Gamification in Learning Management Systems: A Systematic Literature Review

Gamification and learning management systems (LMSs) are increasingly being used across educational levels. Hence, the adoption of gamified LMSs, that is, LMSs that integrate gamification elements, is also gaining ground due to the potential benefits they can yield. This study aims to examine the integration of gamification into LMSs through a systematic literature review by exploring 139 related studies from Scopus, Web of Science, and IEEE that were published from 2013 to 2025. This study focuses on identifying the most prominent gamification elements and the main implications in terms of benefits and challenges. Based on the outcomes, gamified LMSs can positively affect the overall educational process. Specifically, gamified LMSs showcase great potential to improve the educational process, support education stakeholders, provide meaningful learning opportunities, satisfy students’ innate needs, and increase their learning outcomes, including academic performance, motivation, engagement, interest, enjoyment, and satisfaction. Gamified LMSs can enrich existing teaching and learning practices and are positively assessed by education stakeholders. They can improve students’ self-regulated learning and satisfy their innate needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competences. They support social and collaborative learning, foster a sense of accomplishment, and provide new methods of assessment and new metrics to analyze students’ learning. However, the effectiveness of gamified LMSs is ultimately determined by the quality of their design and the extent to which gamification strategies and activities are pedagogically grounded and appropriately aligned with the learning goals, population, and context.