International Journal of Game-Based Learning

Numerous video games marketed entirely for entertainment purposes, also known as commercial, off-the-shelf (COTS) titles, can serve as an effective tool for teaching students complicated skills such as executive functioning, hypothesis testing, and critical analysis. In this phenomenological case study, I outline a pedagogical approach that harnesses the trinity of content knowledge, discursive prowess, and video game aptitude by capitalizing on pupils’ preference for digital integration. Video game titles were selected according to their scores on Rice’s (2007) “Video Game Higher-Order Thinking Evaluation Rubric” and “Video Game Cognitive Viability Scale,” with lessons tied to Florida’s Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for social studies. The implication of this study is that COTS titles offer an alternative curricular entry point, which can elicit higher-order discussions when paired with pointed, teacher-led inquiry. This methodology, if properly harnessed, could transmit subject manner more effectively and create critically reflective, game-based learning cohorts.

Mathematical learning has an important role and is often prioritized in education. In K-16 education, algebra is one of the most vital mathematical content domains: it represents one of the top barriers for students pursuing a postsecondary education. Game-based learning has been effective in fostering classroom math learning environments that are collaborative and focused on conceptual understanding. Sandbox games provide open-ended learning environments where players can set their own goals and level of effort. As part of the project “Math Snacks,” the team designed Agrinautica, a sandbox game to enable constructivist-informed early algebra learning. This article identifies design recommendations for creating meaningful sandbox games for learning, considering students' and teachers' needs. Researchers discuss the decisions to create a sandbox game and describe challenges inherent in math learning through sandbox-type gameplay. This study provides impact results from a large-scale study of users of the game, and shares recommendations for developing future sandbox learning games.

The study presents the authors’ research for the purpose of designing ImGame, a virtual environment inviting users to playfully learn about the concept of immersion and its historical antecedents. The authors describe ImGame’s current pre-production stage and examine the basic characteristics of the feeling of immersion. They intend to deepen the current understanding of the immersive experience in art, taking into account its broad cultural connotations. The article suggests that the aesthetics of immersion can be classified into two psychological modes that have not been explicitly defined in the discourse of immersivity: a calm reflection and one of awe. From the technical standpoint, the project offers a simple handling of triggering animations and events of the game as well as storing of their state in order to create gamification elements, interactions for quizzes and other activities for ImGame or any other game using the a-frame framework to create WebXR experiences.

Educational escape rooms aims to motivate students, to strengthen knowledge and evaluate learning. Pre-service teachers enrolled in “Computer Science and Digital Competency” course shows lack of motivation and difficulties to realise its usefulness in everyday practice, becoming an ideal context to apply this strategy. 157 students belonging to a European university participated in the experience as case study. The educational escape room was conducted following a hybrid model, mixing a physical organization of props with a virtual organization of the narrative, tests and achievements. The experiment was designed to answer two hypotheses, first if applying escape room as an educational strategy fosters pre-primary and primary students’ motivation, since this method address complex concepts in a practical way, and second, if the application of this strategy as teaching strategy makes students perceive the learning process as a game.

This research delves into the comparative analysis of brain activity using gamification in the classroom versus traditional teaching. This study aims to employ neurotechnology to record and analyse the impact of active gamification methodology on relevant variables in the learning process within a traditional university education setting, presenting an innovative contribution to the existing literature. Neuroscience technology has been utilized to gauge cognitive processing of stimuli tailored for an academic experience in a university master's class. By scrutinizing brain recordings related to attention, interest, long term excitement, stress, relaxation, and engagement, the findings provide a quantitative assessment of key learning variables through brain signals. Gamification is the active methodology employed, and the application of neuroscience technologies facilitates an understanding of the variations in levels of brain activation among students, shedding light on the contributions of this active teaching methodology to the learning process.

The objective of this study is to examine and compare the impact of serious games and gamification on learning achievement and motivation. The results of the meta-analysis indicate that gamification has a more positive influence on learning achievement and motivation compared to serious games. The analysis reveals that gamification demonstrates a stronger impact on extrinsic motivation than on intrinsic motivation. Serious games have a more positive effect on intrinsic motivation in comparison to extrinsic motivation. The overall outcome suggests that gamification has relatively stronger effects than serious games. While the impact on extrinsic motivation is more significant with both approaches, serious games excel in fostering intrinsic motivation. However, further research is recommended to investigate the specific mechanisms that drive these effects and to identify optimal strategies for implementing serious games and gamification in diverse educational settings.

