Gamification Applied to Programming Learning with Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: Comparative Analysis

The advancement of information and communication technologies (ICT) has generated significant changes in how learning is approached in various are-as, particularly in education. Currently, the teaching of programming has gained increasing relevance due to the growing demand for professionals trained in this field. Various tools and methodologies have been developed to enhance teaching methods and achieve greater effectiveness in program-ming education. In this regard, gamification and virtual learning environ-ments have greatly improved teaching. Specifically, gamification applied to programming has emerged as a valuable tool for enhancing understanding of concepts and achieving better academic performance among students. To ac-complish this goal, including virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) has become an attractive alternative. However, to effectively utilize these tools, it is essential to understand their characteristics and limitations to select the most suitable option for the teaching environment. This article presents a comparative synthesis between gamification with VR and AR in programming education, aiming to assess their effectiveness at different ed-ucational levels. It also aims to demonstrate the feasibility of their utiliza-tion and the benefits they can offer in this domain to promote the adoption of improved methods and alternatives in using tools for programming edu-cation.