Developing a Model for e-Learning Activities Based on Digital Incentives Within the Context of COVID-19 and its Effectiveness in Developing Meta-Cognitive Thinking Among Higher Education Students

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has created many challenges that have affected the efficiency of practicing e-learning activities, and therefore the current study was directed towards developing a model for e-learning activities based on digital incentives, especially gamification-based incentives such as points, badges, levels, and leader boards, to stimulate meta-cognitive thinking processes for higher education students during the pandemic. The quasi-experimental approach was used to compare the two study groups, where the first experimental group used electronic activities based on digital incentives, while the second experimental group used electronic activities without any incentives. The study sample consisted of (60) students from the preparatory year in the computer skills course who are taking the "System Lifecycle" unit, and the study sample was randomly distributed into two experimental groups. A scale to measure meta-cognitive thinking was prepared for the nature of the study unit. The scale included three axes, namely planning, control, and assessment, and each axis might consist of (8) indicators, with a total of 24 indicators. The results showed the advantage and effectiveness of electronic activities based on digital incentives (points, badges, levels, and leaderboards) in developing meta-cognitive thinking skills, whether at the overall level or the level of each of the meta-cognitive axes, including planning, control, and monitoring.