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Aim/Purpose The purpose of this review is to investigate current research on gamification for adult lifelong learning, including tertiary education, work-based learning, and in-formal learning.Background As teaching methods still rely on traditional methods, the necessity of a para-digm shift in teaching methods to foster motivation and leverage better learning outcomes remains a challenge. One of the proposed solutions is to make learn-ing more attractive via contextualized designs that follow the principles of gami-fication.Methodology To address the research questions, a systematic literature review was conducted, based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Anal-yses (PRISMA) protocol. As part of the systematic literature review, articles published between 2014 and 2024 were sought. The search query consisted of the various Boolean operators and search terms. The search was conducted in ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, ERIC, and Scopus. Of the 232 articles identified, 141 were selected by applying inclusion and exclusion criteria. After reviewing the abstracts of the selected studies, 36 articles were included in the review.Contribution This study contributes by providing a thorough review of the current state of gamified learning in the field of adult education. It synthesizes previous research and offers insights into technologies, theories, elements, and learning outcomes of gamified educational interventions. Moreover, this review highlights the po-tential of gamification to enhance learning experiences through the integration of game elements into educational design, resulting in more efficient and pro-ductive training models.Findings The study revealed that gamified learning is applicable in a variety of subjects, predominantly in areas related to business administration, economics, and peda-gogical studies, as corroborated by prior research. It is diverse and depends on several factors, including the educational purpose, the learning profile, the es-tablished learning objectives, and the desired learning outcomes. Gamified learning yields significant learning outcomes for adult learners.Recommendations for PractitionersGamification offers significant potential for enhancing motivation, engagement, and learning in various key areas, including formal education in higher educa-tion, corporate training, healthcare, workplace settings, and sustainability. More-over, when a designer integrates game elements into non-gameful environ-ments, it is crucial to consider specific design parameters. The research indicates that when game elements are thoroughly designed to align with the learning characteristics of adult learners and are based on learning theories related to gamified learning, they enhance the motivation to engage in learning activities. This, in turn, leads to an increase in the learners’ self-efficacy.Recommendations for Researchers Further investigations into the application of gamified adult education through Learning Management Systems (LMS) are needed. This includes the effective-ness and sustainability of using advanced applications of adaptive and personal-ized gamification with embedded artificial intelligence in open learning environ-ments, which appears to be a new trend.Impact on Society The key outcomes are associated with the enhancement of learning perfor-mance and the acquisition of practical knowledge and skills that can be applied in real-world scenarios, such as work environments. In these environments, adults will be able to solve practical problems and enhance their work perfor-mance and productivity.Future Research As research continues to verify the effectiveness of gamification in terms of learning benefits, further investigation is needed to explore different educational levels and span the continuum of lifelong learning, as well as to examine new emerging technologies, especially generative AI tools. (CC BY-NC 4.0) This article is licensed to you under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

The rapid development of technologies leads to changes in the requirements of modern employers for vocational training; therefore, there is a need to apply pedagogical technologies and approaches to teaching that would ensure the formation of competitive specialists. The research is devoted to the analysis and justification of the introduction of modern approaches to the professional training of future specialists in higher polytechnic colleges. The research was based on the methods of questioning, analysis of results and statistical processing of results. In the context of the investigation, the technology of professional training of future specialists in higher polytechnic colleges has been outlined, which is based on the approaches of competence-based, project-based, dual learning and soft skills development. In the course of implementing this technology, digital, interactive and STEM learning tools are used. The research presents the levels of implementing the technology of professional training of future specialists in higher polytechnic colleges: methodological, organizational and practical. The effectiveness of applying the technology of professional training of future specialists in higher polytechnic colleges before and after the experiment and the statistical verification of the results obtained by Pearson’s criterion were evaluated, the results of which confirmed the effectiveness of the technology proposed by the authors. It has been determined that the integration of theoretical and practical training and the use of modern technologies have a beneficial impact on the training of specialists in higher polytechnic colleges. Despite widespread advocacy for dual education, few studies test its integration with digital tools across divergent economic contexts. This study addresses that gap by evaluating the effectiveness of a pedagogical model that merges dual education principles with digital learning strategies. The key finding—χ²(2, N=196) = 86.69, p < .001, with effect size ω = 0.67—demonstrates a statistically significant and practically large impact of the model on student outcomes, underscoring its relevance for reforming natural science education in higher institutions. © 2025, Arabic Translators International. All rights reserved.

