The Role of Creative Communications and Gamification in Student Engagement in Higher Education: A Sentiment Analysis Approach

Abstract

This article aims to explore gamification tools in services and higher education environments and their role in creating student engagement. The research adopts a qualitative method based on quasi-experimental design. Participants from a higher education institution are exposed to gamification activities during a full semester. Researchers use the sentiment analysis (SA) technique based on a text-mining approach to analyse the data. Findings reveal that participants perceive gamification in service settings as a useful tool. The global SA reveals a positive sentiment about the gamification approach that contributes to increasing participants’ engagement. This study’s novelty arises from quasi-experimental research to measure gamification activities’ impact on students’ engagement, measured through SA of their opinions.