2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Collaborative skills and ethical behavior: a gamified flipped classroom case study in a construction execution course

Presented at CONST 6 - Developing Career‑Ready Construction Graduates: Internships and Leadership

This paper describes a case study based on a problem-based research approach and the gamification theory. Gamification is widely used to engage students, and numerous advantages are cited in the literature. While gamification has shown benefits in engagement, it may also introduce unintended side effects during the game-based learning experience. These side effects are less researched in the literature and require further investigation. The purpose of this qualitative research is to identify some of the side effects of gamification during the in-class learning experience. Specifically, the study aims to explore the negative impacts of gamification on collaboration and ethical behavior among civil engineering students in a Construction Execution course. The game consisted of an in-classroom group competition quiz, performed in four rounds, and distributed throughout the course schedule. The students were asked about the content they had studied previously, and the first group that pushed the buzzer of an electronic device, made specifically for this course, had the right to answer. At the end of each round, students completed a Google Form questionnaire that included questions about their engagement in pre-activities, their perception of the class experience, and what could be improved. The closed-ended questions were analyzed statistically, and the open-ended questions were coded using a thematic analysis- inter-rater reliability demonstrated the reliability of the coding scheme. The findings indicated that a high level of competition in a gamified flipped classroom can hinder the development of engineering students’ collaborative skills and reduce their ethical behavior. This research addressed an underexplored aspect of gamification in identifying some side effects of gamification. To mitigate these side effects, civil engineering educators may consider not including points of the game as part of the grade and incorporating behavioral rules into the game design.

Authors

Tathyana Moratti http://orcid.org/https://0000-0001-6359-8001 The University of Georgia [biography]

PhD Candidate in the Engineering Education Transformative Practice program.
Han Jin University of Georgia
Runu Proma Das University of Georgia
Kyle Shanachilubwa The University of Georgia
Mathew Baby University of Georgia
Ricardo Juan José Oviedo-Haito Universidade Federal De Santa Catarina
Dr. Nathaniel Hunsu The University of Georgia [biography]

Nathaniel Hunsu is an Associate Professor of Engineering Education at the University of Georgia, affiliated with the Engineering Education Transformational Institute (EETI) and the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He leads the Engineering Student Learning and Engagement Research (ESLER) group, mentoring students in projects that explore how engineering learners engage with tasks, technologies, and learning environments. His research focuses on conceptual understanding, epistemic cognition, and student engagement, with an emphasis on evidence-based strategies that enhance learning in engineering education. He applies quantitative research designs, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, and assessment instrument development to advance both the theory and practice of engineering education. Dr. Hunsu’s work also investigates the use of emerging educational technologies, including AI, XR, and robotics, in fostering active and self-regulated learning. His goal is to bridge research and practice, equipping educators and learners to achieve meaningful, lasting learning outcomes.
Dr. Beshoy Morkos http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6656-3610 University of Georgia [biography]

Beshoy Morkos is a professor in the College of Engineering at the University of Georgia where he directs MODEL (Manufacturing Optimization, Design, and Engineering Education Lab) Group. His research group currently explores the areas of system design, manufacturing, and their respective education. His system design research focuses on developing computational representation and reasoning support for managing complex system design through the use of Model Based approaches. The goal of Dr. Morkos’ manufacturing research is to fundamentally reframe our understanding and utilization of product and process representations and computational reasoning capabilities to support the development of models which help engineers and project planners intelligently make informed decisions. On the engineering education front, Dr. Morkos’ research explores means to improve persistence and diversity in engineering education by leveraging students’ design experiences.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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