  Gamification is a technological, economic, cultural, and societal development
toward promoting a more game-like reality. As this emergent phenomenon has been
gradually consolidated into our daily lives, especially in educational
settings, many scholars and practitioners face a major challenge ahead: how to
understand and mitigate the unethical impacts of gamification when researching
and developing such educational technologies? Thus, this study explores ethical
challenges in gamified educational applications and proposes potential
solutions to address them based on an umbrella review. After analysing
secondary studies, this study details and proposes recommendations on
addressing some ethical challenges in gamified education, such as power
dynamics and paternalism, lack of voluntarity and confidentiality, cognitive
manipulation, and social comparison. Research and development decision-making
processes affected by such challenges are also elaborated, and potential
actions to mitigate their effects in gamification planning, conducting and
communication are further introduced. Thus, this chapter provides an
understanding of ethical challenges posed by the literature in gamified
education and a set of guidelines for future research and development.