The integration of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) in E-Commerce education aims to address the challenges of fostering academic help-seeking behaviors, which are often hindered by traditional teaching methods. Help-seeking is essential for academic success, but factors such as fear of embarrassment and lack of peer interaction limit students’ engagement. This study aims to design, implement, and evaluate a CSCL-based instructional model to encourage help-seeking behaviors and enhance collaborative competencies in E-Commerce education. A quantitative causal research design was employed, using a Likert-scale questionnaire to assess students’ perceptions of academic help-seeking and collaborative competencies. The study found that behavioral, normative, and control beliefs, along with opportunity, significantly influence students’ self-efficacy. However, higher self-efficacy showed a negative impact on learning outcomes, likely due to overconfidence leading to disengagement. The moderation analysis revealed that collaborative engagement negatively moderated the relationship between behavioral beliefs and learning outcomes, suggesting that excessive collaboration could weaken the positive effects of behavioral beliefs. The study concludes that while CSCL is an effective approach to enhancing engagement and learning outcomes, it requires careful structuring to prevent overconfidence and ineffective collaboration. Educators should focus on balancing self-efficacy with realistic self-appraisal and ensuring well-managed collaborative environments to maximize the benefits of CSCL in E-Commerce education. Further research should explore additional moderating factors to optimize CSCL implementation across different educational contexts. © 2025; Los autores.

While entrepreneurial self-efficacy is heavily researched, marshalling self-efficacy, a crucial aspect for mobilizing resources, remains understudied. Similarly, while research has examined the relationship between personal resilience and entrepreneurial intention, there is a lack of understanding regarding the connection between these factors and specifically sustainable entrepreneurship among students in South America. This research seeks to gain a deeper insight into the relationship between interpersonal communication skills and key psychological factors that facilitate sustainable business creation, studying the impact of resilience on marshalling self-efficacy and its subsequent effects on social support and sustainable entrepreneurial intention. Data from 404 complete responses of university students from Chile and Ecuador, collected via an online self-report survey, were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings supported that resilience has a significant impact on marshalling self-efficacy, which in turn affects perceived social support and sustainable entrepreneurial intentions. These insights could address the development of university programs aimed at reinforcing the training of prospective sustainable entrepreneurs, by equipping them with the skills to overcome challenges and secure resources. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

The increasing adoption of student-centered learning environments by the institutions of higher education in business has led to new mechanisms and methodologies such as Simulation-Based Learning (SBL), Problem-Based Learning (PBL), and Challenge-Based Learning (CBL). Literature has shown evidence of raising interest in these methodologies towards a more experiential paradigm regarding upcoming events from the surrounding real-world context. This paper presents a Systematic Bibliographic Literature Review (SBLR) concerning integrating and applying these innovative and collaborative methodologies in higher education. It aimed to identify its relevant advantages, challenges, and consequences for the future of business education. Researchers searched bibliographic databases for documents published up to May 2024 to categorize critical topics discussed in the literature on SBL, PBL, and CBL. The review identified 89 empirical and non-empirical papers on SBL, PBL, and CBL, business-related paperwork resulting from the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) method. PRISMA is a framework with evidence-based data designed to help authors perform a systematic literature review. Data analysis revealed diverse subthemes for those methodologies used in business higher education institutions. The research questions "What are the advantages, challenges, and implications of SBL, PBL, and CBL altogether in the training of business students?" guided the study. The central output of the research is the discovery of the varying uses of SBL, PBL, and CBL to cope with diverse demands arising within an environmental context. The study suggests future research directions. © 2025, World Scientific and Engineering Academy and Society. All rights reserved.

This research paper examines the effects of a gamified educational application on student engagement and academic performance, focusing particularly on gender differences in response to gamification. Employing a blend of quantitative methods—including independent samples t-test, Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and Cohen’s d for effect size calculation—and qualitative feedback from focus groups, the study conducts a detailed analysis of how gamification impacts students in a secondary school environment over a 10-week period. The findings reveal that gamification not only significantly boosts student engagement but also leads to improvements in academic performance. Notably, female students displayed higher levels of engagement than male students, suggesting gender-specific receptivity to gamified learning. These results underscore the potential of gamified approaches to enhance educational engagement and effectiveness. Additionally, the positive outcomes pave the way for extended studies over semester and full academic year durations, incorporating gamified learning into regular curricula. The study promotes the development of customized gamification strategies to cater to varied learning preferences and calls for further investigation to optimize the use of gamification in educational settings. This contribution enriches the educational technology literature by articulating the subtle impacts of gamification and its implications for educational practices and policies. © 2025 by the authors.

