Perceptions of Accounting student-teachers on gamified peer tutoring: A case study of a South African University

Abstract

The thrust of this research was to explore the perceptions of Bachelor of Education Accounting student-teachers on gamified peer tutoring on student engagement and motivation at a selected South African university. Despite being recognised as an important component of student success within higher education institutions, student engagement is acknowledged as a challenging and complex construct. Guided by an interpretative research paradigm, this qualitative study followed a case study research design, investigating a real-life phenomenon and capturing participants’ lived experiences. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted face-to-face with eight purposefully selected second-year accounting student-teachers. The researchers also used Classroom observation as an additional data collection tool. It emerged that gamified peer tutoring greatly improved engagement, motivation, confidence, and the willingness to attend tutorial classes, providing practical insights to improve tutorials within teacher education programmes. Although the study reported challenges such as internet and device access, they did not outweigh the benefits reported by participants. It is recommended that gamification be extended beyond accounting and to tutorship programmes to encourage the use of gamification, and tutors should be trained in designing and facilitating gamification in peer tutoring. The research contributes to the body of literature on innovative pedagogical approaches in higher education and shows the potential of gamification in peer tutoring.