Transmedia Content and Gamification in Educational Programmes for University Students with Disabilities: Digital Competences for Labour Market Integration as a Driver of Sustainable Development

Abstract

Soft skills play a fundamental role in transversal competences in the field of training and employment, especially in university collectives with disabilities. Traditional methodologies are giving way to gamified and transmedia environments, which are more efficient in the educational process and more sustainable for institutions. This study compares two educational programmes, one based on MOOCs and the other in a gamified environment (Transwork), with the participation of 181 university graduates with some degree of disability and unemployed for more than five years. The gamified educational programme shows a significantly lower dropout rate and a higher employability rate (χ², p < 0.001), as well as an improvement in interpersonal skills such as teamwork and conflict management. This demonstrates that methodologies in gamified and transmedia environments promote social sustainability by enhancing autonomy and inclusion in vulnerable groups, as well as contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, especially those related to quality education, reducing inequality, and decent work. This improvement in the labour market integration of people with disabilities represents not only an advance in equity, but also a long-term saving in care costs, by promoting their autonomy and active participation in the labour market. Thus, the sustainability of the social system is reinforced through inclusive educational policies based on gamified environments.

1. Introduction

Learning tools and systems are constantly evolving. Thus, in recent years, we have witnessed the inexorable rise of e-learning or online learning as an educational resource, also in job training environments. Within this growth, one of the most exploited models are MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), free courses aimed at a virtual and massive audience. In accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper focuses directly on three particularly relevant goals: SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 8 (Economic Growth and Decent Work), and SDG 10 (Reducing Inequalities). This project will analyse the effectiveness of MOOCs in their performance.

Based on this, we propose gamification as an educational resource, its identification and conceptualisation as a tool in educational environments. Specifically, as a model for the development of soft skills, which are becoming increasingly important in a constantly changing labour scenario that not only values technical knowledge and physical faculties, but also another series of skills especially focused on teamwork, such as interpersonal, communication, time management, motivation or an appropriate attitude in the work and/or social environment [1]. The importance of soft skills in employability has been reported in numerous studies. The World Economic Forum’s report on the future of employment 2023 lists analytical thinking, innovation, cognitive flexibility, complex problem solving, creativity, originality, initiative, critical thinking, adaptability, problem solving, active learning, and time management among the essential skills for work in the coming years. Its study even indicates that by 2027 a higher percentage of companies will prioritise analytical thinking—48%—and creative thinking—43%—ahead of training for the use of artificial intelligence and big data, established at 42%.

Along the same lines, Harvard University attributes 85% of professional success to the early acquisition and development of soft skills, compared to only 15% for hard skills [2].

Our proposal lies in the application of a gamified project, Labotrans, which will be oriented towards people with disabilities. More specifically, university graduates who have not had access to the labour market for at least five years after completing their studies. The aim is to evaluate the pedagogical and educational potential of these resources, as an innovative instrument that stimulates students’ autonomous learning and the development of soft skills.

All this, through a gamified web tool, Transwork, whose results will be contrasted with those recorded by a MOOC platform based on a system and common elements of traditional e-learning.

The proposal will be developed from January 2021, counting among its participants members of the University of Thessaly (Greece), Universitatea Vasile Alecsandri din Bacau (Romania), Organización Nacional de Ciegos de España (ONCE) (Spain) Foundation and Fundación Empresa Universidad de Alicante (FUNDEUN), part of the European project LABOTRANS (Erasmus+), aimed at people with disabilities who have a university education but have not had the opportunity to access the labour market for at least five years since the completion of their studies. The project is funded with EUR 190,000 by the European Union and will run for two years in different countries simultaneously.

1.1. E-Learning in Education

Learning, its tools and systems, are in continuous evolution. One of the most outstanding advances in recent years has been the adoption of e-learning or online learning, understood as “training that uses the network as a technology for distributing information, whether this network is open (Internet) or closed (intranet)” [3].

Originating in the 1990s, it was proposed as a way of developing distance education, mainly at higher education and job training levels, but with important differentiating features with respect to the model assumed at that time for this educational modality [4].

