Gamification approaches to enhance critical thinking skills in elementary education: A literature review (2020-2025)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21831/jpip.v17i1.91205Keywords:
critical thinking, elementary education, gamificationAbstract
In the transformation, entering the era of society 5.0, learners are required to proficient the 6C skills, where critical thinking ability becomes one of the essential competencies that need to be developed from elementary school levels. However, research on the integration of gamification approaches to enhance critical thinking at the elementary level remains limited, so a literature review is necessary to identify trends, challenges, and future development opportunities. The purpose of this research is to explore how using gamification can enhance critical thinking abilities in elementary schools between 2020 and 2025 using the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method. It was established through an analysis of 22 research papers that the gamification strategy significantly enhances the critical thinking abilities of primary school pupils. Additionally, gamification helps to enhance critical thinking abilities in addition to strengthens students' cognitive, affective, and social aspects by increasing motivation, creativity, and more meaningful engagement in learning.
References
Al Ghozali, M. I., Mustoip, S., & Sulkhah. (2024). The Role of Gamification Methods in Increasing Creativity and Innovation of Elementary School Students in the Digital Era. Journal of Primary School, 1(2), 21–27.
Al-Barakat, A. A., El-Mneizel, A. F., Al-Qatawneh, S. S., AlAli, R. M., Aboud, Y. Z., & Ibrahim, N. A. H. (2025). Investigating the Role of Digital Game Applications in Enhancing Mathematical Thinking Skills in Primary School Mathematics Students. Decision Making: Applications in Management and Engineering, 8(1), 132–146. https://doi.org/10.31181/dmame8120251301
Anggraeni, N., Rustini, T., & Wahyuningsih, Y. (2022). Keterampilan berpikir kritis siswa sekolah dasar pada mata pelajaran IPS di kelas tinggi. Jurnal Review Pendidikan Dasar: Jurnal Kajian Pendidikan dan Hasil Penelitian, 8(1), 84–90. https://doi.org/10.26740/jrpd.v8n1.p84-90
Asigigan, S. I., & Samur, Y. (2021). The effect of gamified STEM practices on students’ intrinsic motivation, critical thinking disposition levels, and perception of problem-solving skills. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 9(2), 332–352. https://doi.org/10.46328/IJEMST.1157
Ccoa, N. M. Q., Choquehuanca, M. E. F., & Paucar, F. H. R. (2023). An Application of the Quizizz Gamification Tool to Improve Motivation in the Evaluation of Elementary School Students. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 13(3), 544–550. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2023.13.3.1837
Chávez, M. N. R., & Marreros, M. A. T. (2023). Gamificación en el desarrollo del pensamiento crítico de niños de educación primaria. Revista Arbitrada Interdisciplinaria Koinonía, 8(2), 51–66. https://doi.org/10.35381/r.k.v8i2.2861
Chávez Suárez, J. M., Washington Ríos, O. R., Reyes, V. M., Sequera Morales, A. G., & Davelouis Casana, P. F. (2024). Effects of gamification on critical thinking in elementary school students. Prohominum, 6(4), 112–122. https://doi.org/10.47606/acven/ph0289
del Olmo-Muñoz, J., Bueno-Baquero, A., Cózar-Gutiérrez, R., & González-Calero, J. A. (2023). Exploring Gamification Approaches for Enhancing Computational Thinking in Young Learners. Education Sciences, 13(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13050487
Eang, N., Petsangsri, S., & Morris, J. (2025). Effects of Cloud-based Gamified Instruction Integrating Peer Assessment on Primary Students’ English Writing and Critical Thinking. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 18(1), 779–815. https://doi.org/10.70730/EAXM5358
Fauziyati, K. A., & Sriyanto, S. (2023). STEM-Based Wordwall Labeled Diagram Gamification Learning Media for Elementary Students’ Critical Thinking in Social Studies Learning. DIDAKTIKA: Jurnal Pendidikan Sekolah Dasar, 6(2), 91–98.