Early adolescence is a major time for friendship development, and interpersonal emotion regulation (iER) is a vital skill for social interactions. Serious games are an exciting way to engage young people with psychoeducational content. The authors developed a serious game teaching iER strategies to early adolescents in an interdisciplinary and participatory approach by working with industry professionals and including the target group throughout the development process. In a pilot feasibility study, player experience and the intended learning outcomes of emotion regulation were tested with 166 early adolescents. Results show positive player experience, with highest ratings in Usability, Personal Gratification and Enjoyment. Results about effects on emotion regulation (ER) are mixed, with personal ER increasing and iER decreasing. This shows the potential to include an engaging serious game in socio-emotional learning in schools, but also reveals several areas for improvement and the need for more rigorous testing in the future.

The present study analyzes the impact of video games on productivity at a workplace. A lot of organizations have introduced games during break times of employees. Indoor video game parlors have been created at company sites. Games are said to relieve stress and enthuse fun at the workplace resulting in a happy environment. The authors were interested in understanding employees' feelings after playing these games and their views about these games. They have targeted employees of multinational IT companies asking them in detail about these gaming sessions and their opinions about them. Findings from the data indicate that employees feel more competent and enthusiastic towards their work after playing these online games. These results will definitely help the organizations in developing a strategy for incorporating these games during break-time of employees and leveraging the benefits of games to enhance employee performance and engagement at work.

Choosing a career is an important biographical event for adolescents. Toward the end of compulsory education, they must decide which career path they want to pursue. The serious game like2be was developed to support adolescents in this individual career choice process. In a quasi-experimental intervention study with 809 adolescents, like2be was evaluated for its effectiveness in career choice classes at the lower secondary level. In addition, a teaching concept for the application of the serious game which included additional teaching materials was analyzed. The data show that like2be is an effective medium for broadening personal career choice horizons, especially when it is pedagogically well-founded and integrated into career choice classes. Although the effectiveness of like2be in stimulating intensive reflection on one's own vocational aptitude or a gender-sensitive attitude towards occupations is limited, the present study shows that like2be has major potential for supporting the process of career choice among adolescents.

The game-mediated second and foreign language (GML2) field investigates how games can be used in facilitating L2 teaching and learning. This review explores how researchers define and differentiate among GML2 practices. A total of 51 publications from 2010 to 2021 were analyzed, revealing that only 40% of the publications defined GML2 practices, with the majority focused on the use of educational games. A key recommendation is that scholars clearly define specific types of GML2 practices in their empirical and conceptual work to build a more coherent body of scholarship.

The use of gamification might offer a partial solution to the decline in students' motivation and engagement the school system is currently facing. Specifically, this study aimed to examine whether gamification elements (perceived collaboration, perceived competition, favorable feedback, unfavorable feedback, self-expression, sense of control) contribute to intrinsic learning motivation. A survey method was used to gather the information from students, and regression analysis was used to examine these results. The results indicated that perceived collaboration, perceived competition, favorable feedback, self-expression, and sense of control are key aspects that impact students' intrinsic motivation. Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of learning motivation for research theories and offer concrete suggestions for using gamification to improve teaching.

The impact of digital games on chemistry education has received less attention compared to other scientific fields. This research gap resulted in a limited understanding of how to effectively design mobile chemistry games (MCG) distinct from non-science mobile learning games (MLG). This study aims to explore students' attitudes toward MCG and gather their opinions on the game components using a mixed-methods research design. A total of 698 students from urban universities, categorized into technology, chemistry, and education cohorts based on their academic majors, participated to provide diverse perspectives. The results revealed significant disparities in gameplay experience, particularly in competence and relatedness, between MLG and MCG. Students' educational background significantly influenced their confidence and leisure levels. Concerningly, students exhibited a negative attitude towards MCG. The study provides game developers with a guideline for developing MCG and offers chemistry teachers a framework for selecting appropriate MLG in the context of chemistry education.

