GAMIFICATION AND POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY IN ONLINE LEARNING

Abstract

As educators and researchers look for new ways to improve student motivation, engagement, and well-being, gamification and positive psychology have drawn a lot of attention to online learning. While positive psychology concentrates on developing strengths, resilience, and intrinsic drive, gamification is the application of game elements—such as points, badges, leaderboards, and challenges—to non-gaming environments. Together, these strategies produce a vibrant learning atmosphere that encourages engagement, perseverance, and emotional health. The theoretical underpinnings of positive psychology and gamification are examined in this chapter, emphasising how well they work together in online learning. It covers important psychological concepts that support successful gamified learning experiences, such as flow theory, positive reinforcement, and self-determination theory.