The main novelty would have the network as its central axis, as the tool on which the whole process is developed. Thus, in the face of distance education where the fundamental premise was that the student could advance in their training autonomously—without the express need to use technological means to do so—e-learning proposes as a requirement the use of technology to back up the student’s training [5].

E-learning is part of a reality whose pace of evolution resembles that of technological advances, with particular emphasis in recent years, thanks to the possibility of accessing the network and its resources through a wide range of channels, which in turn have seen the creation of tools designed expressly to enhance these facilities multiply. In this way, virtual learning spaces are another part of education today, making training possible beyond the constraints of time and/or space, and counting on mobile devices as an indispensable ally [6].

However, we find different levels of use of these resources, already in primary and secondary education and especially in universities, where ‘online’ degrees are offered, but also in blended or face-to-face format, although also contemplating tools such as the virtual classroom, where content is provided, enabling communication between peers and with the teacher [7].

In this sense, we are witnessing models such as hybrid learning (blended learning), which is nourished by face-to-face education combined with virtual dynamics, and the contents of both models must be correctly interrelated. Beyond the weight exerted to a greater or lesser extent by the virtual component, the success of online training has been shown to depend on factors such as the correct interaction and proposal of content, adequate and properly guided cooperation between peers, continuous attention from the teacher and a time schedule in line with the demands of the training [8].

Mayes and de Freitas point to different approaches to e-learning according to different pedagogical perspectives: instructional systems design, constructivism, and communities of practice. In this sense, they point to four general questions that would help to identify which of them has more weight in a given pedagogical perspective [9].

Boneu establishes three types of e-learning: Computer-Based Training or Computer-Assisted Instruction, when learning is developed with a computer as a tool, Internet-Based Training, similar to the previous one but adding an Internet connection as the way to get the content to users, and Web-Based Training, extending the use of the Internet and also using learning management systems [10].

More recently, there are trends such as mobile learning or m-learning, using smartphones or tablets as tools, making use of, among other factors, their high social penetration and the mobility that their wireless nature allows [11,12,13,14,15].

1.2. Use of E-Learning in Work-Based Training Environments

E-learning is currently one of the most important tools for job training, and is seen in the business world as a means for productive growth, regardless of the specific activity, which allows workers to be trained at a minimum cost and adapts to their time and space constraints [16,17].

It is a basic component for the differentiation of the company with respect to its competitors, based on the continuous training and updating of employees. Their cognitive capacity is increasingly valued, with the company itself allocating huge resources for their development, through training programmes that enable it to meet demanding requirements [18,19].

In this way, we have to consider that the conception of a training stage and a subsequent work stage in the person culminates, as the person must be continuously trained. The working environment is constantly evolving, new types of work arise and all of them change, also requiring constant learning. These are undoubtedly defining features of the knowledge society and the role of human capital in it [20,21].

This is the purpose of training programmes, which initially have to assess job performance and, from there, establish the skills required for the job. With the information extracted, training schedules are drawn up, which allow the company to ensure the correct access to the necessary knowledge on the part of the worker [22,23].

Having already mentioned the notable advantages of a virtual modality that favours the compatibility between work and training schedules, as well as with family life, the independence of the student, which promotes the autonomous nature of their training without forgetting the need for interaction with colleagues and teachers, or the possibilities offered by the use of technological resources to nurture such learning, the number of companies that entrust their training to e-learning is growing year by year [24].

However, the use of e-learning has undergone a significant evolution since its origin, considering the existence of different generations around it [25,26]. According to the chronology indicated by Gros, initially we are talking about a model whose fundamental interest lay in the use of the computer, either to present the materials or to complete the different activities proposed [5,27].

The next generation comes with the birth of the Internet, which brings with it communicative innovations such as email. Subsequently, the focus is placed on the development of online games for educational purposes, a prelude to one of the most important steps in this process, which was the appearance of learning managers, which make it possible to upload all the contents to virtual platforms [6,28,29].

The subsequent step is favoured by Web 2.0 and the birth of social platforms, which enhance interaction between students and teachers, also facilitated by the evolution of mobile devices [30,31,32]. The penultimate evolutionary stage relates to cloud computing services and open content, with the emergence of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) closing this evolution so far [33,34,35].

