DEVELOPING LEARNING MOTIVATION IN PROSPECTIVE PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS THROUGH DIGITAL INTERACTIVE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES AND GAMIFICATION

Abstract

This study examines how digital interactive educational technologies and gamification can be designed and integrated to strengthen learning motivation among prospective primary school teachers in pedagogical university programs. In teacher education, motivation is not only a personal attribute but also a professional resource that shapes persistence, self-regulation, reflective practice, and readiness to adopt learner-centered methods in future classrooms. The research conceptualizes motivational growth through the lens of self-determination theory and expectancy-value perspectives, emphasizing the role of autonomy-supportive learning environments, competence-building feedback, and socially meaningful participation. Digital interactive tools, including learning management systems, microlearning applications, interactive simulations, and multimedia authoring platforms, are treated as pedagogical systems rather than isolated instruments. Gamification is framed as a structured motivational design approach that uses clear goals, progress visibility, formative feedback loops, meaningful challenges, collaboration, and narrative elements to sustain engagement without reducing learning to reward-chasing. Empirically, the study proposes and tests an instructional model that combines interactive tasks, adaptive feedback, and gamified learning scenarios aligned with primary-education pedagogy courses. The model prioritizes authentic professional tasks such as lesson design, classroom management decision-making, and assessment literacy, delivered through digital modules that support iterative improvement and peer interaction. The expected contribution is a context-sensitive framework for pedagogical universities that links motivational indicators with measurable learning outcomes, offering evidence-based guidance on how to implement digital interactivity and gamification ethically, inclusively, and sustainably in teacher preparation.