A Gamified, Level-Based Framework for Guiding Experimental Innovation in Sustainable Cementitious and Concrete Materials

Abstract

This study presents the development and evaluation of a Gamified Research Scaffolding Framework (GRSF) designed to enhance undergraduate competency in experimental research proposal development within cementitious and concrete materials courses. Students in construction-related programmes often face challenges in structuring research problems, justifying material selection, and aligning experimental design with research objectives, leading to weak proposals and repeated revision cycles. To address these challenges, the GRSF integrates gamification principles with structured instructional scaffolding through a six-level progression model, encompassing problem discovery, material selection, aim and objective development, experimental design, sustainability evaluation, and proposal assembly. Laboratory activities are embedded as mission-based tasks to reinforce hands-on learning and alignment with standardised testing procedures. The framework also incorporates sustainability assessment in line with Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and promotes responsible use of artificial intelligence tools. A mixed-method approach was employed using a quasi-experimental design involving two undergraduate classes: a control group (n = 25) following conventional supervision and an intervention group (n = 27) exposed to the GRSF. Quantitative data included proposal scores, revision cycles, and approval rates, while qualitative data were collected through student surveys, feedback, and lecturer observations. The results indicate a significant improvement in proposal quality (26.1%), a reduction in revision cycles (42.2%), and a substantial increase in first-submission approval rates (from 40% to 81%) for the intervention group. Student engagement was also high (mean = 4.50/5), indicating improved motivation and confidence. The findings demonstrate that the GRSF provides a structured and effective approach to enhancing research competency, laboratory engagement, and sustainability awareness in engineering education.