1.3. MOOCs as a Soft Skills Development Pathway

The aforementioned life skills are categorised in three sections, one of them being interpersonal skills, such as negotiation, trust, the ability to cooperate or empathy. On the other hand, there are cognitive skills, such as those necessary for problem solving, understanding, critical thinking, personal evaluation or decision-making, while a third category would be made up of skills of an emotional nature, with the ability to manage moments of stress or feelings such as sadness, anger or disappointment [36,37].

It is important to note that the skills immersed in these categories can complement each other, so that a given situation may require the display of skills from each of these typologies [38]. More focused on the role of soft skills in job training, it is worth recalling the sample collected by Robles, who, after surveying fifty executives in this regard, obtained nearly 500 soft skills considered key to proper job performance [39].

Once all the contributions had been grouped together and a second filter carried out, a kind of decalogue was established in which skills such as “integrity, communication, courtesy, responsibility, social skills, positive attitude, professionalism, flexibility, teamwork and work ethic” were included [39,40].

The current reality continues to offer us a training approach oriented towards the training of technical competences, the hard skills, directly focused on the performance of a professional task [41]. This fact is also derived from the terms in which these skills are assessed by most higher education institutions, whose instruments include hard skills as a synonym for professional success [42].

However, it has also become clear that, until it is perceived as a duty by universities and/or training centres in general, soft skills will not be promoted to the extent necessary and must be assumed as a key component in the development of the student. In other words, they must show a real interest in the formal development of the student as a person [38].

Certainly, in recent years, there has been an inclination on the part of different universities to highlight the necessary role that the development of soft skills has in the comprehensive training of students, emphasising not only their work-related component, but also an increasingly necessary education in values [43]. This is an education that requires both the assimilation of knowledge required by a profession, as well as deciphering the path towards a greater autonomous capacity to overcome obstacles, act in favour of society or persevere despite difficulties [44].

Although, in this sense, the institutions that have shown concern for this tend to attend to aspects that are not directly related to soft skills [43], recognising that these are competences that, beyond being able to be worked on from an early age, have a particularly marked period for this in the adolescent and even adult stage, considering the proximity or directly the entry into the professional sphere, and the person’s concern to advance in social skills [45,46].

There are different studies that provide guidance on the development of soft skills, but undoubtedly a large part of the foundations in this respect are laid by the Canadian Albert Bandura, one of the most influential psychologists of the last century. This is thanks to his social learning theory, which answers why an active learning pedagogy is successful in soft skills training. It states that people incorporate behavioural patterns through observation of other people and their interactions with the environment. In short, the social component is crucial for the development and assumption of these skills.

He asserts that no one has skills naturally, but that they are acquired through social interaction, and are therefore subject to being developed by observing and assimilating the skills of others. He also refers to emotions, understanding that they are also worked on and basing this on the example of the differences in the reactions manifested by different cultures to the same situation [47].

Also on this path we find the need for active learning. Learning based, fundamentally, on the participation of the student, who is cultivated through action, the confrontation of opinions, analysing situations and possible responses to an identical problem [37,45]. In terms of work training, it would be eminently a matter of putting the student in a situation, bringing them as close as possible to the reality they will face in their work experience.

This raises the question of work placements and whether, today, due consideration is given to the importance they can have in the development of soft skills. In a very similar vein, Lagos [48] states that, in the university environment, a tool for the development of soft skills would be the design of activities based on experience, which involve the need to interact and relate to others [48,49].

There is a clear need to show greater concern for these practices, where the student has to interact and, at the same time, assimilate the existing differences between personal and work dealings, developing a series of different but complementary skills in order to become a competent person in the socio-occupational sphere [50]. These are undoubtedly competences whose importance is multiplied given the current reality. In an environment where opportunities are scarce, this comprehensive training and the evidence of skills such as leadership, initiative, commitment or socialisation [51].

1.4. Gamification in Educational Environments

The methodological vanguards of recent years, in the field of teaching, place gamification as one of the tools that has aroused most expectation, even as the most transcendent in educational performance. Gamification is understood as the use of elements in line with the context of games, in activities that are not typical of it and in different situations, with the main premise being the evolution of the intrinsic motivation of the participants, in this case, the students.

