Gamified Learning Pathways for Prison Education: Rehabilitation Outcomes among Young Prisoners.
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Abstract
Youth in correctional facilities today constitute one of the most under-resourced demographics in educational settings, as conventional pedagogies persistently fail to address the intersecting challenges of trauma exposure, motivational disengagement, and digital disaffiliation, which continue to remain widely prevalent in carceral learning environments. This study seeks to examine the potential of gamified learning pathways in carceral education, using Self-Determination Theory (SDT), Good Lives Model (GLM), and Critical Theory Approach (CTA) to study the influence of these interventions on the post-release rehabilitation outcomes of young inmates. Three hypotheses are tested: SDT-aligned gamification mechanics can positively impact motivational engagement and socio-emotional well-being (H1); ICT-enabled gamified learning interventions can positively affect digital literacy acquisition (H2); and structured gamified pathways can positively affect post-release social reintegration and employment outcomes (H3). A sequential mixed-methods design was adopted, involving a systematic literature review (SLR) using the PRISMA guidelines in Scopus and Web of Science for RQ1 and a constructivist qualitative multiple case study approach for RQ2 and RQ3, which integrates findings from six correctional contexts including Ecuador, Greece, United Kingdom, Catalonia, South Africa, and the United States. Results validate the findings suggesting that the dimensions of competence, autonomy, relatedness collectively result in improved learner engagement and well-being. Cross-case synthesis further confirms that gamified learning mechanisms facilitate identity reconstruction, extend vocational delivery, and catalyze long-term reintegration. All three hypotheses are supported empirically, making gamification a policy-ready rehabilitative tool in correctional education
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