MacroVerse: a centralized gamified learning innovation for enhancing macroeconomics education

Macroeconomics remains seen as difficult and unengaging by undergraduate students, leading to low academic performance and motivation. To address these challenges, MacroVerse was developed as a centralized gamified learning platform tailored for the Macroeconomics course. It integrates various digital tools such as Wordwall, QuizWhizzer, Educandy, Blooket, and more, strategically aligned with the course’s seven chapters. This platform aims to make learning more interactive, enjoyable, and student-centered, in line with Education 5.0 principles. This study investigates students’ perceptions of MacroVerse and its impact on learning outcomes. Data were collected from 156 students at UiTM Perak Branch Tapah Campus using an online questionnaire with ten Likert-scale items. The results showed strong positive responses across all areas. Students rated the platform highly for increasing enjoyment (90.26%), developing soft skills (87.31%), and improving knowledge retention (87.18%). Other benefits included better understanding of concepts, higher motivation, and more engagement during class. Even the lowest-rated item - confidence in assessments - scored a positive 83.08%. Overall, the findings confirm that MacroVerse effectively enhances macroeconomics education through structured and engaging digital game-based learning. It offers a promising solution to improve both academic achievement and student participation in a traditionally challenging subject.