Duolingo is a gamified language-learning platform that makes studying new languages fun, accessible, and effective through bite-sized lessons. This research plan explores how Duolingo researchers could evaluate the motivational impact of individual gamification elements, addressing the current gap in understanding their effects on learner engagement.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
As part of my advanced research methods class, the capstone project developed a research plan to help Duolingo researchers assess how specific gamification elements impact learner motivation—focusing on study design and analysis rather than execution. This project showcased my skills in end-to-end research planning, including literature review, study material preparation, recruitment and sample sizing, methodological selection and trade-off analysis, simulated quantitative and qualitative analysis, and report writing—culminating in a comprehensive PDF deliverable. Before reading the full report, please feel free to review the content overview and abstract below.
DURATION
October-November 2024
METHODS
Multivariate Testing
Survey
Focus Group
ANALYSIS
Descriptive Statistics
Spearman’s Rank Correlation
Confidence Intervals
Kruskal-Wallis H Test
Mann-Whitney U Test
Bootstrapping
Data Visualization
Frequency
Thematic Analysis
CONTENT
Abstract
Resaerch Goals
Literature Review
Methods & Metrics
Sample Sizing
Results & Analysis
Disucssion of Results
Budget
Timeline & Milestone
ABSTRACT
The rise of technology has significantly enhanced global connectivity, facilitating language learning as a means of communication and making it more accessible and enjoyable. As of August 2024, Duolingo, a widely used language-learning platform, has over 100 million MAUs (Duolingo, Inc., 2024). Its success can largely be attributed to its innovative approach of gamifying the language-learning process, which transforms traditional education into a more engaging and motivating experience (Duolingo, Inc., 2024; Huynh et al., 2016; von Ahn, 2022). This gamified experience encourages repetition, which is critical for reinforcing learning. However, there is limited understanding of how specific gamification elements influence motivation among Duolingo learners.
This study aims to address this gap by focusing on three primary objectives: (i) to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of gamification elements by comparing engagement performance both across different gamification elements and between two groups of Duolingo learners with different levels of experience (ii) to assess how each gamification element influences learners' motivation types, as conceptualized by Self-Determination Theory (SDT); and (iii) to identify the specific motivators triggered by each gamification element. To provide a comprehensive analysis of how gamification influences motivation, the research will employ a four-week multivariate testing, periodic surveys based on the Situational Motivation Scale (SIMS), and focus groups to measure learner performance, preferences, and emotional responses.
It is anticipated that the findings will demonstrate that different gamification elements, each exerting varying degrees of effect, have the potential to enhance motivation, with a particularly stronger impact on less experienced Duolingo learners. Furthermore, the study is expected to illustrate how these elements impact shifts along the Self-Determination Theory Continuum, highlighting the varied motivational effects of each gamification element. Ultimately, the results will provide valuable insights into the performance, preferences, and emotions associated with each gamification element, offering opportunities to reassess and improve future user experience strategies.