Applying gamification and accountability techniques to support students in managing academic obligations
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Date
2025-10-06
Authors
Ποτόγλου, Ελένη-Ιωάννα
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Abstract
This diploma thesis explores the design and development of a mobile application aimed at supporting university students in managing their academic obligations through gamification and accountability techniques. Modern students, face increasing challenges in maintaining focus, organization, and motivation within the demanding environment of higher education. While numerous digital tools exist for task management, few address the motivational and social aspects that significantly influence student engagement and consistency. This work responds to that gap by proposing a human–centered solution that merges productivity, playfulness, and social accountability into a unified platform.
The project follows a User-Centered Design (UCD) methodology, emphasizing continuous user involvement and iterative refinement. Preliminary user research, conducted through semi-structured interviews with university students, revealed recurring difficulties such as procrastination, lack of self-discipline, and low motivation. The findings also highlighted students’ desire for tools that encourage collaboration, recognition, and visible progress. These insights informed the definition of user personas, functional and non-functional requirements, and ultimately guided the design of the application’s features.
The application incorporates gamified elements, such as experience points (XP), badges, streaks and a leaderboard, to transform academic tasks into engaging challenges, fostering motivation and a sense of accomplishment. Simultaneously, accountability features, including study buddies, shared obligations and peer visibility during focus sessions, aim to strengthen users’ sense of responsibility and community.
The system was implemented using React Native with Expo for the cross-platform mobile interface and Appwrite for backend functionality, providing a secure and scalable environment.
Evaluation was conducted through both self-assessment and user testing, including the think aloud protocol, field evaluation, focus groups and questionnaires. Results demonstrated that users perceived the application as intuitive, supportive, and motivating, particularly appreciating the combination of playful design and social interaction. Participants reported that the application helped them stay more consistent and aware of their academic progress.
In conclusion, this thesis presents a functional and empirically validated prototype that applies gamification and accountability principles to enhance students’ academic management and motivation. Beyond its immediate technological contribution, the project highlights how Human–Computer Interaction (HCI) principles can be leveraged to address real psychological and behavioral challenges in education.
Future work may expand the application’s adaptability and technicalities, as well as add personalization. Lastly, further integration with obligations out of everyday life could be evaluated, further strengthening its role as a meaningful digital companion for students navigating life.
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Keywords
Gamification, Accountability, Academic obligations, Goal setting, Motivation, Human-computer interaction (HCI), Peer support, User-centered design (UCD), Productivity, Mobile applications, Appwrite, React native, User experience (UX)