Effectiveness of a Gamification-Based Enrichment

Program in Developing EFL Creative Writing Skills

among the Intermediate School Students
Asmaa Shaei Alshuaifan
Assistant Professor of English Curriculum and Instruction
College of Education
Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University
Email : asalshuaifan@[Link]

[Link]
Abstract
This paper aims to verify the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment
program in developing EFL creative writing skills (fluency, flexibility, originality,
and elaboration) among third intermediate grade students. The researcher adopted the
quasi-experimental method (one-group pretest-posttest design) and applied a
validated test of creative writing skills in short stories and a validated gamification-
based enrichment program, including a teacher's manual and textbook, to a sample of
(20) third intermediate grade students of the intermediate school at Princess Nourah
bint Abdulrahman University in the second semester of 2021/2022. The results
showed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of creative writing skills in fluency,
flexibility, originality, and elaboration, as well as the total score in favor of the post-
test due to the gamification-based enrichment program. The effect size of the
gamification-based enrichment program on developing the EFL creative writing
skills among third intermediate grade students was high in each skill and the overall
score, suggesting the effectiveness of the program. Therefore, the reseaercher
recommended utilizing and implementing the gamification-based enrichment
program to equip intermediate stage students with EFL creative writing skills.

Keywords: Effectiveness; Enrichment program; Gamification; Creative

writing skills
‫فاعلية برنامج اثرائي قائم على اللعب في تنمية مهارات‬
‫الكتابة االبداعية باللغة االنجليزية لدى طالب المرحلة‬
‫المتوسطة‬
‫د‪.‬أمساء شايع راشدالشعيفان‬
‫استاذمساعديف مناهج وطرق تدريس اللغة االجنليزية‬
‫جامعة االمرية نورة بنت عبد الرمحن‪/‬كلية الرتبية‬