It is an anglicism coming from the English “gamification”, coined by Nick Pelling in 2002 and defined by Deterding, Dixon, Khaled and Nacke in 2011, which does not refer to a game per se, but rather to the aforementioned motivation and loyalty of users, increased with the application of dynamics that encourage interest in the resource in question and make it more fun and attractive [52]. Although it is a concept whose features include examples that are not new, such as the use of badges or medals, used by the army to reward the work of its soldiers [53], attention to this tool in education has been emphasised since 2011, with the greatest increase in work on it in the period between 2017 and 2019 [54]. There are numerous and very different considerations about the favourable results from its use, such as better knowledge retention [55,56], the acquisition of mathematical skills and concepts in different areas [57], and it has even been linked to the possibility of improving eating behaviour in children [58].

On the other hand, it has also been pointed out that the effects of gamification may expire early, and that their capacity may be reduced after continued use. This points to the interest in something new, discussing its validity as a resource for achieving lasting improvement in teaching [59,60]. In any case, the work required for teachers in the use of gamified experiences should not be underestimated, due to the need for prior planning, the relationship with didactic objectives and, not least, the reality of the group of students to whom this approach may be addressed, which undoubtedly conditions its application [54]. However, in response to one of the axes that underpin our work, we must also point out the position of those who find in gamification a way of satisfying intrinsic needs, such as autonomy, competence or the need to relate to others. In other words, soft skills such as those mentioned above could be worked on through this method [61,62,63]. The combination of transmedia resources in gamified environments is important as an essential resource for increasing immersion in the environment and game dynamics. These transmedia elements, such as character creation, storyline, video blogs, social media profiles, personalised communications with the user, etc., are resources that can be easily combined with the game system but which, obviously, need a story, a framework that provides a key thread to the game [61,62,63].

Based on this last aspect, a crucial differentiation should be made between the role that gamification can play in e-learning and that played by MOOCs, essentially with regard to the development of soft skills. However, we must first of all differentiate between concepts linked to gamification itself.

1.4.1. Game-Based Learning

Earlier we noted the idea of gamification as the use of game-like elements in non-game activities. On the other hand, Digital Game-Based Learning, another pedagogical approach that is on the rise and has been shown to be conducive to the development of higher-order skills, such as conflict resolution or critical thinking, is equally assimilated [64,65].

However, we must distinguish between game-based learning methodology and gamification as such. In the first case, we refer to the use, creation or adaptation of a game for its performance in the classroom, while as already indicated, gamification only involves using the mechanics that characterise the game, but the context can be completely abstracted from a playful situation [66,67].

The principles that articulate such learning include intrinsic motivation, learning through intense enjoyment, authenticity, autonomy, and experiential learning, using game-like elements such as the assignment of points, the establishment of levels; badges and medals that recognise particular achievements within the game; leaderboards; the use of prizes and rewards; a progress bar that shows progress in the game; the storyline that underpins the story that gives rise to the game; and feedback as an effective stimulus to the player [67]. All of this leads us to be in a position to situate this dynamic as being susceptible to successfully working on the skills we are concerned with, especially in view of its social germ.

1.4.2. Serious Game in Education

We start from the global concept of gamification as a resource when working on soft skills. However, there are different profiles with different particularities, as is established around game-based learning. Certainly, within the latter approach, we find a methodology that goes one step further than the use of previously elaborated games, in order to try to achieve specific didactic objectives.

We are referring to the serious game, a concept coined more than half a century ago by Clark C. Abt, who analysed the way in which games can be used in numerous educational fields, including the one that concerns us, such as job training and, to be even more precise, in the case of people with disabilities.

However, despite the fact that its conception dates back decades, the serious game possibly shows the most complex and ambitious application features within the dynamics of game-based learning tools. And this is because, in this case, we do not use a game that has already been designed, trying to achieve objectives, to develop learning, understanding that we can use the game in question to do so. We go much further, and we start from the development of this recreational tool from its origin, at the service of objectives and contents that we have already established previously [66].

