Data of Gamified Project-Based Learning in History Education: A Strategy to Enhance Students' Digital Literacy in the Digital Era

Background Amid the ongoing development of digital literacy in Indonesia, the 2022 Indonesian Digital Literacy Index released by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology indicates that the national level of digital literacy remains moderate. This condition highlights the need for innovative and pedagogically grounded strategies to enhance students’ digital literacy, particularly in history education, which often relies on conventional instructional approaches. Integrating gamification within project-based learning offers potential to foster active engagement and meaningful digital skill development. Methods This study employed a Research and Development (R&D) design to develop and validate a gamified project-based learning model in history education. Data were collected through questionnaires, classroom observations, focused group discussions (FGD), and expert validation surveys. Qualitative data were analyzed using interactive analysis techniques, including data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing, while quantitative data were analyzed using percentage-based descriptive statistics. The sample consisted of 147 undergraduate students from history education programs at Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia, Yogyakarta State University, and Malang State University during the 2023/2024 academic year. Results The findings demonstrate that integrating game elements into project-based history learning guided by the TPACK (Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge) framework effectively enhances students’ digital literacy. Improvements were observed across four key dimensions: digital skills, digital ethics, digital security, and digital culture. Validation results indicated that the instructional design, project media quality, and student-developed game programs met satisfactory to high standards. Conclusions Gamified project-based learning represents a viable and effective instructional strategy for strengthening digital literacy in history education. The model supports the development of both technical competencies and responsible digital behavior, contributing to more holistic digital citizenship in higher education.