Recursos digitales y gamificación en la enseñanza de ELE. Un análisis de las experiencias docentes para fomentar la motivación en el contexto sueco

Sammanfattning

Motivation in SFL (Spanish as a Foreign Language) teaching in Sweden has remained quite low compared to other subjects for a long time. As digitalization advances in society, teaching methods also evolve.Gamification has gained importance in pedagogy in recent years, while debates continue about its relationship with motivation. This study aims to examine and analyze SFL teachers’ experiences with digital resources, student motivation and gamification in their classrooms. Previous studies addressing digital resources, motivation and gamification indicate that digital resources offer several advantages in SFL teaching, particularly increased student motivation and engagement. They also suggest that gamification can enhance motivation, creativity and reduce anxiety in language learning. At the same time, previous research shows that teachers feel underqualified and in need of training regarding digital resources and their pedagogical use. This study’s findings show that SFL teachers in Sweden use a wide range of digital resources for both teaching and administrative purposes. Teachers highlight advantages such as increased student motivation, support for differentiated learning, greater inclusion and reduced administrative workload. However, they also identify challenges including distraction, superficial learning, dependence on automatic tools and issues related to competitive dynamics. The results indicate a connection between digital resources, gamification and student motivation. However, teachers emphasize that motivation depends not only on digital tools, but also on methodological variation, combining digital and analogue activities, and creating supportive classroom environments based on participation, positive relationships and reduced fear of making mistakes.