Group
The results showed a clear difference between the two groups.
Students who participated in Gimkit-assisted gamification achieved an average learning motivation score of 85.65. Meanwhile, the control group that received direct instruction using PowerPoint recorded an average score of 71.70.
The difference between the two groups reached 13.95 points.
The distribution of students across motivation categories also showed a substantial contrast. In the experimental group, 18 of 23 students, or 78.3 percent, achieved a very high motivation category, while the remaining five students were classified as having high motivation.
In the control group, only one student achieved a very high motivation category. Most students, or 19 of 21 students, representing 90.5 percent, were classified as having high motivation. One student was categorized as having moderate motivation.
No students in either group were classified as having low or very low motivation.
To determine whether the difference between the two groups was statistically significant, the researchers used the Mann–Whitney U test. The analysis produced a significance value of p < .001, indicating a statistically significant difference in learning motivation between students who used Gimkit-based gamification and those who received conventional instruction.
The experimental group also achieved a substantially higher mean rank of 31.85, compared with 12.26 for the control group.
Interactive Learning Encouraged More Active Participation
The researchers observed that students became increasingly familiar with the gamified learning activities during the learning process. At the beginning, some students needed time to understand the rules of the game and the learning challenges.
However, during subsequent learning activities, students became more enthusiastic and confident. Game elements such as points, leaderboards, avatars, rewards, and group competition encouraged students to participate actively and compete to achieve higher scores.
The interactive nature of Gimkit also provided immediate feedback. Students could recognize their mistakes and respond to questions during the learning activity. This feature helped transform evaluation from a routine assessment into an active part of the learning process.
The study also found that students collaborated more effectively with their classmates. They exchanged ideas, solved learning challenges together, and supported one another in achieving shared learning goals.
According to the researchers from Universitas Negeri Makassar, these features helped create a classroom environment that was more interactive, enjoyable, and student-centered.
Gamification Offers a New Approach to Religious Education
The findings have important implications for elementary school teachers. Islamic Religious Education is not limited to the transmission of religious knowledge. It also seeks to develop understanding, attitudes, and character based on Islamic values.
For this reason, learning activities that encourage active participation can help students engage more deeply with the material. Gamification through platforms such as Gimkit provides teachers with an alternative strategy for presenting religious education in a format that is more familiar and attractive to digitally oriented students.
The findings also suggest that digital gamification is not limited to science, mathematics, or language learning. Its benefits can extend to religious education, where students can learn conceptual material through interactive questions, challenges, collaboration, and feedback.
However, the researchers note that further studies are needed to examine whether the positive effect of Gimkit can be sustained over longer periods. Future research could also investigate its influence on academic achievement, critical thinking, collaboration, student engagement, and self-regulated learning.
For schools, successful implementation also requires adequate access to digital devices and internet connectivity. Teachers need to ensure that technology supports learning objectives rather than becoming a distraction.
Overall, the study by H. Lukman, Muhammad Asrul Sultan, and Riska Amelya demonstrates that Gimkit-assisted gamification can significantly improve elementary students’ learning motivation in Islamic Religious Education and Character Education. By combining religious learning content with interactive game mechanics, teachers can create a classroom experience that encourages participation, competition, collaboration, and sustained attention.
Author Profiles
H. Lukman — Universitas Negeri Makassar; specializes in education and instructional development.
Muhammad Asrul Sultan — Universitas Negeri Makassar; specializes in education, elementary learning, and innovative instructional strategies.
Riska Amelya — Universitas Negeri Makassar; specializes in elementary education, educational technology, and learning motivation.
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