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Article |
Gamificación en matemáticas: Los códigos del Calamar
como propuesta lúdica para potenciar el aprendizaje y la motivación
Jorge Luis Mejía Quiñonez[*]
Santiago Javier Trujillo Llumiquinga*
Fernando Patricio Sánchez Yépez*
Abstract
This research explored the
impact of a gamification strategy inspired by the narrative of Squid Game to
enhance the teaching and learning process of mathematics in 55 secondary school
students. A quasi-experimental design was used to evaluate how this playful
methodology influenced academic performance, motivation levels, and active
participation among students. The
evidence points not only to an improvement in knowledge retention, but also in
the overall perception of mathematics. Consequently, gamification stands out as
an effective pedagogical response to overcoming the inherent and systemic
difficulties in teaching this discipline. Implications, limitations, and
recommendations for future educational interventions that promote dynamic,
contextualized, and motivating learning are discussed.
Keywords Gamification, Mathematical learning, Student
motivation, Educational innovation, Secondary education
Resumen
Esta investigación exploró el
impacto de una estrategia de gamificación inspirada en la narrativa de El Juego
del Calamar para potenciar el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje de las
matemáticas en 55 estudiantes de secundaria. Se empleó un diseño cuasiexperimental
para evaluar cómo esta metodología lúdica influía en el rendimiento académico,
el nivel de motivación y la participación activa de los alumnos. Esta evidencia no solo apunta a un avance en
la retención de saberes, sino también en la percepción general de las
matemáticas. En consecuencia, la gamificación se erige como una respuesta
pedagógica eficiente para superar las dificultades inherentes y sistémicas en
la enseñanza de esta disciplina. Se discuten implicaciones, limitaciones y
recomendaciones para futuras intervenciones educativas que promuevan un
aprendizaje dinámico, contextualizado y motivador.
Palabras clave: Gamificación, Aprendizaje matemático, Motivación estudiantil,
Innovación educativa, Educación secundaria
Introduction
Currently, secondary school students in various
educational systems are scoring lower on academic mathematics tests. This has
been exacerbated by addiction to smartphones and social media, which draw young
people's attention to online entertainment and reduce their interest in
spending time studying mathematics. The rapid and playful overstimulation
provided by these devices creates distractibility and detachment from subjects
that involve difficulty and little pleasure, interfering with their participation
in class and their grades.
Given the recurring problems in mathematics
education, such as lack of motivation or the perception of the subject as
difficult, it is necessary to innovate in teaching methods. Current studies
show that traditional methods fail to make mathematics interesting and
understandable, influencing student performance and participation (Bernal
Párraga et al., 2024; Holguin García et al., 2020). As a solution to this,
gamification is an emerging proposal that seeks to incorporate game mechanics
into the classroom to make learning more attractive and achieve long-term
commitment from students (Deterding et al., 2011; Hamari et al., 2014).
According to Zambrano and Luque (2020, p. 6),
“gamification is an innovative strategy that uses techniques and elements from
game design in educational contexts, with the purpose of engaging, motivating,
and facilitating self-regulated learning. This methodology adapts to the needs
of the student, promoting a dynamic and meaningful educational experience that
enhances engagement and improves knowledge acquisition.”
Recent studies support that games and gamified
dynamics used in mathematics classes increase students' interest and make them
feel more involved, favoring not only their academic performance but also the
development of digital and soft skills such as teamwork. According to (Chuchuca
Tocto et al., 2025), gamification can promote
intrinsic motivation and facilitate the acquisition of mathematical skills
through challenges, feedback, and progress. Likewise, game-based educational
learning platforms such as Kahoot or Quizizz can enrich teaching and learning
processes by turning the practice of concepts into interactive and
contextualized experiences for students (Villacís
Montoya et al., 2025).
Innovative activities drawn from students' current
interests suggest creating an interactive mathematical experience based on El
Juego del Calamar, with the aim of leveraging its attractive features to foster
a dynamic, competitive, and cooperative educational environment. Several
studies indicate that when highly interesting thematic integrations are
combined with appropriate classroom management, student participation will
increase (Carmen NM, 2023; Mora Aristega et al.,
2025; Reinoso Molina et al., 2024).