Hermita, N., Vebrianto, R., Putra, Z. H., Alim, J. A., Wijaya, T. T., & Sulistiyo, U. (2022). Effectiveness of Gamified Instructional Media to Improve Critical and Creative Thinking Skills in Science Class. Advances in Science, Technology and Engineering Systems Journal, 7(3), 44–50. https://doi.org/10.25046/aj070305
Inganah, S., Darmayanti, R., & Rizki, N. (2023). Problems, Solutions, and Expectations: 6C Integration of 21st Century Education into Learning Mathematics. JEMS: Jurnal Edukasi Matematika dan Sains, 11(1), 220–238. https://doi.org/10.25273/jems.v11i1.14646
Iskandar, D. (2021). Peningkatan Hasil Belajar Siswa pada Materi Report Text Melalui Pembelajaran Berdiferensiasi di Kelas IX.A SMP Negeri 1 Sape Tahun Pelajaran 2020/2021. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Pembelajaran Indonesia (JPPI), 1(2), 123–140. https://doi.org/10.53299/jppi.v1i2.48
Kirana, P., Chaeruman, U. A., & Nursetyo, K. I. (2022). Pengembangan “Supermath” sebagai Multimedia Pembelajaran Berbasis Gamifikasi untuk Matematika Kelas 2. Jurnal Pembelajaran Inovatif, 5(1), 24–29. https://doi.org/10.21009/jpi.051.03
Made, I., Dharma, A., Ayu, N., & Lestari, P. (2022). The Impact of Problem-based Learning Models on Social Studies Learning Outcomes and Critical Thinking Skills for Fifth Grade Elementary School Students. Jurnal Ilmiah Sekolah Dasar, 6(2), 263–269. https://doi.org/10.23887/jisd.v6i2
Marpaung, U. A. S., Nasution, I. S., & Saragih, M. A. T. S. (2025). Pengaruh Penggunaan Gamification Berbasis Quizalize terhadap Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Siswa pada Pembelajaran PPKn Materi Simbol Keragaman Agama. JIIP (Jurnal Ilmiah Ilmu Pendidikan), 8(3), 3223–3228. https://doi.org/10.54371/jiip.v8i3.7434
Martínez-Hita, M., Gómez-Carrasco, C. J., & Miralles-Martínez, P. (2021). The effects of a gamified project based on historical thinking on the academic performance of primary school children. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-021-00796-9
Maylia, E. C., Amelia, A. P., Suwarna, D. M., Muyassaroh, I., & Jenuri. (2024). Strategi Pembelajaran Inkuiri Terhadap Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Siswa SD. Jurnal Review Pendidikan Dasar, 10(1), 32–41. https://doi.org/10.26740/jrpd.v10n1.p32-41
Mohammed, M., Fatemah, A., & Hassan, L. (2024). Effects of Gamification on Motivations of Elementary School Students: An Action Research Field Experiment. Simulation and Gaming, 55(4), 600–636. https://doi.org/10.1177/10468781241237389
Ortiz-Rojas, M., Chiluiza, K., Valcke, M., & Bolanos-Mendoza, C. (2025). How gamification boosts learning in STEM higher education: a mixed methods study. International Journal of STEM Education, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-024-00521-3
Rahmawati, H., Pujiastuti, P., & Cahyaningtyas, A. P. (2023). Kategorisasi Kemampuan Berpikir Kritis Siswa Kelas Empat Sekolah Dasar di SD se-Gugus II Kapanewon Playen, Gunung Kidul. Jurnal Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan, 8(1), 88–104. https://doi.org/10.24832/jpnk.v8i1.3338
Raj, T., Chauhan, P., Mehrotra, R., & Sharma, M. (2022). Importance of Critical Thinking in the Education. World Journal of English Language, 12(3), 126–133. https://doi.org/10.5430/wjel.v12n3p126
Roshanpour, R., & Nikroo, M. H. (2020). Investigating the Impact of Virtual Reality and Gamification on Improving Physical Activities in School. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-47976/v1
Sailer, M., & Homner, L. (2020). The Gamification of Learning: a Meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32(1), 77–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w
Saleem, A. N., Noori, N. M., & Ozdamli, F. (2021). Gamification Applications in E-learning: A Literature Review. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 27, 139–159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10758-020-09487-x
Sani, J., & Ratri, D. (2024). Analysis of the Effectiveness of Gamification Elements in Mobile-Based English Learning Applications for Elementary School Students. International Journal of Language Education and Culture Review (IJLECR), 10(2), 213–226. https://doi.org/10.21009/ijlecr.v10i2.49483
Sarwanto, F., Fajari, L. E. W., & Chumdari. (2021). Critical Thinking Skills And Their Impacts On Elementary School Students. Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction, 18(2), 161–187. https://doi.org/10.32890/mjli2021.18.2.6
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). 21st Century Skills: Learning for Life in Our Times. Jossey-Bass/Wiley.
Wibisono, F. C., Wahyudin, D., & Yogiarni, T. (2024). The Effect of Gamification Learning Model to Improve Students’ Critical Thinking Skills in Elementary School Science and Social Subjects. Educational Studies and Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12579237
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Citation Check
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Nurma Eka Safitri, Budiyono, Bambang Subali, Arif Widiyatmoko

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.




