WorldCALL 2018 – CALLing all the CALLers Worldwide 94 CALLing all the CALLers Worldwide Concepción, 13-16 November 2018 Moodle app gamification features and their potential for foreign language learning Bart Pardoel Cyprus University of Technology Limassol, Cyprus Salomi Papadima- Sophocleous Cyprus University of Technology Limassol, Cyprus Androulla Athanasiou Cyprus University of Technology Limassol, Cyprus Abstract This paper aims at exploring the educational potential of gamification in teaching German as a Foreign Language (GFL) by developing, implementing and evaluating a gamified, technology-assisted language course. An exploratory research was conducted to examine the affordances of the Moodle App to support a gamified language programme. Students (n=39) from a Dutch pre-vocational secondary school enrolled in the six-week gamified German A1 course called MISSION BERLIN, using the open-source learning platform Moodle and its app. Data collection methods include semi-structured focus group interviews, and interaction logs from the Moodle environment. Results indicate that the Moodle app is not suitable for a full gamified language programme, however, it can support a gamified language course. Keywords: foreign language learning, gamification, Moodle, MALL © 2019 WorldCALL All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Gamification draws on the self-determination theory (Ryan & Deci, 2000) and Csikszentmihályi’s theory of flow (1975) and is defined is the “process of making activities in non-game context more game-like by using game design elements” (Sailer, Hense, Mayr, & Mandl, 2017, p. 372). This process needs to be fuelled by a well-balanced mix of concrete elements (e.g. badges, leaderboard) and abstract elements (e.g. challenge, cooperation). Although both types deal with learners’ motivation and engagement, gamified learning occurs only when at least some abstract game elements are used, and for that concrete game elements are needed first (Pardoel, 2018, p. 12). One non-game context with high expectations regarding gamification, is the field of education. The main promise is that it gives the educator a number of powerful tools to improve learners’ motivation and enhance students’ engagement. Although the playful design of games has a lot to offer to education, only a handful of studies on Gamification in education were placed in a secondary school setting (eg. Caponetto, Earp, & Ott, 2014; de Sousa Borges, Durelli, Reis, & Isotani, 2014; Dicheva, Dichev, Agre, & Angelova, 2015). Similarly, not many studies dealt with gamification in the Foreign Language (FL) or Second Language (L2) classroom in this setting.