‫‪.‬‬
Introduction
English is the international language of communication because of its widespread use
and popularity. It is the language of international conferences and teaching some
sciences, including medicine, engineering, and modern technology. It is also the
language of the age and the language medium of education, publication, and
international relations. Therefore, scholars and thinkers call English the global
language. Learning English has become more important, and its proficiency has been
prioritized by educational systems worldwide. Therefore, it is important in education,
and its teaching is necessary to promote and share knowledge and experience.
Mirza (2018) highlights the importance of learning English, which has become the
main tool for joining the local and international markets. Alessa (2017) stresses that
learning English, in which about 80% of knowledge and sciences are published is a
priority, not a luxury. Moreover, Abdullah (2015) argues that English causes
openness to different cultures, makes people more aware of culture and identity, and
promotes professional capacities and features. Studying languages gives a person
several personal, social, professional, and economic features (Bohdanska, 2012).
The intermediate stage is between the preparatory stage, in which the students’
mental and linguistic capacities are developed, and high school before joining higher
education. Therefore, developing thinking and creativity- based writing skills
influence the next stages, necessitating further interest in deepening the creative
operations in the writing of students (Abdulazim, 2009). Teaching English in the
intermediate stage primarily aims to enable students to master speaking, listening,
reading, and writing and allow pre-high school students to have a sound basis for
their future studies (Almezeny, 2021, p.211). Aldemerdash (2008) recommends the
interest in creative expression for all educational stages because it significantly
influences discovering and fostering talents, the taste of literary works, motivating
imagination, and achieving fun and amusement.
Therefore, it is important to empower students in the four skills of English (listening,
speaking, reading, and writing). As a goal of education, learning writing promotes
students' abilities to acquire grammar and new vocabulary. According to Parilasanti
et al. (2014), teaching writing ultimately aims to allow students to express their ideas
in writing. Writing is involved in the linguistic, cognitive, social, and psychological
development of the individual. It plays a vital role in school because it is
comprehensive, manifests the development of other language skills, and enhances the
overall achievement level (Al-Salami, 2011; Raslan, 2005).
Writing is more difficult than other language skills (Kollogg, 2008). Al-Hoshani and
Al-Nisan (2020) report that the practice level is higher in listening, speaking, and
reading because they are required and practiced daily, but writing is individual and
requires independent practice and continuing training to achieve proficiency and
creativity. Accordingly, the author argues that creative writing is considered by the
teachers of English so that students can practice creativity in writing.
According to Jones (2014), creative writing is “a complex process that involves
creative opportunism, a consolidation of an imaginal space within the texts, and
mythopoesis” (p. 118). It is prose in which the writer highlights linguistic capabilities
logically and systematically and controls the generated ideas and feelings to the
cognitive and linguistic background in a unique and exciting style to create a new
text rich in fluency, originality, and flexibility. The methods of handling an issue
differ from one person to another and evolve through practice and training (Khader
& Morisat, 2019, p. 2). Importantly, creative writing is the best approach to
stimulating creativity, curiosity, self-trust, language performance, and expressing
opinions among students (Davies, 2015).
Furthermore, Abdulbary (2014) and Al-Masry (2006) pointed out that modern
theories view the creative text as a science that reflects many considered
psychological practices. Creative writing is more important for the intermediate and
high stages because they are rich in science and knowledge, and the mental,
emotional, social, and linguistic development of students makes their writings
polished, beautiful, and creative. In these stages, students can express and share their
ideas, emotions, and feelings in a well-written literary medium
(Al-Samman, 2011, p. 267).
Creative writing skills are related to creative thinking skills. They should have
fluency, originality, flexibility, and elaboration (Abdulbary, 2014; Al-Harthy, 2009).
Because of their importance, several studies addressed developing creative writing
skills in the different stages of education. For instance, Aly (2014) recommended
developing creative writing skills using a proposed language games-based strategy.
Abdulazim (2009) concluded that the experimental group (using divergent thinking)
achieved better results in creative writing skills. This strategy gives students free
thinking, avoiding traditional restrictions, and creating new relationships and ideas.
Despite the importance of creative writing, students' creative writings suffer
weakness and shortcomings, such as the inability to express themselves and their
needs and problems correctly, poor language, ambiguous and disorganized ideas,
poor phrasing, and weak representation (Madkour et al., 2016). Bakhit (2013) and
Jalhoum (2010) argue that this weakness results from the adopted educational
strategies and programs for teaching language, especially creative writing, that affect
higher-order thinking skills, promote awareness, trigger thinking, and utilize creative
abilities among students. Traditional methods for teaching writing are no longer able
to achieve the expected results, as reported by Al-Ardan (2010), Ahmed (2020),
Talahmeh (2019), Kamel and Eid (2019), Al-Jubouri (2019), Qahuf (2018), Yassin
(2018), Maktouf (2018), Al-Ahwal (2018), Al-Anzi (2018), Al-Hourani (2018), Al-
Tuwairiki (2017), Al-Shammari (2017), Abu Jarad (2017), Ahmed (2016), Marisat
(2015), and Al-Sayej (2014) that developing creative writing skills requires utilizing
some motivating strategies, environment, and teaching methods that promote free
expression.
Recently, some teaching models and strategies have emerged and achieved
remarkable success in e-learning environments utilizing games due to their attractive
features, such as gamification (Ibanez et al., 2014). This strategy uses game
technology and thinking games in non-play applications to engage learners in
education and develop their skills in solving various problems. It is a process of
determining game elements to make games more fun and motivating for learners to
continue playing and using them in a non-play context to affect behavior in different
educational courses (Deterding et al., 2011).
It is based on the flow theory because flow, according to Krist (2014, p. 2366), is an
ideal psychological state that people have when engaging in an activity that is a
challenge appropriate to the skills of the individual and often causes more focus and
engagement in the task, leading to deep learning and high levels of personal
satisfaction about the work. There are eight components of flow: Complete
concentration on the task, clarity of goals and reward in mind, immediate feedback,
transformation of time, intrinsically rewarding experience, effortlessness and ease, a
balance between challenge and skills, merging actions and awareness, and losing
self-conscious rumination. Gamification supports and promotes structuralism ideas,
which call students to learn actively as part of their learning because knowledge
building is achieved through interaction with the surrounding environment and the
freedom to seek knowledge (Sætre, 2013).
The basic notion of gamification is using the motivational gap for games for other
purposes not related to entertainment. It emerges from the spread of marketing to
different contexts, including business and education (Kapp, 2012). Kickmeier-Rust et
al. (2014) describe gamification as a promising approach to using the strong
motivational capabilities of games in the classroom without deficiencies, e.g., low
efficiency and weakness of education. Jared and Peter (2018) argue that gamification
exceeds mere playing to utilizing the exciting aspects of playing for other purposes.
Moreover, Wolf (2020) points out that students can be trained in the basic principles
of gamification to improve students' practices and outputs. Thus, the author argues
that using gamification in education is based on an important principle that the
student practices playing positively, namely learning while playing. Gamification
also makes students active and effective while acquiring skills in authentic
educational contexts.
Educators, such as Asiksoy (2017), Carmichael (2016), Kingsley and Grabner-Hagen
(2015), Jovanovic and Davidzic (2015), and Hamari et al. (2014) highlight several
features of gamification that can promote English as a foreign language (EFL)
creative writing skills, e.g., developing positive personal skills and behaviors,
including perseverance and creativity, strong motivation to handle various problems,
acquiring different skills and knowledge to promote thinking, teamwork, discipline,
more freedom, and fun learning. It allows students to integrate content learning with
21st century learning skills in an attractive learning environment, achieve self-
actualization, express autonomy by having unique personalities, and continue self-
learning.
This strategy includes collecting points and badges; challenges, levels, comments,
and skills that the learner must master; more comprehensive activities that affect
students’ skills through a sense of competition, interaction, and reinforcement
associated with creating internal motivation toward developing thinking for new
knowledge and skills (Kim et al., 2016; Yildirim, 2016). Barata et al. (2013) and
Todor and Piticã (2013) reported that using gamification elements promotes student
interest in the educational content and participation in learning. Furthermore,
Almawaly (2011, p. 7) reported that gamification elements promote student
interaction with content and classmates and develop communication and interaction
with the surrounding environment to enhance creativity and free expression in a
socially accepted framework.
Many studies proved the effectiveness of gamification in teaching. For instance,
Alkhobaraa (2020) concluded the effectiveness of gamification in developing
academic achievement, achievement motivation, and attitude among intermediate
school students. Alnady (2020) showed that gamification positively impacted
developing creative thinking skills among basic third graders in science in Amman.
Alamir (2019) illustrated the effectiveness and impact of using a gamification-based
e-learning environment on website development skills and learning motivation
among high school students. Al-Shammari (2019) reported the effectiveness of
gamification in developing motivation toward learning English among high school
students in Ha’il. Al-Ghamdi (2019) concluded the effectiveness of gamification in
developing motivation toward mathematics among six grade primary students in
Makkah.
Alomari et al. (2019) concluded that gamification techniques affect student learning
considerably. Al-Otaibi (2018) highlighted that computer science teachers use
gamification largely because of its effectiveness. Al-Hafnawi (2017) revealed the
effectiveness of gamification in developing mathematical concepts among deaf
students. Leaning (2015) revealed that gamification is a useful and valuable activity.
Behnke (2015) illustrated that gamification design techniques provide motivating
opportunities for students to engage in educational materials. Moreover, Nevin et al.
(2014) demonstrated that gamification-based educational operations are welcomed
by learners and used to develop strategies to enhance learning.
In sum, gamification proved effective in developing EFL creative writing skills.
However, no study, to the author’s knowledge, tackled the use of gamification in
developing these skills among intermediate stage students in Saudi Arabia. Thus,
there is a need to investigate the effectiveness of the gamification-based enrichment
program in developing EFL creative writing skills (fluency, flexibility, originality,
and elaboration) separately and as a whole among third intermediate grade students.
Statement of the Problem
As a supervisor of field training students in public schools, the researcher noticed the
weak performance of EFL creative writing skills among intermediate stage students
probably because the teachers adopt traditional instructional methods and strategies.
A pilot study was conducted on a sample of (12) students at (Tallam) School in the
first semester of 2021/2022. It included a test of some creative writing skills that
focused on writing diaries. The results showed a low level of creative writing skills
that scored (14.1). The mean performance of originality, flexibility, and writing
mechanisms was small, and the fluency was (inferior). The means of originality,
flexibility, fluency, and writing mechanisms scored (16.1, 19.1, 69.0, and 50.1),
respectively.
Then, the teachers (11) and supervisors (4) of English in the intermediate stage were
interviewed about the level of students in creative writing skills, the difficulties
facing students and their causes, and the complaints from parents and their causes, if
any. The results of analyzing the responses were as follows:
-Nine teachers (81.82%) and 4 educational supervisors (100%) indicated a low level
of the performance of intermediate stage students in EFL creative writing skills.
-All teachers and educational supervisors reported that the difficulties facing students
could be because of their low level in mastering the basics of correct writing in
terms of form and content and the inability to taste the language, generate creative
ideas, and express emotions creatively.
-Three educational supervisors (75%) reported that these difficulties could be due to
the adopted instruction method of English, as the teacher is largely uninterested in
developing creative writing skills and chooses traditional topics.
-Seven teachers (63.64%) confirmed their inadequate knowledge of modern
instruction methods that could help them resolve the difficulties and develop
creative writing skills among students.
-All participants reported a continuous complaint from the parents about the
difficulty of EFL creative writing and that students often have low grades in
them, which negatively affects their achievement in English.
Many studies, e.g., Mohammadi and Izadpana (2018), Al-Zahrani and Shabbat
(2017), Al-Ahmadi (2014), Al-Hawamdeh and Ashour (2013), Abdulbary (2013),
Rababaa and Abujamos (2012), and Agiz (2011), recommended using modern
instructional strategies to develop creative writing skills (fluency, flexibility,
originality, and elaboration) by encouraging students to have intellectual production
characterized by originality and freedom of choosing ideas and topics because these
studies reported the poor skills of students.
Gamification is one of the latest strategies that have proven effective in education
because it allows students to determine the problem and solution and develop their
emotional, social, mental, and creative aspects to promote their level, utilize skills,
and attain objectives shortly with high quality (Saputra, 2015, pp. 38-39). According
to Gooch et al. (2016), gamification is utilizing educational games or their elements
in an educational activity or a set of dynamic activities to achieve educational goals.
It applies game elements and mechanisms in non-related contexts and areas, such as
marketing, business, and education, to engage users in solving problems and
achieving specific goals (Al-Qaid, 2015).
Several studies, e.g., Al-Kanaan (2022), Alhatalia et al. (2020), Aljahny (2019), Van
Roy and Zaman (2018), Aşıksoy (2017), Dreon (2016), Shingo and Manabu (2015),
Ibanez et al. (2014), and Fabricatore and López (2014), recommended utilizing
gamification in education because it is effective, creates reinforced content, helps
solve problems, and promotes cooperation and communication skills. Al-Ghamdi
(2020) argued that gamification is relatively new and urges researchers to address
other variables than motivation, achievement, and engagement and to vary the
population because most previous studies investigated gamification in the university
context.
Conferences, such as gamification in Europe annually held since 2017, provided
relevant recommendations (Al-Ghamdi and Al-Hafizi, 2021). Moreover, the Virtual
International Conference on the Future of Digital Education in the Arab World
(2020) recommended developing curricula in line with digital education in all forms
by employing gamification and others.
Therefore, the problem of the study is defined in the poor level and lack of creativity
of intermediate stage students in EFL creative writing skills. They need certain
teaching strategies to deliver academic content attractively and handle shortcomings
and weaknesses in creative writing. The study aims to answer the following major
question:
What is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing
EFL creative writing skills among third intermediate grade students?
It is divided into the following minor questions:
[Link] is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in
developing fluency as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate
grade students?
[Link] is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in
developing flexibility as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate
grade students?
[Link] is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in
developing originality as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate
grade students?
[Link] is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in
developing elaboration as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate
grade students?
[Link] is the effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in
developing EFL creative writing skills among third intermediate grade students?
Objectives:
The study seeks to verify
[Link] effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing
fluency as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate grade students.
[Link] effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing
flexibility as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate grade
students.
[Link] effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing
originality as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate grade
students.
[Link] effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing
elaboration as an EFL creative writing skill among third intermediate grade
students.
[Link] effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing EFL
creative writing skills among third intermediate grade students.
Significance
The study is significant because
