A Case Study of Applying Gamification in Teaching Project Management

Project management subject encompasses several project execution and control techniques which are used to ensure successful project delivery. One of such techniques is Earned Value Analysis. Teaching students of information system engineering the principles of Earned Value Analysis is quite challenging, as mastering Earned Value Analysis requires a thorough understanding of the metrics, repetitive calculations and application of the knowledge to various project situations. Therefore, gamification principles were applied and Earned Value Analysis learning game was implemented. The EVA game is an online board game which also incorporates such game elements as rewards, leaderboard, badges, points, levels and feedback. These game elements aim to stimulate the competition among students, increase motivation and level of engagement and make the learning process more interesting. Although the first experimental assessment of the EVA game involved a relatively small number of participants, it demonstrated that students positively evaluate the introduction of gamification elements into the study process.