  Programming courses in computing science are important because they are often
the first introduction to computer programming for many students. Many
university students are overwhelmed with the information they must learn for an
introductory course. The current teacher-lecturer model of learning commonly
employed in university lecture halls often results in a lack of motivation and
participation in learning. Personalized gamification is a pedagogical approach
that combines gamification and personalized learning to motivate and engage
students while addressing individual differences in learning. This approach
integrates gamification and personalized learning strategies to inspire and
involve students while addressing their unique learning needs and differences.
A comprehensive literature search was conducted by including 81 studies that
were analyzed based on their research design, intervention, outcome measures,
and quality assessment. The findings suggest that personalized gamification can
enhance student cognition in programming courses by improving motivation,
engagement, and learning outcomes. However, the effectiveness of personalized
gamification varies depending on various factors, such as the type of
gamification elements used, the degree of personalization, and the
characteristics of the learners. This paper provides insights into designing
and implementing effective personalized gamification interventions in
programming courses. The findings could inform educational practitioners and
researchers in programming education about the potential benefits of
personalized gamification and its implications for educational practice.