[Link] is an objective response to recent trends that call for developing EFL teaching
procedures with a focus on creative writing skills and adopting strategies that
develop the creative writing skills of students.
[Link] development and standardization of EFL creative writing can help teachers
identify the level of writing and assess the performance of intermediate school
students in Saudi Arabia.
[Link] study provides a guide to teaching English to third intermediate grade
students using a gamification-based enrichment program to help teachers adopt this
strategy after providing a practical vision of the learning procedures of gamification
in improving the learning outcomes and overcoming the challenges of creative
writing skills.
[Link] provides a comprehensive enrichment program for developing creative writing
skills with many games of enrichment activities for third intermediate grade
students.
[Link] results can draw the attention of curriculum planners and the staff of EFL
teacher preparation to develop the appropriate plans and programs that help develop
creative writing skills among intermediate school students and include gamification
elements in English course to develop creative writing skills.
[Link] study provides the Arab literature with the theoretical framework and
literature on gamification strategy and creative writing skills that may help
researchers.
[Link] paves the way for conducting further studies on gamification, as an independent
variable for developing language skills in the different educational stages and the
impact of this strategy on other relevant variables.
Delimitations The study was limited to
Spatial and human limits: A group of third intermediate grade female students of
the intermediate school at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Saudi
Arabia
Temporal limits: The second semester of 2021/2022
Objective limits:
-A set of creative writing skills: Fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration
-The short story to develop the gamification-based enrichment program to develop
creative writing skills
Hypotheses
The present study seeks to validate these hypotheses:
[Link] is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of fluency as an EFL creative writing
skill in favor of the post-test due to the gamification-based enrichment program.
[Link] is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of flexibility as an EFL creative
writing skill in favor of the post-test due to the gamification-based enrichment
program.
[Link] is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of originality as an EFL creative
writing skill in favor of the post-test due to the gamification-based enrichment
program.
[Link] is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of elaboration as an EFL creative
writing skills in favor of the post-test due to the gamification-based enrichment
program.
[Link] is a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of the total score of EFL creative
writing skills in favor of the post-test due to the gamification-based enrichment
program.
Definition of Terms
Effectiveness
Shehata and Najjar (2013, p.12) define effectiveness as“the impact of experimental
processing, as an independent variable, on dependent variables.”
It is procedurally defined as the change in the performance of third intermediate
grade female students after applying the gamification-based enrichment program for
developing EFL creative writing skills and measured by the difference between the
means of students’ scores in the pre-test and post-test of creative writing according to
the effect size by Eta squared (η2).
Enrichment program
According to Zayer and Dakhil (2015, pp. 124-125), it is “a comprehensive system of
the educational content, including knowledge, operations, skills, experiences,
activities, and teaching strategies for developing knowledge and scientific thinking
skills of learners to enhance their achievement and ability to solve problems
adequately.”
It is procedurally defined as a set of educational experiences and activities related to
the lessons of some units of English for the third intermediate grade that were
developed, planned, prepared, and designed by the researcher to broaden students’
experiences through gamification-based educational situations and develop creative
writing skills (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) in the artistic short
story.
Gamification
Llorens-Largo et al. (2016, p. 227) define gamification as “the application of
strategies, models, dynamics, mechanics, and elements of the games in other contexts
than games, and the objective of producing a playful experience that fosters
motivation, involvement, and fun.”
It is procedurally defined as a set of teaching steps adopted by the teacher in
planning, implementation, and evaluation based on the game elements in non-game
contexts for educational purposes to teach third intermediate grade students to create
a motivating environment characterized by interaction and fun to master educational
experiences, achieve the desired objectives, and make education and learning more
effective.
Creative writing skills
Yunes (2010, p.433) defines creative writing as “expressing the self or emotions in a
poem, story, literary essay... etc., towards various contexts using a rhetorical style to
achieve a strong effect among recipients.”
Ahmed (2016, p. 13) defines creative writing skills as “the student’s ability to
produce written texts with the highest fluency, flexibility, originality, and
elaboration.”
EFL creative writing skills are procedurally defined as The ability of third
intermediate grade students to select appropriate vocabulary and build and provide
sentences in coherent paragraphs to express the self, feelings, ideas, emotions, and
opinions about a certain topic in a literary, error-free, eloquent, clear, and accurate
style through multiple vocabularies and structures (fluency), variety (flexibility),
novelty (originality), and details (elaboration) in the artistic short story using a well-
written, fun, and unique manner to achieve fun and persuasion among participants.
They are determined according to the score of the student in the creative writing test
developed for this purpose.
Theoretical Framework
I. Gamification strategy
-The concept of gamification
Schöbel et al. (2020) define gamification as “adding game elements, e.g., points,
badges, leaderboards, and rewards in various forms to non-play contexts and
environments to create a competitive environment that stimulates the desired
behavior.”
Kim (2019) states it is “a set of interrelated activities and processes to solve
challenges using game features and elements.”
Landers (2014) defines gamification as “utilizing game elements, e.g., excitement,
evaluation, imaginative play, control, human interaction, immersion, rules, and
objectives to facilitate the achievement of learning goals.”
According to Hsin et al. (2013), it is a training and educational approach to motivate
students to pursue educational tasks using game elements, aiming to maximize fun
and engagement.
Huotari and Hamari (2012) define it as “using game elements and thinking methods
in non-play environments to promote behavior.”
Gamification is “using the mechanic based on playing, aesthetics, and thinking style
to engage the individual, motivate work, encourage learning, and solve problems”
(Kapp, 2012).
It is the application of game mechanics and design techniques to engage and
motivate individuals to achieve their goals (Zichermann & Linder, 2011).
Deterding et al. (2011) define gamification as “using game design and features in
non-game contexts to indicate life-related contexts.”
The basic idea of gamification is using the game rules and mechanisms to help
students engage in enriching activities to exchange experiences in fun and
stimulating ways to raise the quality of their lifestyle (Kim & Lee, 2015). The
researcher concludes that gamification transfers the game elements and mechanisms,
e.g., points, badges, stages, awards, challenges, and leaderboards, to authentic
educational contexts and increase enthusiasm, suspense, and motivation to promote
interaction with the educational content to develop EFL creative writing skills.
Moreover, gamification differs from games as it uses game elements in non-play
contexts and employs various elements (points, badges, levels, ...), of which one or
more can be used in new environments.
- Gamification elements
Hunicke et al. (2004) categorize gamification elements into three basic components.
[Link]:
The various actions, behaviors, and control mechanisms afforded to the player in a
game context. [Link] (2012) lists the most common mechanisms as follows:
-Points: They are used to reward users, motivate certain behaviors, and indicate
progress.
-Levels: They indicate the user’s access to a certain achievement level.
-Challenges and titles: Challenges provide users with tasks to be accomplished and
rewarded. They give players goals and a feeling of accomplishment. Moreover,
titles represent the visual perception of reaching a certain level.
-Virtual goods: They make the game more effective by finding a place to spend and
redeem points.
-Leaderboards: Lists of the first contestants to motivate them and show progress.
-Feedback mechanisms: The method of providing feedback instantly to players.
[Link] of interaction (dynamics):
Dynamics determine reactions to using mechanisms. They form the players’ behavior
styles and describe the behaviors, practices, and reactions during play. They are at
the top of abstraction and differ from the game rules and laws. Dynamics form the
implicit structure that forms conceptual factors of the game’s framework and make
the game more coherent. Dynamics include the following human desires:
-Restrictions (binding limits);
-Feelings (curiosity, competition, happiness, and achievement);
-Narration (ongoing story);
-Progress (player’s growth and development and competition);
-Relationships (social interactions, friendship, status, and altruism);
-Self-expression (avatars of the players).
Each mechanic is a way to randomly achieve one or more dynamics, such as the pop-
up award that stimulates a sense of fun and curiosity in players.
[Link] aesthetics:
Mechanics express how games or systems transform certain inputs into outputs,
dynamics guide how players and game mechanisms interact, and aesthetics indicate
the way of interaction of mechanics and dynamics with the game designer to achieve
cultural and emotional outputs (Zichermann & Linder, 2011). Additionally,
aesthetics express the appearance (visual elements) of the game, including colors,
diversity, originality, fun, and display stages. They are more specific models that
dynamics or mechanics can rely on.
-Gamification elements in education:
They are the essence and main component of gamification. They vary from one angle
to another. Gómez (2020), Rahili (2018), and Raymer (2011) mention that
gamification elements in the learning environments are:
-Setting goals: Specific, measurable, scalable difficulty, and multi-level
-Feedback: Regularly illustrating progress and improvement of learning
-Scoring: After successfully completing lessons, students move to higher levels and
more difficulty.
-Badges: After completing the task at each level at the required speed and efficiency.
-Individual progress: Each student answers at one’s pace, receives feedback, collects
points, and progresses in levels.
-Learning metrics: Learning time, badges, and levels.
-Rewarding effort, not just success: Several small rewards with every effort are
better than just one big reward at the end.
-Reward scheduling: Awards are provided throughout the learner's study with three
main elements, i.e., prerequisites, response, and motif.
-Peer motivation: In shared tasks, goals, or group rewards.
-Redeemable points: Strategically grouped with a special event and redeemed for
other valuables or with other participants.
-Reactions: Instant and closely related to the intrinsic motivation to overcome the
challenge.
-Pop-ups: A pop-up disappears if the required action is not implemented
immediately.
-Assignment dynamics: A time is set for an event.
-Sanction breaks: A sudden stop usually used in the required procedures.
-Random rewards: An unknown reward for doing the action based on chance and
luck.
-Videos: Embedded in an activity.
-Avatar: Visual representation of the learner.
Glover (2013) reports that the main element of gamification is that learners perform
tasks by scoring, moving to higher levels, and rewarding to achieve the desired
educational goals. Ejsing-Duun and Karoff (2014) and González and Carreño (2014)
illustrate that gamification elements are often used in learning contexts to motivate
students to learn because gamification fulfills some basic human desires or needs:
Appreciation, reward, achievement, competition, cooperation, self-expression, and
altruism. People need these elements clearly in the real or virtual world.
Alexe et al. (2013) explain that gamification allows the instructional designer to
choose adequate gamification elements to make the experience attractive without
compromising the educational value. Furthermore, Hamari (2014) indicates that
points, levels, and badges are the most common gamification elements in education.
Therefore, the researcher argues that studying all these elements and their impact on
students is difficult, so they should vary because some elements largely stimulate the
student's internal motif, and others stimulate the external motif.
-Gamification types:
According to Kapp et al. (2014), gamification has two types.
-Structural gamification: In this type of gamification, game elements are added to the
structure of the content, but the content itself remains unaltered. The content is not
similar to the game, but the surrounding structure is, such as progression-based. Its
most common elements are points, badges, achievements, and levels.
-Content gamification: In this type, gamification elements are integrated into the
content to be more like a game, such as turning the lesson into a story or a set of
stages and challenges with gamification elements included in the activities.
Chou (2017) mentions that some teachers wrongly believe that gamification is about
adding points, badges, and leaderboards to the usual boring tasks because the fun is
achieved by external gamification elements, strategic elements, and important
activities. In addition, Wilson et al. (2016) argue that the effective design of
gamification is through including its elements in the task. Thus, the researcher
believes in the importance of both types for students.
Al-Qahtani (2017) categorizes the types of gamification in education into:
[Link] gamification: It relies on technology in applying game elements in the
learning environment.
[Link] gamification: It blends tradition and technology in applying game
elements in the learning environment. It is the strategy adopted in the present
study.
[Link] gamification: It is about applying some game elements in learning
environments and relies on the teacher for classroom management.
-Requirements for the effective use of gamification in education:
Hakak et al. (2019) identify a set of specifications for effective gamification in
education as follows:
-Motivation: A large set of included stimuli that help learners continue learning
-Short-term tasks: Because long-term tasks cause boredom and loss of concentration
-Reward system: Once the task is completed, the learner should receive some reward,
such as points or gift cards.
-Task design: A difficult task design may cause tension and discourage the learner;
thus, the design should balance the task with its requirements.
-Determining the nature of gamification elements in each task by the teacher:
Al-Zuhair (2017) mentions a set of controls for the successful use of gamification in
the classroom, such as adhering to the official evaluation criteria, linking rewards to
learning objectives, understanding learners' behavioral patterns and motifs for
rewarding and peer motivation, and rewarding all learners with rewards of various
levels.
-Principles and steps of the effective use of gamification in education:
Understanding the principles of the appropriate use of gamification helps its success.
According to Hsin (2013) and Simoes (2013), these principles are:
[Link] the characteristics of learners and the circumstances
surrounding learning:
Analyzing the target group in terms of the age group, circumstances, identifying the
abilities and skills, defining the type and duration of the program, and determining
the requirements and environment.
[Link] learning objectives and outcomes:
Accurate knowledge and clear learning objectives among teachers help achieve the
required learning outcomes better.
3. Creating content and educational activities for gamification:
Educational content should be interactive, participatory, and rich in multimedia
elements.
[Link] experiences: Gradual achievement of the content’s objectives, dividing
them into small ones, and progress in difficulty, and considering students’
abilities because the stage or objective enhances motivation and goal
achievement.
[Link] resources:
Correct implementation of gamification should include these elements: Resources for
applying gamification, a clear mechanism of progress measurement, mastery
criterion for each level or goal, clear applicable rules, and feedback for the teacher
and learner.
[Link] of gamification elements:
Gamification elements can be divided into subjective and social. Subjective elements
make the student have self-competition and take pride in achievement and self-
realization, such as points, badges, medals, and personal achievements. Social
elements require students to exist in a society with common achievements and
progress, such as leaderboards.
In sum, these principles are important. Coherent application of these principles,
steps, and procedures involving a deep analysis of the current circumstances and
available software tools causes the success of gamification in education.
-Importance of using gamification in education:
Tomei (2017) illustrates that using gamification in education mainly aims to make
students involved, practitioners, and motivated to learn. Moreover, it provides
teachers with better tools to guide, reward, and encourage students to pursue
learning.
Using gamification in education provides several benefits reflected in promoting
learners’ skills and levels, such as maintaining teamwork, promoting discipline, more
freedom, attaining better results, enjoying content, higher motivation, and instant
feedback to learners (Al-Qahtani, 2019; Al-Mallah & Fahim, 2016).
The researcher concludes that the advantages of gamification are the same as those of
educational games. In addition, gamification helps eliminate the difficulties of
educational games. Challenge, motivation, interaction, participation, and fun exist in
the gamification environment that does not require a special design.
In sum, gamification benefits from the game elements and simulation in a non-play
manner to achieve certain objectives or solve educational problems to help students
learn in a unique and fun manner. It increases positive competition that stimulates