The literature reports that while digital educational games are used in the elementary classroom, they are rarely, if ever, used in the upper secondary mathematics classroom. In order to investigate this situation, a survey was conducted to determine what upper secondary school mathematics teachers think about digital games and what obstacles and limitations they perceive in using DGBL as a teaching approach. The results indicate that mathematics teachers view digital games as a useful teaching tool; however, the lack of knowledge about teaching with digital games and shortage of appropriate games for teaching upper secondary mathematics seems to discourage them from using them as a main teaching tool. These findings imply that professional development should be designed with a focus on teacher training. Furthermore, the development of constructionist-based games should be considered, where games are based on meaning-making rather than practicing mathematical content, as has previously been the case.

Senior executive strategic decision making is a prized skill. The analysis of available literature yields three key conclusions: i) strategic decision-making skills, especially in high complexity and ambiguity leverage ‘adaptive expertise' which is very different from the dominant discourse on narrow domain ‘expert performance;' ii) unlike focused skills which can be developed by concentrated, high repetition practice, adaptive expertise requires higher order meta-cognitive skills in addition to wide domain knowledge and managerial skills. Third, emerging literature suggests serious games can help to improve capabilities in decision making and cognitive skill, but there is a limited range of games or research explicitly focused on strategic decisions, while there is extensive body of knowledge on such simulations and measures for in-the-moment type decisions. The authors propose several frameworks and design requirements incorporating three levels of skills including higher cognition.

This paper conducts descriptive quantitative research of the player profile of a set of 808 university professors, and the player profiles that participants consider most suitable for learning when educational gamification is employed in higher education. It also studied the existence of influential variables in the chosen player profiles, including sociological (gender and age) and academic variables (area of knowledge). The results reveal that most professors are mostly explorers, followed by the socializers, and consider these player profiles as the most efficient for achieving learning objectives. There are no gaps based on sociological aspects or knowledge about gamification, but there are gaps based on area of knowledge. It is proposed that universities design training sessions for professors on educational gamification and further research on factors that influence the configuration of their player profile.

This research aims to provide further insight on how to design effective educational games by exploring whether the integration of educational content through game mechanics, text, or a combination of both text and game mechanics is more effective in teaching the learning outcomes in games. The results of the study show that all three methods led to information assimilation. The study showed that the participants did not necessarily learn better through a combination of text and game mechanics as compared with those who were exposed to learning objectives integrated into the game only through text or game mechanics. Some learning objectives were better learned when they were integrated through text while others through game mechanics.

Designing an intervention that can effectively develop critical thinking skills is challenging because of the problems of transfer and domain specificity. The authors describe the design and development of a text-based game that could teach players important critical thinking skills in the domain of history. This was achieved by combining Schon's reflective practitioner model with game-based learning principles. The work contributes to the existing literature because the combination of the models employed allowed the game design to address the problem of transfer, as well as developing critical thinking skills. The instrument used to evaluate the effectiveness of the game was a questionnaire based on the reflective practitioner model. The gathered qualitative data were analysed through affinity diagramming. The results show that the game that was developed has the potential to encourage advanced levels of historical thought, as well as critical thinking skills.

The process of massive multiplayer online gamers and their social environment is analyzed in this context. Video games offer a platform for players to develop essential social and emotional skills with online gamers, such as predicting behaviors, providing support, and building relationships. Gaming serves as a communication channel, and games played in groups promote increased socialization instead of isolating individuals. Supporting each other during gameplay strengthens friendships, and MMOs ensure that ties with old friends are not broken. Multiplayer games can help players form lasting social connections and memories by fostering a positive and enjoyable gaming experience. Through shared experiences, players can form close bonds and support each other in difficult situations. Online gaming enables individuals who have never met face-to-face to establish strong and meaningful friendships. Players may be meticulous when recruiting people to their group to ensure that they are skilled, friendly, trustworthy, and will enhance their gaming experience.

Game-based learning has proven to be an effective teaching method in a variety of fields, including supply chain management (SCM). This paper discusses the use of simulation-based business games for training and education in SCM by evaluating the complexity of SCM games. The main contributions of this study are twofold. (1) Creation of a database of available games used for training and education in SCM. For the first time, 40 games were selected, and a comprehensive review of the complexity elements included in these games is presented. (2) Development of a game complexity index to classify, evaluate and order the selected games according to their complexity. The findings of this study will be useful to academics and practitioners interested in logistics and SCM professional training and education. It helps educational institutions how to choose the best game for specific SCM topics.