This study is unique in that it implements a
gamified experience based on the popular narrative of Squid Game, adapting its
elements of competition, collaboration, and progressive challenges to create an
innovative educational environment that motivates upper-level general education
students through the gamified activity entitled “The Codes of Squid.” In
addition, it studies how gamification influences the growth of skills such as
teamwork, analytical reasoning, and digital competence, which coincide with the
requirements for 21st-century learning outcomes (Anchundia Anchundia
et al., 2025).
The main objective of this research is to evaluate
the impact of a gamified strategy inspired by The Squid Game on the motivation,
participation, and academic performance in mathematics of students in upper
secondary education at the Ángel Modesto Paredes Educational Unit in Quito. To
achieve this objective, the following question is posed: How does the
implementation of a gamified strategy inspired by The Squid Game influence the
motivation, participation, and academic performance in mathematics of upper-level
general education students at the Ángel Modesto Paredes Educational Unit in
Quito?
Materials and methods
This research adopts a mixed approach, combining
qualitative and quantitative methods to explore the impact of a gamified
strategy inspired by Squid Game on the motivation and learning of mathematics
in 55 upper elementary school students. A pre-experimental design is used with
a single group divided into two subgroups (Group A and Group B), following a
non-randomized and quasi-experimental scheme, which allows changes to be
observed before and after the intervention (Camacho, 2024; Chica, 2024).
Instruments and materials
The following were used for data collection and
analysis:
· Structured questionnaires to assess motivation and
satisfaction with mathematics and gamification, including a post-activity
satisfaction survey.
· Academic tests designed in accordance with the
content assessed, to apply diagnosis (pre-test) and measure results
(post-test).
· Observation records to document participation in
gamified activities.
The activities were organized around a thematic
session based on El Juego del Calamar, which was an integral part of the
diagnostic assessment and gamified intervention.
Figure 1. Research Procedure
The playful strategy implemented consisted of a
gamified thematic session inspired by the series Squid Game, designed for the
recovery and reinforcement of mathematical content. The objective was to create
a dynamic, competitive, and cooperative learning environment that would
increase student emotional engagement.
The intervention was structured in six progressive
levels, where the main playful mechanic was the restriction of movement
(students were tied at the feet in pentathlon style) to force collaboration.
Passing each level depended on the correct resolution of exercises
corresponding to the defined thematic content.
The following explains how the gamified activity was
carried out so that students could complete the six proposed challenges.
Table 1. Description of Challenges and Mathematical Content of the Gamified
Intervention
|
Nivel Temático |
Contenido Matemático Central |
Objetivo Específico del Reto |
Mecánica Lúdica Adaptada (Acción) |
|
Reto 1: La Primera Luz |
Ecuaciones e Inecuaciones |
Dominar el despeje de variables y la comprensión de
conjuntos solución. |
La resolución grupal correcta permitía
avanzar a la siguiente zona de movimiento. La incorrecta penalizaba el
avance, haciendo que la atadura cobrara un sentido de dificultad física. |
|
Reto 2: Puentes de Cristal |
Teorema de Pitágoras |
Aplicar el Teorema de Pitágoras para
hallar lados desconocidos y determinar ángulos. |
Cada equipo tenía que resolver los
ejercicios propuestos utilizando el teorema de Pitágoras. |
|
Reto 3: La curva invisible |
Funciones |
Representar las coordenadas de las funciones
planteadas |
Cada equipo debía completar la tabla de valores y
proceder a graficar la función. Una vez finalizado podría avanzar a la
siguiente actividad. |
|
Reto 4: El Mercado Negro |
Punto de Equilibrio |
Calcular la intersección de funciones de
oferta y demanda para determinar el punto óptimo. |
Reto de toma de decisiones bajo
presión. Los equipos debían calcular rápidamente el punto de equilibrio
para "comprar" el tiempo extra o una ventaja en el juego. |
|
Reto 5: Las Canicas |
Sistema de Ecuaciones 2x2 |
Resolver sistemas mediante métodos de igualación o
sustitución para hallar dos incógnitas. |
Encontrar los valores de X y Y
para dar solución al sistema de ecuaciones que permita encontrar el número de
canicas correctas para pasar el nivel. |
|
Reto 6: El Duelo Final |
Razonamiento Abstracto
|
Descifrar la figura que continua la
secuencia para completar el ejercicio de lógica. |
Resolver ejercicios de lógica que
requieran de habilidades de pensamiento crítico. |
Results
Upon completing the analysis of data on national
assessments conducted by INEVAL (National Institute for Educational
Assessment), it was found that in recent years, average results in mathematics
have remained poor among students in general basic education. These results
show that over the last four years, there has been little variation in
mathematics assessment results, which remain at a basic but unsatisfactory
level. This poses a challenge for mathematics teaching in upper-level basic
education (INEVAL, 2025).