learning motivation based on features, needs, and individual differences. It also
reduces a feeling of failure, promotes positive participation, and has a sequence of
tasks.
II. Creative writing
The concept of creative writing:
According to Al-Khudari (2020), it is “a language activity that a learner employs to
express thinking, feelings, and emotions in responses to a stimulus to attain a strong
effect, provoke emotions, and achieve emotional participation with the writer to be
convinced with the case in an original, flexible, accurate, and aesthetic writing.”
Taha and Al-Zahrani (2020, P. 70) define creative writing as “a form of writing that
expresses personal feelings and emotions, differs from one person to another
according to culture and knowledge, and has flexibility, originality, and aesthetics.”
It is a productive process that requires a set of overlapping mental and linguistic
abilities and skills that make the writer able to choose the appropriate vocabulary and
build clear structures, sentences, and paragraphs due to mixing current and
background knowledge to provide them to the recipient in a usual coherent manner
(Rababaa & Abujamos, 2012).
According to Abdulbary, 2014), creative writing stimulates an issue or case for
clarification in a framework of aesthetic form and content and emotionally affects the
recipient.
The researcher concludes that creative writing relates to two issues: The first is
concerned with the written expression of thoughts and feelings, and the other relates
to the unique expression of such thoughts and feelings. The student experiences some
mental, intellectual, and emotional processes to distinguish a student from the other
according to one’s language abilities and employing creative potential via broad
imaginations and mental images reflected in the aesthetics of writing.
Fields of creative writing:
In teaching creative writing, a teacher should consider a set of creative writing fields
by choosing the topic to motivate the learner to master the language style. Maley
(2012) and Scrivener (2011) define the fields of EFL creative writing as follows:
Books and records: A written activity aimed at recalling the goals set.
Diaries: A record of all daily events in a clear sequence
Articles: Personal, descriptive, and persuasive
Storytelling: It is the most creative type of writing because it gives way to fiction and
fictional reality, including folk, short stories, and novels.
Personal memoirs: Personal stories about certain topics, focusing on specific
personal experiences
Messages: They demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively with classmates.
Manuscripts: e.g., writing scripts for films and programs that can reach a new
audience.
The study is limited to one field, i.e., artistic short stories.
According to Mohamed (2012), it is a set of narrated events that depict a life sector
limited to one or more mutually related events. A writer creates a separate issue with
characters and components and depicts a complete position in terms of analysis,
treatment, and influence on the recipient.
It is a fictional expression of a realistic composition to entertain the reader and
introduce events or personal experiences that have changed a way of life in a literary
style with components and elements. It stimulates feelings, triggers emotions, and
captures the mind more than other literary arts (Al-Sufi, 2009).
Ashour and Makdadi (2013) argue that the short story achieves pleasure and fun for
the student, enhances learning motivation, develops language, and enriches the
language lexicon with vocabulary, expressions, and structures. It refines one’s style
and develops imagination by depicting events and things in a way that differs
according to the stages of cognitive development.
This affirms that training in writing or tracking a story develops the students’
creative writing skills by enabling them to define ideas clearly and creatively,
generating original ideas, and enriching the details that clarify the general idea and
link and narrate ideas in a manner that achieves the aim of the story
(Abdulbary, 2014).
Creative writing skills:
Alouzi and Qatami (2008) report that creative writing skills are "the sum of
language, creative, and intellectual skills that a talented student can utilize to write in
a creative elaborated style. Creative writing requires some performance, mental, and
language skills involved in the higher mental processes (Khasawneh, 2008, p. 63).
Abdulbary (2013, p. 64) categorizes creative writing skills into structural, visual,
stylistic, and writing mechanisms skills.
Abu Saif (2017), Al-Qarni (2012), and Al-Salami (2011) agreed on classifying
creative writing skills into four main skills with minor ones, as follows:
-Fluency skills: Providing the largest number of ideas related to the topic, writing as
many titles appropriate for one idea as possible, writing as much synonymous of a
word as possible, writing the largest number of results of a certain idea, writing as
many similarities and differences between two ideas as possible, and highlighting
linkers between sentences.
-Flexibility skills: Providing various ideas related to the topic, varying methods of
expressing ideas, combining the composition and rhetoric methods, changing the
written meanings based on the context, and writing various uses related to an
idea.
-Originality skills: Writing creative ideas, expressing feelings and emotions with
unduplicated words and structures, linking the ideas of the issue creatively,
creating an original conclusion, and employing words and sentences in a non-
recurring.
-Elaboration skills: Adequate use of the figures of speech, providing illustrative and
supporting ideas, writing explanatory sentences of the topic sentences,
elaborating minor ideas, and stimulating ideas and topics relevant to the issue.
The present study utilizes the previous creative writing skills in the short
story as follows:
[Link]: It is the student’s ability to generate many verbal and performance ideas
about an issue. It is determined by the number and speed of responses, such as
-Writing as many headlines as possible for the story;
-Generating as many sub-ideas as possible;
-Varying sentences and phrases to express the story actions;
-Using many figures of speech;
-Writing as many complexes of a story with a definite beginning and end;
-Generating secondary characters that help develop the story's actions.
[Link]: It is the diversity and uniqueness of ideas provided by the student who
can move from one idea to the other freely, such as
[Link] multiple and diverse actions;
[Link] the course of actions, if any;
[Link] secondary characters that support the actions;
[Link] introduction of the conflict;
[Link] of ideas;
- Writing several endings for one beginning and several beginnings for one end.
[Link]: It is the most related skill to creativity and expresses the student’s
ability to generate ideas or innovative solutions, such as
-Creating a distinctive title for the story;
-Formulating a new general idea for the story;
-Writing novel ideas;
-Linking story actions creatively;
-Writing an unfamiliar conclusion.
[Link]: It is the student’s ability to add new and diverse details to an idea or
find a solution to a problem, such as
-Elaborating the story with details that illustrate the general idea;
-Adding multiple aspects to the story’s characters;
-Providing details explaining the roles of the characters in the story;
-Reporting the plot’s details;
-Illustrating the effects in the setting.
Accordingly, the researcher concludes that creative writing has unique special skills
that must be determined to distinguish it from other writings and develop a criterion
for measuring the creative performance of students.
Creative writing characteristics:
According to Taha and Al-Zahrani (2020, pp. 70-71) and Al-Ardan (2020, p. 66),
creative writing has many characteristics, such as language innovation, using more
rhetorical and literary methods, using several figures of speech and words with
multiple connotations, good phrasing, depending on the broad background and life
experiences of the writer, originality, flexible presentation of ideas, providing a
socially valuable structure, and concluding results from the introduction and plot.
Principles of teaching creative writing:
Some requirements for creative writing tasks should be met (Maley, 2012):
-Creating a pleasant, relaxed, and supportive classroom environment.
-Encouraging and developing cohesion and collective cohesion among learners.
-Increasing learners’ expectations of the success of certain tasks and learning, in
general.
-Making learning exciting and enjoyable by overcoming the dullness of events in
the classroom.
-Making learning stimulating and enjoyable with more attractive writing tasks
-Making learning stimulating and enjoyable by engaging in groups with active
colleagues.
-Presenting and managing writing tasks in a stimulating manner.
-Providing learners with experiences to succeed often.
-Building learners' self-confidence through words of encouragement regularly.
-Developing motivation by enhancing learners’ cooperation.
-Developing learning motivation by promoting autonomy in writing tasks.
-Increasing learner satisfaction.
-Offering material and moral rewards in a motivational manner.
-Bland (2011) mentions a set of the basics of teaching EFL creative writing, namely:
-Allowing the teacher adequate time to teach well and quickly;
--Scrutinizing details and identifying similarities and differences between ideas;
-Classifying vocabularies and sentences;
--Planning writing to keep time and effort and making and organizing ideas
according to the allocated time
-Continuous review of writing styles, sentence writing methods, and vocabulary use;
-Using a good dictionary to ensure using appropriate words and structures;
-Varying writing styles;
-Balancing the introduction of ideas.
-Thus, the researcher argues that a teacher should consider some principles for
teaching EFL creative writing:
-Teaching in an inspiring environment to promote the desire to write original pieces
that express their ideas and feelings towards experiences.
-Avoiding criticism and stress to students; the teacher accepts even naive attempts,
rewards brilliant students, and accepts attempts as long as they are based on
independent free thinking and creative expression of ideas and emotions patiently.
-Objective evaluation of students and considering individual differences; not all
students can provide distinguished literature, and their self-expression is accepted.
-Providing students with equal opportunities to express themselves; the teacher’s
role is motivation, providing several writing styles, and guidance.
-Diversity of students' writing and self-expression without affecting their ideas.
Importance of creative writing:
Creative writing promotes self-expression, expressing powers, and satisfying self-
needs, which causes comfort, satisfaction, self-confidence, and self-assertion. It
makes the individual express feelings and emotions, interact with others, and plays a
part in solving community issues and problems appropriately
(Al-Doyan, 2015, p. 15).
Abdulbary (2013) argues that creative writing is important because of the language
activity that allows students great opportunities to express emotions and feelings
elegantly, stimulates intellectual, language, and visual expression of the intended
meaning, promotes literary taste and thinking, develops a good selection of
vocabulary, and helps identify the gifted and linguistically talented students to
develop their skills and promote their abilities.
Maley (2012) illustrates that creative writing achieves the pleasure of the learner,
helps refine and develop his literary talents, develops self-expression, promotes self-
confidence and self-esteem, urges exploring things themselves, and enhances
personal and language development.
Moreover, Scrivener (2011) asserts that creative writing is the best reliable method
for training the learner in syntactic structures, using them in different life situations,
and practicing figures of speech, parts of speech, conditionals ... etc.
According to Al-Sarraf and Khayyal (2018), Farraj (2015), Katerina (2015), and
Yunes (2010), creative writing skills are important because
-Creative writing allows students to practice and use language skills as a tool for
expressing the self, feelings, thoughts, and imaginations and discover their inner
talents that can be refined and developed.
-Creative writing satisfies students' attitudes and needs.
-It is a language activity that addresses and communicates thoughts, emotions, and
feelings to others. It helps students attain new goals.
-It enriches students’ language with words, structures, and awareness.
-Teaching creative writing triggers students’ enthusiasm and confidence, so they can
write about things that matter to them to control language production.
-It gives a broader area for imagination and mind and develops observation,
sequence, linking, and discovery to develop student thinking.
The researcher argues that teaching creative writing and developing its skills is
important because it promotes literary taste and encourages expressing ideas and
opinions in a literary style and guiding them appropriately in the different arts,
including short story, poetry, or essay.
Gamification and the development of creative writing skills:
Creative writing skills are intricate because when a student can err when writing any
sentence, so they should be taught well (Rababaa and Abujamos, 2012). A student
needs to take care of one’s reflective ideas and writing skills, which requires time,
practice, and training.
The poor writing ability of students is due to the type and quantity of writing
teaching, which is irregular (Al-Haddad, 2005). To develop creative writing skills,
researchers are interested in employing modern teaching methods centered on the
student (Al-Zubaidi et al., 2013).
Because of its characteristics, capabilities, features, and advantages, gamification is
expected to play an active and influential role in developing cognitive aspects and
skills. It also motivates learners to learn by adding game elements to educational
contexts (Hayek, 2017). Rasool et al. (2014) and Goehle (2013) report that
gamification mainly promotes students' skills and encourages implementing steps at
their own pace, which helps them understand most aspects of education.
Han (2015) argues that gamification must allow students to learn and practice basic
skills to master advanced tasks, set clear short-term and long-term goals, learn at
their own pace safely, and create a learning environment. Gamification helps
students to have intrinsic motivation with a focus on the content.
Thus, gamification has great potential to develop creative writing skills to motivate
students to participate in educational activities and acquire such skills. Additionaly,
gamification is easy to use and only requires integrating the gamification elements
with educational activities. The researcher argues that there is a relationship between
strategy and treating deficiencies and weaknesses in creative writing skills.
Acquiring these skills requires highly complicated mental practices, e.g., planning,
organization, interpretation, restructuring, brainstorming, free imagination, as well as
observation, discovery, various knowledge, and innovation. It requires an educational
strategy that stimulates thinking, brainstorming creatively, and forming and
transforming creative ideas in written forms to promote writing quantitatively and
qualitatively. Gamification elements, e.g., tasks, challenges, levels, competition,
rewards, and storytelling, affect the level of creative writing among students, as
follows:
-Gamification allows employing tasks that stimulate thinking and using organized
mental processes, which positively influences developing creative writing skills
among students.
-The fun of gamification directs students’ attention to writing-related academic
tasks; benefiting from creative thinking methods to develop EFL creative writing
skills.
-The tasks and challenges of gamification may require students to generate ideas and
employ imagination in a fun way, which develops creative writing skills.
-Gamification allows students to start with simple levels and progress to difficult
ones, which may develop their ability to creatively use background knowledge
and the ability to produce multiple creative and elaborated answers. This issue
develops the students’ EFL creative writing skills.
-Gamification encourages student competition and rewarding, which makes students
motivated and active, develops challenge and perseverance, and promotes
creative writing skills. Having a stimulus can motivate students to influence and
interact with what the teacher presents and express ideas, attitudes, and values of
the story to be expressed in creative writing.
-Adding a story to gamification allows students to apply knowledge in new
situations, which develops the creative use of background knowledge and
generates various creative responses.
-Some gamification elements, such as clear goals, promote students' understanding
of the purpose of learning and reduce confusion, fear, or other negative academic
feelings. It can enhance positive academic feelings, such as joy and excitement.
Thus, it positively develops creative writing and develops its skills. Jaafara
(2018) stresses that developing any skills requires developing students’
 responses towards it because developing positive attitudes is one of the basic
goals of education.
-In gamification, the student receives instant feedback, which increases early success
and promotes self-confidence. Even in cases of failure, providing feedback gives
the student information for other trials, which enhances self-efficacy and
develops creative writing skills.
-Some gamification elements allow students to engage in teamwork, competition,
and creative situations, which promotes creative writing according to fluency,
flexibility, originality, and elaboration.
-Gamification, among others, insists on meaningful learning and focuses the activity
of students on enhancing understanding, linking information, and retaining the
learning impact longer.
-Gamification promotes freedom, e.g., freedom of experience, freedom of failure,
and freedom of self-expression, which denotes an educational shift in handling
students with high educational aspirations that are hindered by traditional
teaching methods.
-By providing the motivation to learn, gamification makes difficult educational
tasks, e.g., creative writing in English, fun and achievable. Hence, students spend
more time, which positively affects skill development.
In sum, gamification is an important modern strategy that can be employed to
develop creative writing skills through the stages experienced and processed by
students to produce creative writing and develop its skills. It allows students to learn
in a fun and thought-provoking manner to overcome the traditional method of
thinking. It also has elements of creativity and excitement. Thus, the researcher
selected this strategy to develop creative writing skills among intermediate stage
students in Saudi Arabia.
Gamification makes students totally free to retain learning and motivated to continue