We understand, therefore, that the process is practically inverted. Consequently, the serious game involves development work that in no case can be equated to the use of games that have already been defined, assimilating them as valid for achieving goals based on their use. In this case, it is necessary to assume an investment of time—from the conception, planning, development, and application of the tool—and of resources, which will most likely make the implementation of the serious game unfeasible, even more so considering the costs derived from the creation of these resources [68].

Within the framework of the complexity that can preside over its design and implementation, the serious game involves the challenge of working on competences in a playful context that has to be adapted precisely to the capabilities of its target user, at the risk of not achieving one of the first premises beyond knowledge and development of skills, the proper capture of their attention. Along the way, there must be challenges, continuous attention, and the invitation to make mistakes and learn from them, always within a progressive complexity, adapted and framed within a perfectly defined horizon of objectives [69].

In line with what happened with gamification, there are also studies on the perception of the serious game as a way to improve learning outcomes [70], including knowledge about the use of certain software, even for the assumption of healthy lifestyle habits [58,71]. All this, with the added advantage of operating in a virtual context, safe from the initial risks of real life.

However, experience with the application of the serious game is still much less than that based on gamified environments [72], but there are already precedents for its analysis and application, also when it comes to addressing specific points such as the development of emotions. Thus, the combination of learning, games, and emotions is proposed, based on the design of patterns that work especially on the affective component, and with it skills such as teamwork, motivation, and respect [73,74]. Moreover, emotions can play a leading role in the feedback between the player and the game as such, conditioning many of the designers of this type of tool, in the search for adaptation to the player’s own characteristics [75]. An analysis of the literature on the subject leads us to ask ourselves some questions that will frame our research: Can the combination of gamification and transmedia in digital simulation environments be effective in addressing cross-cutting content that is difficult to deal with in e-learning, such as soft skills? Would this approach benefit groups with digital accessibility issues, such as people with different types of disabilities? Would it be better suited to Universal Design for Learning parameters? And, on the other hand, can this digital tool outperform the usual MOOCs in the sector in terms of training and job skills results?

The project aims to evaluate the pedagogical and educational potential of gamified, immersive and transmedia resources as a multidisciplinary ICT tool for student-centred educational innovation, stimulating autonomous learning and transversal competences (soft skills) for the labour market insertion of university graduates with disabilities and without access to the labour market for more than five years after graduation.

Hypothesis 1. 

The use of gamified resources and transmedia content in educational environments for the acquisition of transversal and digital competences of university graduates with disabilities without prolonged access to the labour market offers better results than MOOC-based educational environments.

Hypothesis 2. 

The degree of employability of university graduates with disabilities without prolonged access to the labour market is higher when they learn in gamified environments and with transmedia content compared to those who learn in MOOC-based educational environments.

2. Materials and Methods

The study is based on the European project LABOTRANS, which is aimed at people with disabilities who have a university education but have not had the possibility to access the labour market for at least five years after completing their studies. The project is made up of four university institutions, in addition to other managing institutions:

• Fundación Empresa Universidad de Alicante (Coordinador, España);
• Panepistimio Thessalias (Grecia);
• Universitatea Vasile Alecsandri din Bacau (Romania);
• Fundación ONCE para la Cooperación e Inclusión Social de personas con discapacidad (España);
• InGenio Labs Innovación Educativa (España);
• ISOB Institut für sozialwissenschaftliche Beratung GmbH (Alemania).

2.1. Study Population

The study population comprised university graduates with disabilities and without access to the labour market for more than five years after graduation, and who have studied in one of the three academic institutions associated with Labotrans.

2.2. Sample Selection

The offer of inclusion in the study was made to all disabled graduates of the three institutions, and participation in the study was completely voluntary. The students who agreed to participate were randomly assigned to either of the two educational programmes under study: the MOOC-based educational programme (EP1) and the Transwork educational programme (EP2) based on a gamified environment with transmedia content.

In total, 181 students participated in the educational programme and were distributed in the two educational programmes. Thus, n = 90 students participated in EP1 and n = 91 in EP2.

