This study presents a log-based learning analytics pipeline for quantifying user engagement in Moodle, demonstrating how event log data can be transformed into analyzable interaction patterns through extraction, anonymization, categorization, and statistical modeling. The approach applies distributional testing using chi-square statistics and Cramér’s V to identify structural differences in user activity. As a case study, the method was implemented in an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course, comparing a control group following a traditional LMS configuration (N = 40) and an experimental group using a gamified Moodle environment (N = 40). Results indicated that the gamified configuration generated significantly higher frequencies of system-level and assessment-related interactions, as well as more sustained activity across the instructional period, while the control group relied primarily on static content access and exhibited declining participation over time. Engagement was operationalized through event frequencies, capturing observable behavioral differences rather than cognitive or learning outcomes. Beyond the educational setting, the study illustrates how reproducible event-log analytics can be used to detect behavioral shifts in technology-supported environments, offering a methodological template that is potentially transferable to similar contexts in applied computer science.

Gamification is widely used to enhance student engagement in higher education, yet its effects in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) contexts, particularly from a Self-Determination Theory perspective, remain underexplored. This study examines whether gamification in a Moodle-based ESP course is associated with differences in students’ course satisfaction. A total of 94 undergraduate students participated in a quasi-experimental study, enrolling in either a gamified or non-gamified course format. Gamification was implemented using the Level Up plugin and H5P interactive activities. Students’ perceptions were measured using selected items from the Course Satisfaction Questionnaire. Non-parametric analyses (Mann–Whitney U tests with Holm–Bonferroni correction) were applied. Results show statistically significant differences favoring the gamified format in engagement and enjoyment, motivation to participate, and willingness to recommend the course. Differences in perceived competence and support for individual learning were positive but not statistically significant. These findings suggest that gamification in ESP is associated with more favorable motivational and affective dimensions of course satisfaction, while effects on broader learning-related perceptions remain less conclusive. This study contributes by providing evidence from a controlled LMS-based implementation and highlights the importance of theoretically grounded gamification design.