self-learning. It provides more learning opportunities to increase pleasure and joy in
the classroom, links learning to real life, gives students unlimited tasks and
stimulates students to discover their self-motivation to learn. Hence, it benefits in
training students to formulate ideas and feelings well through self-planning and
strengthening the creative effort to achieve personal standards and quality writing.
Review of Literature
I. Studies on gamification:
Elsherif (2022) aimed to investigate the effectiveness of electronic feedback styles
through a digital gamification environment in developing cognitive achievement and
motivation for learning among postgraduate students at Taibah University. The
results highlighted statistically significant differences in cognitive achievement and
motivation in favor of the experimental group.
Alsobhy and Salim (2020) aimed to study the effectiveness of gamification styles via
digital platforms in developing motivation for academic achievement among the
students of the College of Education, University of Jeddah. The study illustrated the
impact of gamification on the motivation of academic achievement and
recommended employing gamification in all educational stages.
Hunter and Fitzgerald (2020) aimed to identify the effectiveness of gamification-
based learning and illustrated that students learn more effectively, and the students
expressed their satisfaction with and interest in the gamification-based program.
Petrovich et al. (2020) aimed to determine the features and facilities of gamification
elements. The results showed that gamification helps players discover themselves
through virtual practices and express knowledge, interests, assessments,
organizational practices, and self-perception.
Williams and Farber (2020) aimed to investigate gamification. The results
demonstrated the effectiveness of gamification in education, and the participants’
perspectives about guidance and learning principles were positive.
Aljrewy (2019) aimed to determine the impact of online gamification-based learning
on developing academic achievement and creative thinking among primary school
students. The results showed high academic achievement and creative thinking using
gamification that develops higher-order thinking skills.
Al-Qahtani (2019) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a gamification-based
interactive educational environment in developing automatic and deferred
achievement in English among high school students and their attitudes toward it. The
results showed a statistically significant difference in automatic and deferred
achievement in English in favor of the group that used gamification. They also
illustrated positive attitudes toward the gamification environment.
Al-Ghamdi (2019) aimed to investigate the effectiveness of gamification in
mathematics among six grade primary students in Makkah. The study showed
differences in the mean scores of the students of the experimental and control groups
in the post-test of the motivation towards mathematics scale in the challenge,
enjoying learning, confidence, self-efficacy, and the overall score favoring the
experimental group. It recommended using gamification in teaching mathematics.
Aljahny (2018) aimed to examine the impact of gamification via Blackboard on
developing problem-solving skills in mathematics among the first high grade gifted
students. The results showed the effectiveness of learning gamification in developing
these skills.
Turan et al. (2016) aimed to investigate the effects of gamification strategies on
cognitive load levels and achievement among students. The results illustrated highly
statistically significant differences between both groups in the achievement and
cognitive load levels in favor of the experimental group. Moreover, the students had
positive attitudes toward the gamification strategies.
Terrell (2016) aimed to identify the impact of using gamification on the results of
educational skills and participation level according to (time, frequency, responses to
cognitive comprehension, perceived ease of use, and perceived benefit). The results
showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups in the levels of
skill or participation. In contrast, they showed indicators of an improved
understanding of APA in favor of the experimental group with higher levels of
control and concentration.
Gooch et al. (2016) aimed to identify the impact of gamification on motivating
students with dyslexia. The study concluded that gamification highly influenced
students’ motivation and achievement in reading.
Şahin and Namli (2016) aimed to highlight the impact of gamification on students’
science lesson achievement and concluded the high impact of gamification on
enhancing students' academic achievement.
Hanus and Fox (2015) aimed to determine the impact of gamification in the
classroom in four aspects (motivation, academic performance, effort, and learner
satisfaction). The results showed that using gamification enhanced self-motivation,
satisfaction, effort, academic performance, and student participation in the
classroom.
Saputra (2015) aimed to identify the impact of gamification on the learning and
motivation of students with dyslexia through applying (7) strategies: story, clear
goals, levels and points, rewards, feedback, achievements, and badges, to improve
desired outcomes, such as participation, enjoyment, and motivation. The results
illustrated that gamification increases students' interest. Most students with dyslexia
were keen to participate in the assessment, ensuring the effect of gamification in
improving student participation. The study concluded that gamification could
increase reading enjoyment, achievement, and improved levels.
Hamzah et al. (2015) aimed to identify the influence of gamification on students'
motivation in using learning applications based on the motivational design model.
The results illustrated that gamification positively affected students' motivation to
use learning applications. Moreover, there were statistically significant differences in
the domains of confidence and satisfaction in favor of the experimental group.
Hong and Masood (2014) aimed to identify the effects of gamification on lower
secondary school students’ motivation and engagement in Malaysia. The results
illustrated that gamification influenced students’ motivation and engagement.
Ibanez et al. (2014) aimed to determine the impact of gamification-based educational
activities on the participation and achievement of students in the course of (C). The
results showed the positive impact of gamification on students’ participation and
achievement.
Grant et al. (2014) aimed to identify the impact of gamification on the attendance and
motivation of students in the computer course at the University of North Dakota. The
study showed the positive impact of gamification.
II. Studies on developing creative writing skills:
Al-Hourani et al. (2022) aimed to highlight the impact of an instructional program
based on Mayer and Salovey's model on improving creative writing skills among
seventh-grade female students and their attitudes toward them. The study showed the
very strong impact of the program on the attitudes of the students of experimental
attitudes toward creative writing.
Dashty (2021) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a proposed strategy based on the
communicative approach to develop creative writing skills among high school
students in Kuwait. The study showed the effectiveness of the strategy and
recommended the interest in teaching these skills in early school stages.
Elsherif (2020) aimed to identify the effectiveness of using the generative learning
model in teaching English to develop creative writing skills among third high school
students. The study showed the effectiveness of this model in developing creative
writing skills and recommended focusing on renewal models to develop language
acquisition and creativity in learning English.
Salim et al. (2020) aimed to define the impact of literature cycles on developing EFL
creative writing skills among high school students. The results showed the impact of
these cycles on developing such skills.
Elsayed (2019) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a program based on the
totalitarian approach in developing creative writing skills and functional writing
among the first grade intermediate students. The results proved the effectiveness of
the program.
Khader and Morisat (2019) aimed to examine the effect of using caricatures on
improving creative writing skills in the tenth basic grade in Jordan. The results
showed the effectiveness of using caricatures in improving overall and individual
skills.
Al-Ahwal (2018) aimed to highlight the effectiveness of suggested teaching
procedures in the light of text grammar and its impact on improving the writing skills
of high school students. The study concluded that these procedures were effective in
developing creative writing skills.
Hanna (2018) aimed to explore the effectiveness of a proposed strategy based on
information processing theory to develop creative writing skills among gifted high
school students. The study showed the effectiveness of this strategy and
recommended similar strategies to develop the writing skills of students.
Al-Sarraf and Khayyal (2018) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a proposed
learning by the contract-based program to develop some creative writing skills
among intermediate stage students. The results showed the effectiveness of this
program.
Abu Jarad and Sawalha (2018) aimed to identify the effectiveness six thinking hats
program in developing creative writing among the basic stage students in Jordan. The
study indicated statistically significant differences in the level of creative writing due
to the six thinking hats training. It recommended using this strategy in composition
classes because of its clear impact on improving creative writing levels.
Al-Shammari (2017) aimed to examine the impact of a proposed educational
program based on Jensen’s model of brain-based learning in improving creative
writing among third intermediate grade students in AlQurayyat. The results indicated
statistically significant differences between the mean scores of the experimental and
control groups in the post-test of critical and creative writing in favor of the
experimental group.
Al-Tuwairiki (2017) aimed to explore the effectiveness of a strategy based on habits
of mind in developing the creative writing skills of high school female students in
Taif. The results showed the effectiveness of that strategy.
Saudi (2017) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a generative learning-based
strategy for developing creative writing skills and self-regulation among high school
students. The results showed statistically significant differences between the mean
scores of students in the pre-test and post-test of creative writing and self-regulation
skills in favor of the post-test.
Abu Laban (2016) aimed to identify the effectiveness of a proposed program based
on SCAMPER strategy for enhancing some skills of literary taste and creative
writing among first-year high stage students. The results demonstrated the
effectiveness of that strategy.
Abu Saif and Moqabala (2017) aimed to identify the effect of using SCAMPER
strategy on improving Jordanian female tenth grade students' creative writing skills.
The study showed statistically significant differences between the mean scores of
students in all creative writing skills. It recommended focusing on elaboration and
linking it to creative thinking while teaching of creative writing.
Jordaan (2015) aimed to identify the effectiveness of using dramatic activities in
teaching creative writing skills to students in South Africa. The study showed the
effectiveness of using dramatic activities in teaching creative writing skills because
they stimulated students to experience the enjoyment of writing, generating ideas,
accurately expressing self-knowledge and ideas through writing, and developing
verbal expression. It recommended using similar strategies to develop creative
writing in other stages.
Saylik (2014) aimed to determine the effectiveness of using interactive whiteboards
in developing creative writing skills. The study revealed the effectiveness of using
whiteboards in developing creative writing skills among the experimental group of
students due to the freedom afforded to students to express their opinions and beliefs,
use imagination, integrate, and relate background knowledge to new and unfamiliar
ideas students. It recommended using strategies based on interaction in developing
creative writing skills because they allow students to express themselves freely, use
imagination, and develop their creative writing skills.
Adam and Babiker (2014) aimed to highlight the role of English literature in
promoting creative writing skills among university students in Sudan. The results
showed the effectiveness of this method in promoting students’ levels.
Alhadad and Hasan (2014) aimed to examine the impact of an imagination-based
strategy on developing creative writing expression among tenth grade students in
Kuwait. The results showed the excellence of the experimental group in creative
writing skills.
Rahimi and Noroozisiam (2013) explored the effect of strategies-based instruction on
the improvement of EFL learners' writing quality. The results showed a statistically
significant difference between the mean scores of the study groups in the post-test of
creative writing skills in favor of the experimental group.
Commentary
Reviewing the literature on gamification and creative writing skills, the researcher
noticed their novelty starting in 2014, suggesting the fertility of gamification in
education as a research field. Moreover, the courses targeted by the literature varied
and covered many countries and groups, demonstrating that developing creative
writing skills exists in all educational stages.
Gamification is useful in learning. Additionally, creative writing skills are highly
needed by the students of English. Therefore, the present study explored the
effectiveness of a gamification-based enrichment program in developing creative
writing skills among intermediate stage students.
Similarities and differences between the present study and the literature:
-This study resembles the literature in the method, i.e., the quasi-experimental (one
group design) method
-The results of the literature agreed on the importance of utilizing gamification to
achieve the desired outcomes with several positive impacts on providing a
motivating educational environment.
-The study differs from the literature regarding the time, problem, objectives, and
sample.
Benefits of the literature:
-Reviewing the literature helped the researcher have an overview of the topic,
develop the theoretical framework, and define the relevant terms, which helped form
the statement of the problem accurately. The study utilized suggestions and
recommendations, objectives, questions, hypotheses, sampling, method, tools and
materials, statistical processing of the data, and discussion of the results of the
literature. The results of the study and the literature were compared.
-Reviewing the literature on gamification showed that all studies proved the
effectiveness of gamification in developing several variables, which helped the
present study in building the gamification-based enrichment program to develop
EFL creative writing skills of intermediate stage students and preparing the teachers'
manual and student textbook.
-The literature offered some tests to measure the improvement of creative writing
skills of students, which helped the study develop the test of creative writing skills
among the third intermediate grade students to identify the effectiveness of the
suggested program in developing creative writing skills among the intermediate
stage students.
Contribution
-The present study covers creative writing skills as one of the ultimate goals of
language learning because it is productive and reflects the culture and thinking of
students.
- To the researcher’s knowledge, no study addressed the effectiveness of a
gamification-based enrichment program in developing EFL creative writing skills
among intermediate stage students. Thus, it adds to the literature due to
developing the program and identifying its effectiveness among the third
intermediate stage students.
Methodology
Method
The study adopted the quasi-experimental (one-group design) method because of its
appropriateness. This method includes “an attempt to control all major factors
affecting the dependent variable(s), except for one variable controlled and directed
by the researcher in a certain direction to affect the dependent variable(s)” (Motawe
and Alkhalifa, 2014, p.122). It was employed to identify the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing EFL creative writing skills for
intermediate stage students. The pre-test and post-test were applied. The tool, i.e., the
test of creative writing, was pre-tested, the gamification-based enrichment program
was delivered to the experimental group, and the tool was post-tested.
Population:
The population comprised all third intermediate grade students in the schools
affiliated with the Education Department in Al-Ryafi in the second semester of
2021/2022 number (137,735) according to the statistics of the Ministry of Education
(2021/2022).
Sampling:
Pilot sample:
The pilot sample included (15) second intermediate grade students in the
intermediate and high school of Princess Nourah bint Abddulrahman University,
Riyadh, in the first semester of 2021/2022.
Main sample:
The study sample included (20) students intentionally selected from the intermediate
and high school of Princess Nourah bint Abddulrahman University, Riyadh, in the
first semester of 2021/2022 because they met the study requirements, their numbers
suited applying the tool and program, and the school administration helped facilitate
the study procedures and provided a good environment for applying the tool.
Additionally, the school is affiliated with Princess Nourah bint Abddulrahman
University, and the tool and program were applied as social work.
Material and instruments:
I. creative writing test:
The test was developed as follows:
[Link] the objective of the test
The test aimed to measure the level of creative writing among the third grade
intermediate students before and after teaching the gamification-based enrichment
program.
[Link] of constructing the test
-The educational literature on creative writing, its skills, and creative thinking, such
as Al-Hourani et al. (2022), Dashty (2021), Elsherif (2020), Taha and Al-Zahrani
(2020), Alsobhy and Salim (2020), Al-Khudari (2020), Khader and Morisat
(2019), Elsayed (2019), Al-Sarraf and Khayyal (2018), Abu Jarad and Sawalha
(2018), Hanna (2018), Al-Ahwal (2018), Al-Tuwairiki (2017), Saudi (2017), Abu
Saif and Moqabala (2017), Al-Shammari (2017), Abu Laban (2016), Ahmed
(2016), Jordaan (2015), Adam and Babiker (2014), Saylik (2014), Aly (2014),
Alhadad and Hasan (2014), Abdulbary (2013), Rahimi and Noroozisiam (2013)
and Rababaa and Abujamos (2012).

