Gamifying protein synthesis: Exploring the motivational impact of a SOLO-based educational arcade game

This study explores the impact of gamification, integrated with the Structure of the Observed Learning Outcome (SOLO) Taxonomy, on students' motivation and engagement in biology education.Employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, the research began with the collection of quantitative data using the adapted Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI), which assessed seven key dimensions of intrinsic motivation: interest/enjoyment, perceived competence, effort/importance, pressure/tension, perceived choice, value/usefulness, and relatedness.This was followed by qualitative data collection through open-ended student reflections, which provided deeper insights into learners' experiences during the intervention.Quantitative findings revealed that students demonstrated high to very high motivation across all dimensions, with particularly strong mean scores in interest/enjoyment (M = 6.77) and value/usefulness (M = 6.63).These results suggest that the gamified approach significantly enhanced learners' enthusiasm and perceived relevance of the content.Qualitative reflections corroborated these findings, indicating increased student engagement, reduced anxiety, and improved conceptual understanding of complex biological concepts.Students consistently acknowledged that the interactive game-based activity-Amino Blast-was not only enjoyable but also educationally meaningful.The activity helped clarify abstract content while promoting autonomy and social connection.Overall, the integration of gamification with SOLO-based learning structures proved highly effective in motivating learners and fostering a more dynamic, student-centered instructional environment.These findings suggest that when thoughtfully combined, gamification and educational taxonomies can significantly enhance student motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes in science education, especially in content-heavy subjects like biology.