Enhancing Argumentative Writing Through Digital Gamification: A Study in a Vocational School

This study aims to examine the impact of digital gamification on improving the argumentative writing skills of vocational school students. The study uses a mixedmethod approach, involving 69 Year 11 accounting students from Yayasan Perguruan Sultan Iskandar Muda in Medan, divided into an experimental group (n=35) and a control group (n=34). The experimental group was taught using gamification platforms such as Quizizz, Google docs, and Kahoot!, while the control group used conventional teaching methods. Quantitative data were obtained from pre- and post-tests, while qualitative data were obtained from open-ended questionnaires. Statistical results showed a significant increase in the average score of the experimental group from 65.28 to 84.57, compared to an increase in the control group from 64.91 to 73.12. The t-test results (t = 5.87, p < 0.05) confirm that digital gamification has a significant impact on students' argumentative writing performance. Qualitative results indicate that 88% of students feel more confident in expressing their ideas, and 82% agree that gamification-based learning increases the enjoyment of learning. This study concludes that incorporating digital gamification into writing instruction effectively enhance students’ participation, critical thinking, and writing quality in vocational education.