Gamification-assisted project-based learning in biology education: Critical thinking and collaboration among students in urban Medan, Indonesia

Damayanti Situmorang; Herbert Sipahutar

doi:10.21009/biosferjpb.62892

Authors

Damayanti Situmorang Biology Education Study Program, Department of Biology, FMIPA, Medan State University, Indonesia
Herbert Sipahutar Biology Education Study Program, Department of Biology, FMIPA, Medan State University, Indonesia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21009/biosferjpb.62892

Keywords:

21st-Century Skills, Active Learning approach, Biodiversity Topic, Quasi-Experimental Study, Student Engagement

Abstract

In 21st-century learning, students are required to develop critical thinking and collaboration skills. Project-Based Learning (PjBL) integrated with gamification is considered a potential approach to support these competencies. This study aimed to examine the effect of gamification-assisted PjBL on Grade X students’ critical thinking and collaboration skills in the biodiversity topic at SMAN 21 Medan. The study employed a quasi-experimental method using a Non-Equivalent Control Group design, involving class X5 as the experimental group and class X7 as the control group selected through random sampling. Critical thinking skills were measured using ten essay questions representing five indicators, while collaboration skills were assessed through an observation sheet based on four indicators. The results showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups. The t-test analysis of critical thinking skills yielded a significance value of 0.016 (< 0.05), with the experimental group achieving a higher posttest mean score (75.25) than the control group (61.60). Similarly, collaboration skills showed a significant difference with a significance value of < 0.001. These findings indicate that gamification-assisted PjBL has a positive effect on improving students’ critical thinking and collaboration skills compared to PjBL without gamification. Therefore, it is recommended that biology teachers integrate gamification elements such as points, badges, and challenges into project-based learning to enhance students’ critical thinking and collaboration skills.

References

Anderson, L. W., & Krathwohl, D. R. (Eds.). (2001). A taxonomy for learning, teaching, and assessing: A revision of Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives (Complete ed.). Longman. https://archive.org/details/taxonomyforlearn00unse

Aifah, D. N., & Astriani, D. (2024). Project based learning model (PjBL) to improve collaboration skills and student cognitive learning results. PENSA E-JURNAL: Pendidikan Sains, 12(1), 20–25. https://doi.org/10.26740/pensa.v12i1.61138

Ary, N. P., Habiburrahman, N., Dwi, R. A., Amaral, L. M., Selan, S., & Azis, R. (2023). Perspektif inovasi dan strategi pembelajaran biologi di era revolusi pendidikan abad ke-21. Jurnal Pembelajaran dan Riset Pendidikan, 3(4), 507–512. https://doi.org/10.28926/jprp.v3i4.1716

Aslan, E. H., & Efe, R. (2022). An investigation of secondary school students’ biodiversity literacy level. Dinamika Ilmu, 22(2), 393–410. https://doi.org/10.21093/di.v22i2.5046

Bell, S. (2010). Project-based learning for the 21st century: Skills for the future. The Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 83(2), 39–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/00098650903505415

Capili, B. (2024). An introduction to the quasi-experimental design. PMC Research Methods Series. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11741180/

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to gamefulness: Defining gamification. In Proceedings of the 15th International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments (pp. 9–15). https://doi.org/10.1145/2181037.2181040

Dewi, M. R., & Arifin, Z. (2024). Analysis of 21st century skills in the implementation of project-based learning in biology learning merdeka curriculum. Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan IPA, 10(4), 2118–2127. https://doi.org/10.29303/jppipa.v10i4.5941

Dichev, C., Dicheva, D., Angelova, G., & Agre, G. (2015). Gamification in education: A systematic mapping study. Educational Technology & Society, 18(3), 75–88. https://doi.org/10.2307/26191102

Ekaputra, F. (2025). Penerapan project-based learning berbasis gamifikasi menggunakan aplikasi Quizizz dalam meningkatkan kolaborasi dan komunikasi mahasiswa. JUDIKA: Jurnal Pendidikan UNSIKA, 13(1), 15–24. https://doi.org/10.35706/judika.v13i1.2

Ennis, R. H. (1985). A logical basis for measuring critical thinking skills. Educational Leadership, 43(2), 44–48. https://files.ascd.org/staticfiles/ascd/pdf/journals/ed_lead/el_198510_ennis.pdf

Fatah, M. (2025). Integrasi gamifikasi dalam pembelajaran berbasis proyek untuk meningkatkan keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa SMA. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Sains, 10(1), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.31227/osf.io/fatah2025

Fazarini, P. F. A., Soepriyanto, Y., & Praherdhiono, H. (2024). Project-based learning (PjBL) strategies with gamification. Inovasi Kurikulum, 21(3), 1717–1730. https://doi.org/10.17509/jik.v21i3.65253

Fitriani, N., Sari, L. M., & Kurniawan, A. (2022). Pengaruh model pembelajaran berbasis proyek terhadap kemampuan berpikir kritis dan hasil belajar siswa SMA. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains Indonesia, 10(3), 243–251. https://doi.org/10.24815/jpsi.v10i3.25215

Greenstein, L. B. (2012). Assessing 21st century skills: A guide to evaluating collaboration and creativity. Corwin.

