SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Psychol.
Sec. Educational Psychology
AI-Driven Gamification and Metacognitive Strategy Development: A Study of Primary School English Vocabulary Learning from a Self-Regulated Learning Perspective
Provisionally accepted
Hongling Wu1*
Xingting Wang2- 1Hong Kong Metropolitan University, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
- 2The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
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With the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence technology in education, AI-driven gamified learning environments offer innovative pathways for primary English vocabulary instruction. Grounded in self-regulated learning theory, this study systematically examines the mechanisms through which AI-personalised gamified environments influence metacognitive strategy development in primary pupils' English vocabulary acquisition. Through a meta-analysis of 45 empirical studies conducted between 2019 and 2024, the research reveals that AI-driven gamified learning environments demonstrate significant effects in promoting vocabulary acquisition (Cohen's d = 0.72), enhancing metacognitive awareness (Cohen's d = 0.68), and improving learning persistence (Cohen's d = 0.64). Adaptive feedback mechanisms played a crucial mediating role, effectively fostering learners' self-regulation capabilities by dynamically adjusting learning pathways and delivering personalised guidance. The study further revealed the significant moderating effects of cultural context, technology acceptance, and teacher support on AI gamification outcomes. This research provides theoretical foundations and practical guidance for AI applications in language education, holding considerable value for advancing the design of personalised language learning environments.
Keywords: Adaptive feedback, artificial intelligence, Gamified learning, metacognitive strategies, self-regulated learning, Vocabulary acquisition
Received: 26 Aug 2025; Accepted: 10 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Wu and Wang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Hongling Wu
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