Abstract

Combinatorial reasoning is an essential mathematical competency used in the study of probability and in a wide range of applications, including calculating sequence variants in bioinformatics and computing for genetic algorithms, which search through a space of possible combinatorial solutions through selection, crossover, and mutation. This study sought to examine the use of "Gamification" as an educational tool to enhance students' learning of "Combinatorial Analysis" at the Eugenio Espejo Pre University Institute. A pre-experimental quantitative design was used, with 18 students as the empirical subjects who participated in the pedagogical intervention using gamified learning activities on permutations, variations, and combinations. Pretests and posttests were used to evaluate academic performance before and after the intervention and to assess students' perceptions of the gamification elements, along with a survey designed to measure students' motivation. The evaluation of the results indicated positive feedback on points, badges, and challenges, as well as instant feedback, and a clear increase in academic achievement. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed a statistically significant difference between the pre- and post-scores (p < .001), with an increase of +3.05 points. The effect size obtained using Rosenthal's r was .91, indicating a large-magnitude impact of the intervention. It concludes that the gamified teaching method, developed based on the course Genially, is a good alternative for reinforcing combinatorial thinking and students' motivation, a competency needed in the downward application of computational courses, which rely on students' imaginative power and systematic and enumerative counting abilities.