Gamification as Christian pedagogy? Investigating teacher candidates’ perspectives

Gamification as Christian pedagogy? Investigating teacher candidates’ perspectives

By Heather J. S. Birch

View profile for Dr. Heather Birch

This research explores the intersection of gamification, the Christian imagination, and teacher education, with a focus on equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging (EDIB). An examination of how teacher candidates in a Christian higher education setting perceive and engage with gamified learning experiences was conducted. Through qualitative analysis of participant reflections, the potential of gamification to enhance understanding of EDIB concepts with a faith-based lens were explored. The findings offer insights into how teacher candidates made connections between their understandings of faith and gamification. The research contributes to the growing body of literature on gamification in education while integrating faith-based values into instructional design strategies.

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Peer Reviewed Article

ISBN/ISSN: 2056-9971

Issue #: 1

Pages: 292-300

Volume #: 9

Article in: International Journal of Christianity & Education

Published in: 2026

Publisher: SAGE