Although game-based learning has gained significant attention in higher education globally, it is difficult to harness its engagement and interactions to improve student success. This paper argues that the use of digital games has the potential to interrupt social practices and increase engagement and interaction, thereby fostering meaningful learning. Using a mixed-method design, a digital game was used in a sport studies programme, involving 106 participants, over a two-year period. Data were collected through surveys, focus group discussions, and reflective blog posts. Structuration theory is considered as the theoretical lens, as it purports that recursive social activities of humans are continually recreated by human agents. The paper concludes that when participants engaged in a cross-cultural game-based learning environment, the social practices acquired through their academic career were interrupted, reshaped, and reproduced into new practices. A social constructivist game-based learning model to foster interaction within multi-cultural higher education classrooms is offered.

Domestic violence against women has been a serious social and public health problem faced by contemporary society. This type of violence has grown in recent years, placing the woman not only as a victim of the aggressor but also of a sexist culture established over time. One of the ways to combat this problem is through prevention based on learning and awareness of its causes and damages. The use of 360-degree videos and immersive virtual reality (IVR) combined with serious games (SG) is a promising field of research in the educational field. They have the potential to provide more realistic and engaging environments, enhancing the engagement of their users, thus favoring more learning opportunities. This study presents The Mystery of Pandora, a SG that uses IVR and 360-degree videos to promote knowledge about domestic violence against women (DVAW). The game assessment results suggest a pedagogical potential for promoting knowledge DVAW. In addition, this work brings discussions about the benefits and techniques for the use of IVR and 360-degree videos in serious games.

This study aimed to develop and evaluate a digital instructional game application for learning the basic concepts of the accounting principles in an introductory accounting course. The game was designed using the Unity engine and Griss instructional design model. Based on the model, game characteristics were embedded in educational content. The game was uploaded to a local Android platform. The study was carried out in the 2019 summer semester. A quasi-experimental design with a control group and an experimental group was employed as a research design. The findings showed that the developed game has a positive impact on students' academic performance and motivation. The results were also consistent with the notion that active learning methods yield more positive outcomes compared to traditional teacher-oriented methods.

Five types of affective supports were designed to induce an appropriate emotional regulation strategy in players of an educational video game. These supports were based on the emotional regulation strategies of situation selection, situation modification, attentional deployment, cognitive change, and response modulation. A series of qualitative studies was designed to answer usability and efficacy questions on the incorporation of these affective supports into the game Physics Playground. Ultimately two of the five support types were removed and the implementation of two others were changed to between game levels rather than in the middle of gameplay. The results also offered insight into the relationship between player ability and when support was preferred.

The study has chosen perhaps the most well-known serious game in the field of supply chain management: The Beer Game and using the means-end chains theory in an attempt to explore the innovative attributes that learners may wish to experience while playing. The study will also construct the psychological hierarchical structure of “innovative attribute – anticipated learning consequences – terminal value” so as to boost the assistive benefits of the Beer Game as an educational tool. Findings of the study revealed that the learners were expecting to attain the major paths including “Include 3D dynamic images - Increase fun of playing - Fun and enjoyment of life”, “Configure limited time rounds - Improve time management - Excitement”, “Include dialogue box - Facilitate effective decision-making - Sense of accomplishment”, “Include key events and Include teaching feedback - Train independent thinking - Sense of accomplishment” from the Beer Game.

Studies have shown Tabletop Role Playing Games (TRPGs) to be effective motivational learning tools that can be utilized in various subject matters. However, limited research has analyzed the elements within TRPGs that enable them to provide motivation to the users. As such, this study conducted an in-depth examination of the elements of TRPGs through the perception of players. Self-determination theory helped frame the study, while the Generic Qualitative Inquiry approach was used for the methodology. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six participants. Data revealed several themes that aligned with the motivational frame related to competency, relatedness, and autonomy. The findings indicate the importance of the roleplaying element and the connection between the player and their in-game character, as well as the effect choices within the game have on the players and other elements of TRPGs. Implications regarding design of TRPGs as learning tools are discussed.