2.3. Design of Educational Programmes

The content of the educational programme is common in terms of competences to be achieved and contents for this. It focuses on soft skills, which are transversal and considered key for entry into the labour market. The contents of both EPs were divided into 5 modules with study subjects oriented, as we have mentioned, to the development of key skills for employability, with special relevance to people with a high degree of disability. The contents of each training module are described below.

2.3.1. Contents of the Training Modules

Module 1. Self-Awareness and Personal Branding

Putting forward five methods or tools for self-knowledge:

• Direct method of knowledge. Personal questionnaire on values, strengths, weaknesses, objectives and external perception.
• Life line. Chronological representation of key events in the past, present and future to understand personal evolution.
• Wheel of life. Graphic evaluation of different areas of life (health, work, relationships, etc.) to detect imbalances.
• Johari window. A tool that analyses what you know and do not know about yourself and how you are perceived by others.
• Personal SWOT analysis. Analysis of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats in the personal and professional environment.

In the area of personal branding, the necessary points are addressed, such as the following:

• Analysis of the current situation, which factors influence and why.
• Diagnosis. Based on the analysis, make clear decisions that bring the objectives closer to the objectives.
• Strategy. With the information obtained, design of a coherent and realistic action plan to move forward.
• Planning. Organise the decisions taken and establish when and how to execute each step.
• Execution. Knowing the mistakes, strengths and own goals, start working.
• Monitoring and control. Evaluate the results obtained to know if you are moving in the right direction and adjust as necessary.

The aim is also to work on the brand and its positioning and branding, and to develop each concept up to the marketing stage.

Module 2. Creativity, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Your Difference

Components linked to the increased professional performance of the creative capacity are raised:

• Understanding the environment (especially VUCA: Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous).
• Interconnect creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial action.
• Use agile methodologies.
• Search for spaces without competition: the so-called blue oceans.

Module 3. Organisation and Effective Time Management

The aim is to identify bad habits in time management and to propose tools for better organisation. The characteristics of time are addressed as such, as something intangible, limited, valuable and irreplaceable, and which only allows us to act in the present, as well as its universal condition—time is the same for everyone.

It also seeks to analyse the use of one’s own time, with questionnaires and exercises that help to assess how time is distributed, classify the types of days (working days, holidays, holidays) and identify positive and negative habits.

Module 4. Teamwork

This section is structured in three blocks:

• Fundamentals of teamwork. Values, attitudes and possible obstacles.
• Techniques and skills. Communication, trust and team bonding.
• Organisation and leadership. Structuring the team efficiently and the role of the leader.

Module 5. Conflict Management and Negotiation

Definition and characteristics of negotiation, establishing two basic types: competitive–confrontational, lack of empathy and collaborative, search for the common good. It also addresses the criteria for establishing the most appropriate type of negotiation according to the situation, as well as the simplicity, complexity or duration that it should entail. Finally, negotiation strategies and tactics are discussed, with the aim of reaching a positive agreement for our interests.

2.3.2. Educational Programme Based on MOOC EP1

The user registers and accesses through a virtual campus and has three sections. Firstly, my courses, where they can access training content and activities; student area, with access to announcements, calendar, results and grades; collaborative area, where the student has forums, wiki, project managers, videoconferences with tutors, chat and repositories; and the student area, where they can access the virtual campus.

The courses are mainly taught in asynchronous e-learning mode, which allows you to organise your own pace of study, choosing your own timetable according to your availability. The course content is structured by learning objectives, each one associated with units, modules or topics, and accompanied by their respective evaluation to check the achievement of these objectives.

The training elements of the MOOC are structured in the usual way: training audiovisual, pdf content and self-administered survey with a minimum score to advance to the next module.

2.3.3. Educational Programme Based on a Gamified and Transmedia Environment Transwork EP2

Transwork integrates a learning environment with a 2D interactive simulation scenario that recreates an office with its different usual areas (shared work environment, human resources office, logic area, etc.) with the possibility of interacting with elements of the scenario such as drawers, cupboards or people. The entire student experience on the platform is gamified, offering benefits and rewards for their progress in the different challenges posed. The simulation environment includes characters that can be interacted with, which enriches the dynamics of the game and especially favours the acquisition of social skills, which are key to the project’s objectives. In this sense, as a novelty in serious game environments among which it is framed and of special relevance as it is focused on soft skills and social interaction skills, it allows the negotiation and exchange of resources among participants, fostering collaboration, teamwork and strategic decision-making.