Project-based learning (PBL) is a student-centered and experiential approach that encourages active learning by involving students in the examination of real-world problems within a collaborative environment. This study aims to develop a PBL environment based on information and communication technologies (ICTs) and assess students’ learning experiences. The participants of the study were students taking the Digital Technologies in Tourism course in the Tourism Management Undergraduate Program. Study data were collected through focus group interviews and research diary. By using ICTs as cognitive tools in the learning process, the levels of satisfaction, interest, motivation, and participation of the students were increased and the process was made more active, instructive, and collaborative. The training program in the study made significant contributions to the development of students’ higher order thinking skills, such as collective work, research, analysis and synthesis, communication, design and creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making. © 2025 ICHRIE.

Purpose – This study intends to promote social sustainability by addressing the shifting skill expectations for recent graduates in response to changing employer demands within the industry 5.0 framework. It tries to identify the best combination of socially sustainable skills that will improve graduates' employability and align them with industry expectations. Design/methodology/approach – This study analyses data obtained from 187 industry experts using an exploratory method and Structural Equation Modelling with AMOS software. Confirmatory Factor Analysis is used to validate seven unique socially sustainable components, which are then examined using a route model to determine their relationship to overall graduate employability (OGE). Findings – The study highlights the skills and competences that have a major impact on graduate success in a labour market that is changing quickly by identifying seven important socially sustainable characteristics that influence OGE within Industry 5.0. The results show that employability is positively impacted by analytical, cognitive, leadership, self-efficacy and technology abilities (with an emphasis on social sustainability). Emotional intelligence and decision-making abilities, with a focus on social sustainability, have little influence, nevertheless. Research limitations/implications – By highlighting the complex role of emotional intelligence and decision-making abilities in employability from a social sustainability perspective, this study challenges conventional viewpoints and advances the theoretical understanding of socially sustainable employability within Industry 5.0. Practical implications – The results offer businesses and higher education institutions (HEIs) with practical advice on how to improve social sustainability in the workforce. Employers can modify hiring and personnel management practices to match the competences most valued in Industry 5.0, while HEIs can modify their curricula to concentrate on the most significant employable skills. A workforce that is not only technically skilled but also socially conscious and flexible enough to meet new industrial problems is fostered by this alignment. Originality/value – This research will be highly valuable to the higher education institutes, universities, students, faculty members, government who is making the policies. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited

Abundant research has shown that educational transitions are decisively shaped by prior educational attainment and students’ family background. In contrast, the role of geography and spatial features during educational transitions remains less explored. Drawing on linked large-scale assessment data from Switzerland, the present study examines the role of the distance between a student’s place of residence and the nearest upper secondary school as a potential barrier to entry into school-based education at the upper secondary level. In response to potentially flawed distance measures used in previous research, this study proposes a novel distance measure based on commuting times to the nearest school. Using a series of probit and mixed-effects probit models, this study finds that greater distances to schools prevent students from entering school-based programmes at the upper secondary level, although the effect sizes are comparatively modest. Overall, the results confirm previous findings on higher education that geographical distance may pose a barrier to accessing educational institutions. © The Author(s) 2025.

This study contributes to the comprehensive understanding of technology integration quality within Swiss upper secondary schools by comparing different technology-enhanced learning activities across school programs and subject areas. We investigated differences between vocational and general programs, as well as between humanities and scientific subjects, regarding four different types of learning activities (as defined by the interactive constructive active passive framework) enhanced by technology. Results based on a survey of 1725 teachers revealed that teachers in vocational programs reported a higher frequency of technology-enhanced learning activity implementation in comparison to teachers in general education programs. Employing multilevel analyses, we found that less sophisticated learning activities (i.e., passive and active) were more prevalent in scientific subjects than in humanities, whereas constructive and interactive activities were more frequently proposed by teachers teaching humanities. This subject-related difference was significantly more pronounced among teachers in general education programs. Our study highlights the importance of considering the quality of technology integration, revealing differences across passive, active, constructive, and interactive technology-enhanced learning activities. The findings are interpreted with consideration for the specificities of school curricula and subject content. This study represents an ongoing progression in the exploration of technology integration quality in educational practices and calls for further research in this area. © The Author(s) 2025.