GAMIFICATION AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN THE CONTEXT OF MILITARY EDUCATION DIGITALIZATION
Keywords:
gamification, military education, professional competence, military history disciplines, strategic thinking, innovative technologies, pedagogical experiment
Abstract
The article examines the theoretical and practical foundations of gamification as an innovative approach for developing professional competencies of learners in higher military educational institutions (HMEIs). Analysis of both Ukrainian and international practices indicates that, despite its global adoption, gamification in Ukrainian military education remains fragmented, creating a significant research gap and limiting the potential for comprehensive skill development. The study proposes a model for integrating gamification into military history courses, transforming traditional instruction into an interactive and immersive learning process that fosters strategic thinking, analytical skills, problem-solving, and decision-making under uncertainty. The findings demonstrate that the use of game mechanics, including points, quests, and simulations, substantially increases learner motivation, engagement, and academic performance. The article concludes that gamification represents a highly promising component of contemporary military education, offers practical implications for enhancing educational outcomes, and suggests directions for further research, particularly the integration of virtual and augmented reality technologies to create more immersive and realistic training environments.
References
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2. Bojor, L., & Grigore, L. (2023). Mission: Education – Achieving tactical skills through digital game-based learning. International Conference KNOWLEDGE-BASED ORGANIZATION, 2, 144–150. [in English]. https://doi.org/10.2478/kbo-2023-0049
3. Bugaieva, V. Yu. (2018). Heymifikatsiia yak sposib formuvannia aktyvnoi profesiinoi povedinky maibutnikh fakhivtsiv IT haluzi [Gamification as a way of forming active professional behavior of future IT specialists]. Pedahohika ta psykholohiia, 56, 129–135. [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.577567
4. Diadikova, O. (n.d.). Hra iak instrument: shcho take heymifikatsiia? [Game as a tool: What is gamification?] [Electronic resource]. [in Ukrainian]. https://mistosite.org.ua/uk/articleshra-iak-instrument-shcho-take-heimifikatsiia
5. Glowacki, J., Kriukova, Y., & Avshenyuk, N. (2018). Gamification in higher education: Expe- rience of Poland and Ukraine. Advanced Education, 10, 105–110. [in English].
6. Hurskaya, V. (2022). Virtual environments as a means of enhancing the efficiency of English language teaching for learners. Akademichni vizii, 13. [in English]. https://academy-vision.org/index.php/av/article/view/1507
7. Kapp, K. (2012). The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education [Electronic resource]. [in English]. https:// www.semanticscholar.org/paper/TheGamification-of-Learning-and-Instruction%3A-and-Kap-p/8b1069698d03b4037ec12f5db4c4e3c650e4c216
8. Kasyanov, D. V. (2024). Gamification in contemporary ukrainian research. Scientific Notes of Junior Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 2(30), 119–127. [in English]. https://doi.org/10.51707/2618-0529-2024-30-12
9. Kozubtsova, L. M., Kozubtsov, I. M., Lishchyna, V. O., & Shtanenko, S. S. (2022). Kontseptsiia navchalno-trenuvalnoho kompleksu pidhotovky viiskovykh spetsialistiv informatsiinoi ta kiberbezpeky na zasadakh kompiuternoi hry (heymifikatsii) [Concept of a training complex for preparing military specialists in information and cybersecurity based on computer games (gamification)]. Kiberbezpeka: Osvita, nauka, tekhnika, 2(18), 49–60. [in Ukrainian].
10. Makarevych, O. O. (2015). Heymifikatsiia yak nevidiemnyi chynnyk pidvyshchennia efektyvnosti elementiv dystantsiinoho navchannia [Gamification as an integral factor in improving the effectiveness of distance learning elements]. Molodyi vchenyi, 2(17), 275–278. [in Ukrainian].
11. Mehed, K. M. (2020). Heymifikatsiia navchannia yak innovatsiinyi zasib realizatsii kompe-tentnisnoho pidkhodu u zakladakh vyshchoi osvity [Gamification of learning as an innovative tool for implementing a competency-based approach in higher education institutions]. Visnyk Natsionalnoho universytetu «Chernihivskyi kolehium» imeni T. H. Shevchenka. Seriia: Peda- hohichni nauky, 7(163), 19–22. [in Ukrainian].
12. Nahiriak, V. V., Bokhonko, Ye. B., & Honcharova, I. M. (2020). Suchasni tendentsii rozvytku viiskovoi osvity v umovakh hlobalizatsii [Modern trends in military education development under globalization]. Visnyk Natsionalnoho universytetu oborony Ukrainy, 3(58), 61–68. [in Ukrainian].
13. Petrenko, S. V. (2018). Gamification yak innovatsiina osvitnia tekhnolohiia [Gamification as an innovative educational technology]. Innovatyka u vykhovanni, 2(7), 177–185. [in Ukrainian].
14. Sahan, O. V. (2022). Heymifikatsiia yak suchasnyi osvitnii trend [Gamification as a modern educational trend]. Zbirnyk naukovykh prats «Pedahohichni nauky», 100, 12–18. [in Ukrainian].
15. Stathakarou, N., Kononowicz, A. A., Mattsson, E., & Karlgren, K. (2024). Gamification in the design of virtual patients for Swedish military medics to support trauma training: Interaction analysis and semistructured interview study. JMIR Serious Games, 12, e63390. [in English]. https://doi.org/10.2196/63390
16. Tkachenko, O. (2011). Heymifikatsiia osvity: formalnyi i neformalnyi prostir [Gamification of education: formal and informal space]. Aktualni pytannia humanitarnykh nauk, 11, 303–309. [in Ukrainian].
17. Vyshkivska, V., Sylenko, Y., Shykyrynska, O., Myroshnychenko, V., Shevchenko, V., & Kozlov, Y. (2024). Tutoring as a means of individualizing the educational process: An experimental study. Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference “Society, Integration, Education – SIE2024”, 1, 285–295. Rezekne, Rezekne Academy of Technologies. [in English]. https://pedagogical-academy.com/index.php/journal/about
18. Werbach, K. (n.d.). Gamification [Electronic resource]. [in English]. https://gameit.tech/tag/kevin-verbakh/
19. Zablotskyi, V. I., & Pavlenko, D. S. (2021). Rol innovatsiinykh tekhnolohii u pidhotovtsi maibutnikh ofitseriv [The role of innovative technologies in training future officers]. Naukovi zapysky Natsionalnoho universytetu "Ostrozka akademiia", Seriia "Pravo", 1(14), 112–118. [in Ukrainian].
20. Zhernovnykova, O. A., Peretiaha, L. Ye., Kovtun, A. V., Korduban, M. V., Nalyvaiko, O. O., & Nalyvaiko, N. A. (2020). Tekhnolohiia formuvannia tsyfrovoyi kompetentnosti maibutnikh uchyteliv zasobamy heymifikatsii [Technology of forming digital competence of future teachers through gamification]. Informatsiini tekhnolohii i zasoby navchannia, 75(1), 170–185. [in Ukrainian]. https://doi.org/10.33407/itlt.v75i1.3036
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Published
2025-10-30
How to Cite
Savina, I., & Shostakivska, N. (2025). GAMIFICATION AS A TOOL FOR DEVELOPING PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES IN THE CONTEXT OF MILITARY EDUCATION DIGITALIZATION. Scientific Journal of Polonia University, 71(4), 157-166. https://doi.org/10.23856/7118
Section
LANGUAGE, CULTURE, COMMUNICATION