The student starts with a basic and very simple office, which can be gradually improved as they accumulate rewards within the game, incorporating key elements for their progress, such as a telephone that will enable him to interact with other students.

The Transwork tasks have been designed within the framework of Universal Design for Learning. In this regard, the system had different user profiles (visual, hearing or cognitive impairment) that gave rise, for example, to subtitling (easy-to-read system) of all interactions with characters, a specific design of adaptive difficulty curves (linked to the reward system) and even the approach to content or the difficulty of challenges.

Characters

The platform features ten diverse characters, with notable individual differences in aspects such as race, gender, age, physical appearance, abilities and emotional state (such as fear, envy, shame, personal preferences, friendships, among others). These variations are designed to enrich and hinder the student’s decision-making process, challenging their personal prejudices and perceptions.

Gamified Environment

The game takes place in seven different areas of the Technical Services company, which provides technical maintenance for other companies. At the beginning, only two scenarios are available, and as the player accumulates points, new locations are unlocked. The student must explore each scenario in search of elements that allow him to resolve different tasks or challenges posed by the game. In addition, they can interact with the environment, performing actions such as cleaning a computer screen or putting a diary in a drawer, among others.

As we have mentioned, one of the key elements is the inclusion of the possibility of negotiation between the students in the serious game, having to reach agreements to obtain elements with which to continue advancing in the game.

As for messaging, this is personalised and forms part of the reinforcement system and immersion of the student in the tool. It is a key element for the student’s permanence and progress in the dynamics of the game by incorporating personalised reinforcement messages linked to the student’s activity in the tool, encouraging them when they have not performed or have failed and reinforcing them when they have made significant progress. In general, these messages come from characters in the game, such as the Human Resources manager or the characters in the work team, maximising the levels of immersion of the student in the game.

Cronograma

The programme has an easily configurable event planning system, including the scheduling of student messages and reminders, and especially the staggered unlocking of items, resources, rewards, interactions and communication between students.

Game Dynamics

This is based on two types of scores: work score (tasks directly related to work) and social score (tasks related to the quality of interaction with people and colleagues).

2.4. Timing of Educational Programmes

The educational programmes ran for the academic year 2023–2024, and the enrolled students were able to complete the training freely during this period.

2.5. Measuring Instruments

Three quantitative and qualitative tools were used to obtain the data: firstly, a satisfaction form with questions and answers on a Likert scale with five options, administered at the end of the educational programmes; secondly, data provided by the online monitoring tool Trello and the review of the students’ activity by the coordinators; and thirdly, at the end of the training period, monitoring of the employability of the participants for ten months.

The process of data collection and the custody of the data has the favourable report of the ethics committee of the University of Murcia with the approval ID 4147/2022.

2.6. Variables to Study

From the form administered at the end of the educational programmes, the following study variables related to knowledge (content and usefulness and improvement of competences) were obtained:

• Self-knowledge;
• Creativity;
• Time management;
• Teamwork;
• Conflict management.

Variables related to the degree of satisfaction of the participants were also obtained from the post-test:

• Whether the programme has met your expectations;
• Overall perceived quality;
• Assessment of the design;
• Perceived degree of participation;
• Themes raised;
• Level of depth;
• Previous information;
• Methodology used;
• Material and documentation of the platforms;
• Degree of socialisation with the students.

From the results obtained from the digital platform, the following variables were studied:

• Average time on task;
• Average time in challenges;
• Total time using the tool;
• Professional scores achieved;
• Personal scores achieved;
• Task successes;
• Task errors;
• Challenge successes;
• Interactions with other students;
• Rewards achieved.

Finally, the “employability rate” variable is obtained from the follow-up carried out by the institutions ten months after the end of the participation in the educational programmes.

