Exploring student engagement in technology-based education in relation to gamification, online/distance learning, and other factors: A systematic literature review

Engaging students in learning activities is the primary duty of the teacher. It is also important to see the methods of engagement in teaching and learning for both students and teachers. Students at all age levels, from elementary schools to graduate students, must have specific engagement methods in a virtual learning environment. In addition, learners encounter differences when engaging in lessons that might be more severe in a virtual environment than in a conventional classroom. The purpose of this study is to identify how students engage with different educational technologies. To achieve this purpose, a systematic literature review was conducted using articles published in Scopus and PubMed databases during the 2018–2022 period. A research question developed using the PICO framework and the PRISMA framework was used for article selection, and 33 articles were used for the analyses. Analysis of the literature is divided into three sections: gamification and student engagement, online/distance learning and student engagement, and technology and student engagement. The keyword co-occurrence network visualisation map indicates the gap between the conducted studies during this period. The study provided insightful guidance on advancing learning outcomes and student engagement in the digital age. Additionally, future research areas are highlighted at the end.