-Outcomes of the course of English for the third intermediate grade.

-Reviewing the opinions of the curriculum and instruction of English specialists in
interviews to determine the major creative writing skills and their measurement
indicators.
-Determining the test content: short story, as follows
-Selecting the story content of the test to consider the age of students, provoke
thinking and imagination, and provide a social value that handles ethical issues
with attractive texts and pictures.
-Phrasing the test items in a fun educational manner with clear and easy language,
presenting the questions with gradual difficulty
-The test questions were five open-ended to measure the level of students in the
targeted creative writing skills.
-Formulating the test instructions:
-The instructions were clear, aiming at illustrating the objective of the test, answer
method, and grading system appropriate for the students, as follows:
-Inserting data in the specified place in a table containing the student’s name,
school, grade, and date.
-Time allowed.
-Reading questions and asking about any difficult items.
-Using sound language with clear script.
-Answering all test items.
-The test score would be used for scientific research purposes, not achievement.
-Preliminary form of the tes
-Writing the draft after reviewing the relevant literature,the tests and scales of
writing skills, and then developing a preliminary list of creative writing skills
and sub-skills
-The final form of the test includes two parts
Part I: personal data and test instructions
Part II: Four major skills (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration) with their
sub- skills.
-Each section of the four covered a short story followed by four questions
representing the sub-skills of each major skill.
[Link] marking and scoring: The test was marked using a gradual assessment matrix:
Excellent (5) mentions more than three answers for one question, very good (4)
mentions three answers for one question, good (3) mentions two answers of the
question, pass (2) mentions one answer of the question, and poor (1) mentions no
answer. Half a score is reduced in case of grammatical and spelling mistakes.
Each section with a major skill receives 20 scores distributed to 4 questions, 5
scores/ question. Thus, the final score is 80.
[Link] time allowed: Each section is answered in 20 minutes. Therefore, the
test took two classes of 45 minutes to each one , with 10 minutes in the beginning
to read the story and questions.
[Link] validity
- Face validity
The preliminary formof the test was presented to a group of ten reviewers of the
faculty of Saudi universities specialized in the curriculum and instruction of English
and the teachers and supervisors of English to determine the suitability of the test to
measure creative writing skills to the third grade intermediate students, format and
clarity of the test instructions, appropriateness of the selected short stories for
students, and appropriateness of the behavioral indicators of the writing skills.
Modifications were made, and the final form of the questionnaire was obtained.
-Discriminant validity
Recruiting a pilot sample of 23 students, the researcher calculated the discriminant
validity of the achievement test of EFL creative writing skills by ranking the
students’ scores in the total of the achievement test and dividing them into two
groups: High and low. The differences between the two groups were calculated, as
shown in table (1).
 (1) Discriminant validity of the achievement test of EFL creative writing skills
(n=23)