Haladyna, T. M., & Rodriguez, M. C. (2013). Developing and validating test items. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203850381

Han, S., & Capraro, M. M. (2015). How science, technology, engineering, and mathematics project-based learning affects high school students. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 13(5), 1089–1113. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-014-9526-0

Hidayat, T., & Nugraha, R. (2023). Penerapan gamifikasi untuk meningkatkan kolaborasi siswa dalam pembelajaran sains. Jurnal Inovasi Pendidikan Sains, 5(2), 101–110. https://doi.org/10.24036/jips.v5i2.2023

Holm, M. (2011). Project-based instruction: A review of the literature on effectiveness in prekindergarten through 12th grade classrooms. Rivier Academic Journal, 7(2), 1–13. https://www2.rivier.edu/journal/RAJ/Spring2011/Holm.pdf

Khuluq, D. K., Kuswandi, D., & Soepriyanto, Y. (2023). Project-based learning dengan pendekatan gamifikasi: Untuk pembelajaran yang menarik dan efektif. JKTP: Jurnal Kajian Teknologi Pendidikan, 6(2), 72–83. https://doi.org/10.17977/um038v6i2203p072

Kokotsaki, D., Menzies, V., & Wiggins, A. (2016). Project-based learning: A review of the literature. Improving Schools, 19(3), 267–277. https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480216659733

Mardian, V., Suwarma, I. R., & Utama, J. A. (2023). The study of Indonesian high school students’ collaboration skills: Student self-assessment in science learning. International Journal of Science Education and Teaching, 2(3), 162–173. https://doi.org/10.14456/ijset.2023.14

Mukrimah, M., Syamsiah, S., & Lodang, H. (2023). Analisis keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa pada bidang studi biologi materi virus kelas X IPA MAN 1 Polewali Mandar. ORYZA: Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi, 12(2), 229–242. https://doi.org/10.33627/oz.v2i2.1372

Peng, H., Chen, C., Touitou, I., Bartz, K., Schneider, B., & Krajcik, J. (2023). Predicting student science achievement using project-based learning systems. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 60(6), 724–760. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.22045

Rasyid, M. A., & Khoirunnisa, F. (2021). The effect of project-based learning on collaboration skills of high school students. Jurnal Pendidikan Sains, 9(1), 113–119. https://doi.org/10.26714/jps.9.1.2021.113-119

Sailer, M., & Homner, L. (2020). The gamification of learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 77–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w

Sari, T. N. I., Rakhmawati, A., Ratnawati, D., Purwanti, N., & Yulianti, Y. (2025). Quality of critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity skills: survey of high school students in biology learning. Didaktika Biologi: Jurnal Penelitian Pendidikan Biologi , 9(1), 41–54. https://doi.org/10.32502/didaktikabiologi.v9i1.185

Simatupang, E. C., Silitonga, M., & Rajagukguk, S. H. (2023). Students’ critical thinking skills on human respiratory system material in flipped classroom. JPBI (Jurnal Pendidikan Biologi Indonesia), 9(3), 387–393. https://doi.org/10.22219/jpbi.v9i3.26841

Sipayung, H. D., Rahmatsyah, R., & Sani, R. A. (2019). Effect of collaborative inquiry learning model to 4C student skills in high school. Jurnal Pendidikan Fisika, 8(1), 29–38. http://jurnal.unimed.ac.id/2012/index.php/jpf

Strobel, J., & Van Barneveld, A. (2018). When is project-based learning more effective? A meta-synthesis. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 13(1), Article 1. https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1828

Subhash, S., & Cudney, E. A. (2018). Gamified learning in higher education: A systematic review of the literature. Computers in Human Behavior, 87, 192–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.05.028

Surahman, E., & Alamsyah, R. (2024). Pengaruh gamifikasi terhadap motivasi dan interaksi sosial dalam pembelajaran berbasis proyek. Jurnal Teknologi Pendidikan Indonesia, 12(3), 214–226. https://doi.org/10.23887/jtpi.v12i3.2024

Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st century skills: Learning for life in our times. Jossey-Bass.

UNESCO. (2021). Reimagining our futures together: A new social contract for education. UNESCO Publishing.

Wang, A. I., & Tahir, R. (2020). The effect of using Kahoot! for learning: A literature review. Computers & Education, 149, 103818. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2020.103818

Wang, J., & Huang, W. (2023). Gamified project-based learning: A systematic review of the research landscape. Sustainability, 15(2), 940. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15020940

Wijayanti, D., & Kurniawan, A. (2023). Pengaruh strategi gamifikasi terhadap kemampuan berpikir kritis siswa pada pembelajaran biologi. Jurnal Bioedukasi Indonesia, 9(1), 54–63. https://doi.org/10.26555/jbi.v9i1.2023

Voogt, J., & Roblin, N. P. (2012). A comparative analysis of international frameworks for 21st century competences: Implications for national curriculum policies. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 44(3), 299–321. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220272.2012.668938