Below are the average scores out of 10 obtained in
the pre-test and post-test in both groups. There was a significant increase in
the average scores after the gamified activity intervention. The scores
obtained (out of 10) in the pre- and post-tests reflect a notable increase in
performance. Group A improved by 23.15% and Group B by 23.34% (Table 1). These
data show that the gamification-based intervention had a positive impact on
performance and the assimilation of mathematical concepts.
Below are the results of the questionnaires
administered before implementing the gamified activity. This allowed us to
determine the initial values based on their interest in the subject, confidence
and willingness to participate in problem solving, and average satisfaction
rating after the gamified activity, on a scale of 1 to 5. Most students rated
the experience very positively in terms of enjoyment, usefulness, and
motivation.
Before the intervention, the initial motivation
(interest, confidence, and attitude) of Groups A and B was moderate, with an
average between 3.1 and 3.3 on a scale of 1 to 5 (Table 2). In contrast, the
post-gamification satisfaction assessment (Table 3) showed a significant
increase, reaching averages above 4.4. This shows a high level of enjoyment,
perceived usefulness, and greater motivation for future learning.
Finally, the participation record indicates high and
consistent attendance (95%) and active participation (90%) during the gamified
sessions, reflecting the students' commitment to the proposed methodology.
The findings clearly indicate that the gamified
strategy, inspired by Squid Game, contributes significantly to both improved
academic performance in mathematics and increased motivation and engagement
among secondary school students. This discovery is in line with previous
educational studies in Ecuador: gamification, through game dynamics and
cultural elements, is a powerful tool for promoting a favorable attitude toward
this subject (Chuchuca Tocto et al., 2025; Tobar-Veas
et al., 2025; Conya, 2024).
This research determined a 23% increase in
participants' grades after the post-evaluations, which is significant
considering the averages in mathematics identified by INEVAL in previous years.
For this reason, this work is presented as a guide for implementing active
methodologies that reduce problems related to interest and motivation in
learning mathematics. However, it is accepted that the effectiveness of this
strategy may be limited by factors such as the duration of the intervention,
the socio-emotional characteristics of the students, and the training of
teachers to apply gamification techniques. Therefore, future research should
investigate long-term interventions and analyze the application of game-based
learning in other areas of knowledge and in various socio-educational
situations.
These findings coincide with and reinforce previous
research carried out in the educational field in Ecuador. These studies had
already demonstrated that the use of game dynamics and the integration of
contemporary cultural references have the capacity to foster a positive
predisposition towards learning mathematics.
It is recommended that future research extend the
duration and scope of the study in order to determine its positive effects.
Likewise, consideration should be given to evaluating the socio-emotional
impact and covering other areas of knowledge.
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Máster
Universitario en Educación y TIC (especialización en Diseño Tecno Pedagógico) Instituto Superior 1Instituto Superior
Tecnológico Universitario Corporativo Edwards Deming, jmquinonez@deming.edu.ec, 1https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7015-8738,
Magister
en Educación Mención En Gestión Del Aprendizaje Mediado Por TIC Magister en
Educación Mención En Gestión Del Aprendizaje Mediado Por TIC 2trujillosantiagojll@hotmail.com,
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1045-3203
Magister
en Innovación en Educación Unidad Educativa Ángel Modesto Paredes 3fersan11171@yahoo.com.mx https://orcid.org/0009-0001-6288-2809