Standard T Freedom Significance Significance

Tool variables No. Mean
deviation value degree level type
High
13 28.08 2.53
Achievement group Statistically
5.66** 20 0.000
test Low significant
9 22.33 1.95
group
(**) statistically significant at the level of 0.01
Table (1) illustrates that the value of t-test of differences between the two groups is
statistically significant at the level of (0.01), suggesting the ability of the items of the
achievement test to discriminate both groups and ensures the discrimination validity
of the test.
Cronbach’s alpha reliability:
The test reliability was calculated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, as shown in
table (2).
Table (2): Reliability values of the achievement test
Tool Alfa
Cronbach’s
Achievement
0.71
test
Table (2) illustrates that Cronbach’s alpha scored 0.71 for the achievement test,
indicating appropriate reliability.
II. Educational materials
[Link] the gamification-based enrichment program to develop creative writing
skills:
It required reviewing the literature on developing enrichment programs for the steps,
procedures, fundamentals, and stages of the program, as well as designing the
material using gamification in English. It also required reviewing the results of
studies on developing creative writing skills regarding the general and special
objectives of writing and the document of the curriculum of English developed by
the Ministry of Education in 2019.
Philosophy of the enrichment program: The program is based on a fundamental that
familiarity with high-order thinking skills, including flexibility, working memory,
planning, and self-judgment, develops students’ creative thinking skills and abilities,
such as discussion, generating ideas, utilizing language knowledge seriously, and
influence.
The general objective of the enrichment program: The present enrichment program
aimed to use gamification and its elements, including points, badges, levels … etc.,
to develop creative writing skills among the third intermediate grade students and
provide a program based on gamification.
Behavioral objectives: The behavioral objectives of the program included a set of
cognitive, skillful, and emotional objectives, as follows:
-Cognitive objectives
[Link] the concept, importance, nature, and characteristics of creative
writing.
[Link] [Link] and using appropriate words in the essay.
[Link] linkers and writing skills that ensure having complete sentences to illustrate
the meaning.
[Link] the topic, determining the writing objective, and selecting the appropriate
writing form for the recipient.
[Link] appropriate vocabulary to illustrate the meaning and figures of speech
rich in meanings and emotions.
[Link] grammatical and spelling mistakes, punctuation marks, and aesthetics of
technical writing.
[Link] the topic and writing the paragraph that illustrates the purpose to have a
useful and concise essay.
[Link] ideas, feelings, and emotions of sadness and happiness and describing
natural manifestations and people's affairs in a beautiful manner.
-Skill objectives
[Link] creative ideas characterized by fluency, flexibility, originality, and
elaboration.
[Link] emotions and perceptions and distinguishing true and false ones in
writing.
[Link] of the important information and emotions and expressing the attitudes
towards accepted emotions.
[Link] emotions by including them in writing activities to categorize emotions,
perceive the relation between classifications, express meanings that show
emotions, and develop the ability to understand and evolve them
[Link] creativity-provoking questions.
[Link] other materials in creative writing.
-Emotional objectives:
[Link] positive attitudes to creative writing.
[Link] the correlation between the positive attitude and skills of creative
writing.
[Link] awareness that creative writing is a means of expressing pleasant
feelings and avoiding negative ones.
[Link] imagination in learning.
[Link], sharing ideas, and avoiding criticism of others’ ideas.
[Link] sensitivity to various social settings that require writing a message, a
greeting card, a story, or a note about something.
Basics of building the enrichment program:
-Psychological basics:
[Link] the students’ positive attitudes to the material and themselves.
[Link] the self-confidence of students to be a part of the learning process.
[Link] students’ initiatives in making activities and decisions to be more
responsible about learning and develop self-confidence.
-Language basics
[Link] language skills, especially writing in proper English, among students.
[Link] students more capable of verbal communication with others.
[Link] expression by equipping students with creative writing skills.
[Link] gamification elements to enrich the language of students.
-Social basics
[Link] students more capable of handling problems because they experienced
these problems in the short stories presented using gamification and its elements.
[Link] cooperation and teamwork among students.
[Link] communication with others.
-Cognitive basics
[Link] students retain and store information.
[Link] students be creative and innovative by stimulating ideas and knowledge.
[Link] students to make decisions on any issue after knowing and understanding
all its items.
[Link] acquired information into new contexts.
Program content: The enrichment program included a set of short stories
appropriate for the third intermediate grade students that were delivered as lessons, a
set of enrichment activities in English, as well as language, mental, and writing
exercises that allowed positive training opportunities by implementing writing
activities related to the implications of the short stories to improve the understanding
and develop creative writing skills of students to express their emotions and feelings.
The lessons of units were structured, planned, developed, and designed by the
researcher. Each unit comprised a set of gamification-based lessons, aiming to
develop the minor skills of each major one. The lessons were distributed into three
enrichment classes/ week for five weeks. Each lesson included behavioral,
educational objectives, requirements, educational activities, and assessment
questions.
Program techniques
-Positive reinforcement: The points, badges, levels, awards, leaderboards, etc. given
to the student after passing some tasks and activities included in the lessons of
the enrichment program.
-Fun and amusement: They were objectives of the gamification-based enrichment
program to develop creative writing skills and positively influence students.
Educational aids and tools: They were determined based on the structural
principles and objectives to fit the nature of the program and creative writing skills to
be developed among the third grade intermediate students. Various educational aids
and tools were used, such as the data show, computer, videos, presentations, and
attached photos.
Evaluation methods aimed to identify the achievement of the program’s
objectives and the improved performance of creative writing skills.
[Link] evaluation: Continuous evaluation with feedback, such as performance-
based evaluation and self-review
[Link] evaluation: an evaluation at the end of each stage to ensure goal
achievement using the test of creative writing skills
Because gamification used points to reward players and show progress, the students
were assessed at the end of the stage as follows:
[Link] stars: 100% proficiency, denoting the goal achievement with a medal and
gift box
[Link] stars: 90% proficiency, denoting the goal achievement with a medal
[Link] star: 80% proficiency, denoting the goal achievement
[Link] than 80%: Failed
Reviewing the enrichment program: To ensure the validity of content and get
the final form, the draft of the program, including stories, situations, tasks, and
questions, was presented to experts in curriculum and instruction, supervisors, and
teachers of English to ensure its validity and appropriate content to creative writing
skills and performance indicators, appropriateness to the level of students, and
adequacy of dedicated time. The reviewers made some notes, especially concerning
modifying the time of achieving the writing tasks and modifying some behavioral
indicators to fit the goal and development of creative writing skills. The researcher
made use of the reviewers’ opinions and suggestions and developed the final form of
the program.
The program was presented to some third grade intermediate students to ensure its
clear content and readability. Some of its items were modified, and others were
summarized to get the final applicable form.
[Link] the teacher’s guide for teaching the gamification-based
enrichment program
It was developed to illustrate the teaching method according to gamification to train
students in teaching the gamification-based enrichment program to the third
intermediate grade students. It highlighted the teacher’s role, displayed the
educational tasks, including behavioral goals, and showed some concepts,
conclusions, and generalizations to be made by the student in a task.
The manual was developed after reviewing some pieces of the literature, such as Al-
Kanaan (2022), Elsherif (2022), Alhatalia et al. (2020), Alsobhy and Salim (2020),
Hunter and Fitzgerald (2020), Petrovich et al. (2020), Williams and Farber (2020),
Aljrewy (2019), Al-Qahtani (2019), Al-Ghamdi (2019), Aljahny (2019), Aljahny
(2018), Van Roy and Zaman (2018), Aşıksoy (2017), Dreon (2016), Terrell (2016),
Turan et al. (2016), Gooch et al. (2016), Şahin and Namli (2016), Shingo and
Manabu (2015), Hanus and Fox (2015), Saputra (2015), Hamzah et al. (2014), Hong
and Masood (2014), Ibanez et al. (2014), Grant et al. (2014), and Fabricatore and
López (2014).
The manual included these elements: Introduction to the concept, objectives, and
elements of gamification; the general and behavioral objectives of teaching the
program themes; the objectives, means, activities, and evaluation methods; the
schedule of teaching the program themes; a set of guidelines and instructions to be
considered in teaching; a detailed statement of each lesson, e.g., time of teaching the
lesson, behavioral objectives, educational tools and activities, plan, assessment, and
enrichment activities. It comprised two parts:
The theoretical part introduced the gamification strategy, concept, elements, and role
in developing creative writing skills. The applied part included a collection of short
stories as educational examples and a list of the references that a teacher of English
can use to teach the gamification-based enrichment program.
It was presented to 13 reviewers specialized in the curriculum and instruction of
English to give opinions. It was modified in the light of their notes and became
applicable in its final form.
The steps of implementing gamification in the short story included
[Link] by the teacher: Giving an overview on gamification, learning and
acquiring skills, leveling up, assessment methods, leading the leaderboard, and
giving points, badges, and rewards to enable the student to achieve the program
objectives
[Link] the learning objectives to include the general educational objectives
and behavioral ones that require the student to concentrate in the classroom and
complete the tasks quickly
[Link]: Presenting the short story with experiences, situations, and events in
the story to create a focus point
[Link] presentation: The teacher presented the material, tasks, exercises, and
competitions via the short story to help the students read the story well away from
any distortion.
[Link] the student some time to reflect on the short story accurately based on her
capabilities.
[Link] the opportunity to student to express opinions on reading the short story.
[Link] the student’s opinion on the story and correcting misconceptions.
[Link] the opportunity to students to write on the story.
[Link] students: The students were followed up, and their learning and work were
supervised while making the required guidance to achieve the desired learning.
[Link] the level at certain stages while allowing students to use the levels and
rules to provide and receive feedback.
[Link] and classify gamification elements: Personal elements, including points,
badges, levels, and time limits, and social ones, i.e., leaderboards.
[Link] and feedback: The teacher could obtain indicators of the student
performance and assess their level against the desired objectives by collecting the
points for achieving the tasks, reflecting their performance level (current points,
redeemable points, badges, and levels to take the required measures. This could
be done in the light of the desired skills, i.e., fluency, flexibility, originality, and
elaboration. The content was reviewed and assessed, and the game was selected
to ensure achieving the desired objectives and modify the game elements.
[Link] the student about the errors made to avoid them in future tasks
I-Preparing the student textbook
It contained activities and exercises on creative writing themes in the form of short
stories.
The book aimed to:
-Educate the student about the objective and teaching method of the program.
-Familiarize the student with creative writing skills.
-Provide a prepared material for training, education, and assessment.
The book comprised
-An introduction to the aim of the program.
-A set of themes, each with exercises and activities on creative writing skills; the
book was presented to reviewers to ensure its validity for training students in the
writing tasks, and modifications were made. After that, it became valid for
application.
Testing procedures
-The creative writing test was applied to the pilot sample of 23 second intermediate
grade students on 6/12/2021 to verify the validity and reliability of the test and
set the testing time.
-The sample was consisted of 20 third grade intermediate students. The researcher
post-tested creative writing on 13/12/2021. Then, an orientation week was
organized to familiarize students with the mechanisms and elements of using
gamification in the relevant educational content. After that, the researcher carried
out the experiment for 8 weeks/ 4 classes a week from 26/12/2021 to 17/2/2022.
She post-tested creative writing to the same sample on 20/2/2022. Finally, she
analyzed the data and concluded the results.
Results and Discussion
[Link] answer the first question and validate the first hypothesis, the T-test of the
significance of differences, Eta squared, and effect size were calculated. Table (3)
shows the significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of fluency as an EFL creative
writing skill and effect size.
Table (3): The significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of fluency as an EFL creative writing
skill and effect size

