Educational gamification uses gamified elements such as gamification applications or gamification designs in nongame pedagogical practices. Notably, Internet-based gamification has gained popularity in education because people can directly access information for pedagogical interaction on their devices. Learners and instructors should adapt to remote pedagogical practices with less close-contact gathering. Learners can use applications and designs to share numerous learning data without their physical attendance or close contact with others. Entertainment and participants are two indispensable factors in educational gamification. Gamification applications and design should create entertaining learning environments because entertainment is the dominant feature in games.

However, the challenge is that entertaining applications might lack seriousness and cannot significantly improve learning outcomes, although gamified approaches are positively associated with learners’ motivation, engagement, enjoyment, and concentration. Besides, gamification usually employs multiplayer activities conducive to interaction. However, not all players’ behaviors positively influence learning outcomes or the quality of pedagogical practices. Online educational gamification applications and design can integrate instructional pedagogies with online learning technologies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to encourage a discussion about the use of educational gamification applications in entertainment. Authors are welcome to submit original research and review articles.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Impact of entertainment in gamification applications or designs on learning outcomes, motivation, and immersion
• Impact of player behaviours on gamification learning
• Impact of the gamification application(s) or design(s) on player behaviours and feelings of entertainment associated with learning
• Comparison between educational gamification applications and design
• Integrative approach(es) to learning (e.g., the use of student response systems for entertaining interactions)
• Model(s) of gamification or gamification learning associated with entertaining experiences and participants of gamified activities
• Theorization of entertainment and the dominating role of learners’ sense of entertainment in educational gamification approaches
• Classification(s) of player types in gamification learning associated with motivation and immersion
• Potential factors contributing to learners’ entertaining experiences and players’ behaviours correlated with gamification learning
• The role of instructors in gamification of positive influences on learning experience and behaviours