Gamification, the integration of game design elements into non-game contexts, has gained prominence in the software engineering education and training realm. By incorporating elements such as points, badges, quests, and challenges, gamification aims to motivate and engage learners, potentially transforming traditional educational methods. This paper addresses the gap in systematic evaluations of gamification’s effectiveness in software engineering education and training by conducting a comprehensive literature review of 68 primary studies. This review explores the advantages of gamification, including active learning, individualized pacing, and enhanced collaboration, as well as the psychological drawbacks such as increased stress and responsibility for students. Despite the promising results, this study highlights that gamification should be considered a supplementary tool rather than a replacement for traditional teaching methods. Our findings reveal significant interest in integrating gamification in educational settings, driven by the growing need for digital content to improve learning.

Effective software engineering education today requires tools that adapt to individual learner proficiency and progress, while ensuring positive student engagement. Gamified platforms represent an effective approach to learning and maintaining motivation, but their efficacy depends on a robust underlying architecture. This systematic literature review analyzes state-of-the-art artificial intelligence (AI)-based adaptive architectures designed to support gamified learning tools, highlighting their architectural models (such as intelligent tutoring systems, multi-agent systems, and immersive virtual reality/augmented reality environments), adaptation mechanisms (including Generative AI and chatbots), and personalization strategies. A significant focus is placed on Process Mining and Learning Analytics as methodological approaches to organize learning paths and guide dynamic adaptation based on student behavior. The results of the selected studies demonstrate advantages such as increased engagement, longer-term participation, and personalized learning pace. However, challenges remain, such as common assessment criteria, integrating different technologies, and system scalability. The findings offer concrete insights for designing the next generation of effective gamified learning tools, based on data and software engineering processes.