Degree of freedom-(19)
Sign
Standa
ifica Eta
Applic rd “T” Effect
Tool N. Mean nt square
ation deviati value size
leve d
on
l
Test of Pre 6.20 1.38
20 -32.07 0.00 0.982 High
fluency Post 18.10 0.91
Table (3) illustrates that
-The difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of fluency as an EFL creative writing skill is statistically significant
at 0.01 in favor of the post-test, with a “T” value of (32.07), which validates the
first hypothesis, indicating the higher performance level of the experimental
group in the post-test.
-The effect size of the independent variable, i.e., the gamification-based enrichment
program, on the dependent one, i.e., fluency as an EFL creative writing skill, was
high, with Eta squared of (0.982), indicating the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing fluency as an EFL
creative writing skill for the third grade intermediate students. Accordingly, the
first question is answered.
The researcher denotes the high performance of the experimental group in the
post-test of fluency as an EFL creative writing skill to the features and activities of
the gamification-based enrichment program and adequate selection of the short
stories to be taught and analyzed in the writing lessons, which requires asking
questions as brainstorming, determining vocabularies and phrases related to the
answer and generating emotions. This issue caused a variety of knowledge, skill, and
emotional goals, generated several ideas about the short story and using them in
meaningful sentences, and enhanced fluency among students.
[Link] answer the second question and validate the second hypothesis, the T-test of the
significance of differences, Eta squared, and effect size were calculated. Table (4)
shows the significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of flexibility as an EFL creative
writing skill effect size.
Table (4): The significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of flexibility as an EFL creative
writing skill and effect size
Degree of freedom-(19)
Signi
Standa Eta Effe
“T” fican
Tool N. Application Mean [Link] squar ct
ation value t
ed size
level
Test of Pre 7.00 0.97 Hig
20 -40.56 0.00 0.989
flexibility post 18.75 0.75 h
Table (4) illustrates that
-The difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of flexibility as an EFL creative writing skill is statistically
significant at 0.01 in favor of the post-test, with a T value of (40.65), which
validates the second hypothesis, indicating the higher performance level of the
experimental group in the post-test.
-The effect size of the independent variable, i.e., the gamification-based enrichment
program, on the dependent one, i.e., flexibility as an EFL creative writing skill,
was high, with Eta squared of (0.989), indicating the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing flexibility as an EFL
creative writing skill for the third grade intermediate students. Accordingly, the
second question is answered.
The researcher denotes the high performance of the experimental group in the
post-test of flexibility as an EFL creative writing skill to the activities and writing
exercises related to the short story of the gamification-based enrichment program that
focused on directing the attention of students to the important information of the
story, expressing their opinions on it, and forming attitudes. Gamification-based
activities are sometimes done in a competitive group setting. They allowed students
to engage in the stories, write various attractive and appropriate titles, suggest other
conclusions or solutions, replace minor ideas with meaningful synonyms, create
links, and make interpretations and conclusions, which promoted their flexibility.
[Link] answer the third question and validate the third hypothesis, the significance of
differences between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test and
post-test of originality as an EFL creative writing skill and effect size were
calculated, as shown in table (5).
Table (5): The significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of originality as an EFL creative
writing skill and effect size
Degree of freedom-(19)
Signif Eta Eff
Mea Standard “T”
Tool N. Application
deviation
icant Squ ect
n value level ared size
Test of Pre 8.20 4.35 0.75 Hig
20 -7.65 0.00
Originality Post 15.52 1.17 5 h
Table (5) illustrates that
-The difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of originality as an EFL creative writing skill is statistically
significant at 0.01 in favor of the post-test, with a T value of (7.65), which
validates the second hypothesis, indicating the higher performance level of the
experimental group in the post-test.
-The effect size of the independent variable, i.e., the gamification-based enrichment
program, on the dependent one, i.e., originality as an EFL creative writing skill,
was high, with Eta squared of (0.755), indicating the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing originality as an EFL
creative writing skill for the third grade intermediate students. Accordingly, the
third question is answered.
The researcher denotes the high performance of the experimental group in the
post-test of originality as an EFL creative writing skill to the method of treating short
stories in the gamification-based enrichment program, expressing emotions, noticing
the sequence of emotions of the characters, and expressing them in writing. The
students exerted more effort to deliver better and more creative work. This affected
the development of their skills of adding new original ideas, building new relations
between the information and ideas of the stories, and changing their thinking attitude
to new patterns.
[Link] answer the fourth question and validate the fourth hypothesis, the significance
of differences between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of elaboration as an EFL creative writing skill and effect size were
calculated, as shown in table (6).
Table (6): The significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of elaboration as an EFL creative
writing skill and effect size
Degree of freedom-(19)
Signi

Standard
Applicat

deviation
Eta
“T” fican Effect

ion
Tool N. Mean squar
value t size
ed
level
Test of Pre 6.50 1.10 -
elaborati 20 0.00 0.990 High
Post 17.72 0.96 43.13
on
Table (6) illustrates that
-The difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of elaboration as an EFL creative writing skill is statistically
significant at 0.01 in favor of the post-test, with a T value of (43.13), which
validates the second hypothesis, indicating the higher performance level of the
experimental group in the post-test.
-The effect size of the independent variable, i.e., the gamification-based enrichment
program, on the dependent one, i.e., elaboration as an EFL creative writing skill,
was high, with Eta squared of (0.990), indicating the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing elaboration as an EFL
creative writing skill for the third grade intermediate students. Accordingly, the
fourth question is answered.
The researcher denotes the high performance of the experimental group in the
post-test of the elaboration skill to the activities, applications, and contexts of the
gamification-based enrichment program that makes the classroom environment free
by providing relevant ideas and adding characters that develop the story. These
advantages also increase creativity in writing without fear, stress, or shyness.
Accordingly, the students’ effectiveness and interaction with the story increased,
with instant corrective feedback, allowed the written expression of negative and
positive emotions towards the themes and implications of the short story, promoted
positive emotions, and reduced negative emotions. They also were motivated to
demonstrate written creative abilities by paraphrasing some items, adding new
information, and providing further details on the characters, actions, and items in the
story.
[Link] answer the fifth question and validate the fifth hypothesis, the significance of
differences between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test and
post-test of the overall creative writing skills and effect size were calculated, as
shown in table (7).
Table (7): The significance of differences between the mean scores of the
experimental group in the pre-test and post-test of the total creative writing skills and
effect size
Degree of freedom-(19)

Significa

squared
Standar

deviatio

nt level
Applic “T” Effec

Eta
Tool N. Mean

n
ation value t size

Total Pre 27.90 4.64

0.985
Creative
20 -35.19 0.00 High
writing Post 70.10 2.37
skills
Table (7) illustrates that
-The difference between the mean scores of the experimental group in the pre-test
and post-test of the total creative writing skills is statistically significant at 0.01
in favor of the post-test, with a T value of (35.19), which validates the second
hypothesis, indicating the higher performance level of the experimental group in
the post-test.
-The effect size of the independent variable, i.e., the gamification-based
enrichment program, on the dependent one, i.e., the total creative writing skills,
was high, with Eta squared of (0.985), indicating the effectiveness of the
gamification-based enrichment program in developing EFL creative writing
skills for the third grade intermediate students. Accordingly, the fifth question is
answered.
The researcher argues that this result suggests that developing creative writing
skills cannot be unplanned because they require special skills that necessitate training
and planning. Moreover, the researcher denotes the high performance of the
experimental group in the post-test of EFL creative writing skills individually or as a
group to the advantages of using gamification in teaching, which positively affects
developing these skills because:
-Gamification encourages students to effectively participate in the content and
activities, which develops students from being passive recipients of information to
being active and positive through reducing fear and shyness, increasing activity in
learning, encouraging participation in criticizing ideas, and generating new ones, as
demonstrated in their creative writing.
-Gamification provides students with feedback, instant assessment, and instant
responses when fulfilling individual and group tasks actively through personal
stimuli (points, badges…etc.) and social stimuli (leaderboards), which helps
master the task quickly and encourages progress and achievement of learning
tasks effectively.
-Gamification causes fun, amusement, and excitement, which facilitates several
intricate processes for students, such as EFL creative writing, to acquire self-
learning skills and develops creative writing skills.
-Gamification allows students to solve problems through learning tasks based on
challenges and competitions in a collaborative instructional context; thus, they
link experience with background knowledge to support constructive learning,
stimulate thinking creatively, and develop their creative writing skills.
-Gamification fields, e.g., short story, allows students to apply knowledge to new
contexts, which helps develop the ability to generate multiple original answers in
full sentences that stimulate creativity and mental abilities, such as thinking and
asking questions.
-Gamification allows students to discuss during tasks and reward valuable
participation, which allows sharing ideas and experiences and stimulates
creativity, as demonstrated in creative writing.
-Gamification fosters intrinsic motivation, self-satisfaction, and efficient
performance of tasks and activities because it is exciting and attractive, which
promotes motivation for creative writing.
-Gamification is interested in clear objectives, organized content, quality of short
written stories, clear badges, and clear stages, which makes learning meaning-
oriented and develops creative writing skills.
This result agrees with Alnady (2020), Aljrewy (2019), and Aljahny (2019)
regarding the effectiveness of gamification in developing thinking skills, especially
creative thinking. It agrees with Al-Shammari (2019) and Al-Zuhair (2017)
regarding the effectiveness of gamification in teaching English.
This result also agrees with Al-Kanaan (2022), Elsherif (2022), Al-Ghamdi and Al-
Hafizi (2021), Alhatalia et al. (2020), Alkhobaraa (2020), Alsobhy and Salim
(2020), Hunter and Fitzgerald (2020), Petrovich et al. (2020), Williams and Farber
(2020), Aljrewy (2019), Al-Qahtani (2019), Alamir (2019), Al-Ghamdi (2019),
Aljahny (2019), Aljahny (2018), Van Roy and Zaman (2018), Aşıksoy (2017),
Dreon (2016), Terrell (2016), Turan et al. (2016), Gooch et al. (2016), Şahin and
Namli (2016), Shingo and Manabu (2015), Hanus and Fox (2015), Saputra (2015),
Hamzah et al. (2014), Hong and Masood (2014), Ibanez et al. (2014), Grant et al.
(2014), and Fabricatore and López (2014) regarding the effectiveness of
gamification in improving the educational process and developing the different
variables among students.
Recommendations
Based on the results, the study recommends
[Link] training courses and workshops to the supervisors and pre-service and
in-service teachers of English to identify gamification strategy: Features and use
for creative writing to improve the quality of education and promote sustainable
human development;
[Link] the gamification-based enrichment program to equip intermediate
stage students with creative writing skills;

[Link] action manuals to the teachers of English on utilizing gamification to

serve educational objectives successfully;

[Link] the content of English for the different stages to keep pace with
gamification strategies to provide flexible and fun educational applications;

[Link] exercises and activities modeled as those in the creative writing test of
the present study in the textbooks of English for the different stages to develop
EFL creative writing skills;

[Link] the content of English in the intermediate stage in a short story form
that suits students’ level, attitudes, and desires, which improves their creative
writing;

[Link] the attention of English courses’ planners and researchers to include

student abilities and thinking skills besides the cognitive achievement aspects in
the books;

[Link] the objectives of English for the intermediate stage to stress the
development of creative writing skills;
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