2.7. Statistical Analysis

A descriptive analysis was performed using all the information collected in the three-measurement instrument. Chi-square tests were also performed to check the dropout rate and employability variables. On the other hand, Student’s t-test for independent samples was performed to compare the competencies with the degree of satisfaction in both educational programmes. In addition, effects sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d to estimate the differences. In all analyses, p < 0.05 was considered significant.

3. Results

Of the 90 students in EP2, 83 completed the training, which represents a 6% drop-out rate compared to a drop-out rate of 47.8% (n = 43) in EP1. In terms of employability, 83% of EP2 trainees got a job (n = 76) compared to 51% (n = 46) in EP1. The average scores indicated include all participants of each platform.

3.1. Knowledge and Satisfaction

With regard to the degree of knowledge acquired expressed by the students at the end of the educational programmes, grouped into content and usefulness and improvement of competences, which can be seen in

Table 1. Comparison of the knowledge acquired by the student (content and quality and improvement of competences) and degree of satisfaction in both educational programmes.

Knowledge of Content and Usefulness (Media (SD)
	EP1 (n = 90)	EP2 (n = 91)
Self-awareness	4.6 (SD)	4.7 (SD)
Creativity	4.2 (SD)	4.3 (SD)
Time management	4.6 (SD)	3.7 (SD)
Teamwork	3.8 (SD)	4.7 (SD)
Conflict management	3.8 (SD)	4.7 (SD)
Improving their skills
Self-awareness	4.6 (SD)	5.0 (SD)
Creativity	4.6 (SD)	4,0 (SD)
Time management	3.8 (SD)	3.7 (SD)
Teamwork	4.2 (SD)	4.3 (SD)
Conflict management	3.8 (SD)	4.7 (SD)
Level of satisfaction
Has the course met your expectations?	4.6 (SD)	4.8 (SD)
Overall perceived quality of the course	4.2 (SD)	4.6 (SD)
Assessment of the overall design of the programme	4.2 (SD)	4.8 (SD)
Degree of participation observed by the user	3.9 (SD)	4.6 (SD)
Level of depth in accordance with expectations	4.4 (SD)	4.9 (SD)
Methodology used	4.2 (SD)	4.7 (SD)
Platform material and documentation	4.4 (SD)	4.8 (SD)
Degree of socialisation with students	3.4 (SD)	4.0 (SD)

Own elaboration.

, we highlight the ease of working in a team and the ability to manage conflicts, where the students of EP1 score 3.8 out of 5, compared to 4.7 out of 5 for the students of EP2, in both aspects. The average scores indicated include all participants of each platform.

With regard to the improvement of competences, the significant difference in conflict management stands out, with students scoring 3.8 out of 5 in EP1, compared to 4.7 out of 5 for EP2 students, as can be seen in Table 1.

With regard to the degree of student satisfaction, it is worth noting the overall perceived quality, where students in EP1 scored 4.2 out of 5, compared to 4.6 out of 5 in EP2. Also noteworthy is the degree of participation observed by the student, where EP1 students score 3.9 out of 5, compared to 4.6 out of 5 for EP2. For the remaining variables, there is a difference of between 4 and 6 points between the opinions of EP2 students and EP1 students, as shown in Table 1.

3.2. Scores Obtained by the Students on the Digital Platform

First of all, we must point out the great difference in terms of the data obtained from the platforms between the two EPs, as shown in

Table 2. Student outcomes in educational programmes.

Block of Contents	Category	EP1	EP2
Block 1	Resolution time	54.2 s. (SD)	36.67 s. (SD)
	Score achieved	7.9 over 10 (SD)	9.2 over 10 (SD)
	Error rate	4 out of 10 (SD)	0 out of 10 (SD)
	Percentage of time consumed	Not measured (no time limit)	17%
Block 2	Resolution time	89.44 s. (SD)	51.12 s. (SD)
	Score achieved	6.7 over 10 (SD)	8.3 over 10 (SD)
	Error rate	5 over 10 (SD)	1 over 10 (SD)
	Percentage of time consumed	Not measured (no time limit)	21%
Block 3	Resolution time	189.81 s. (SD)	103.43 s. (SD)
	Score achieved	6.2 over 10 (SD)	7.5 over 10 (SD)
	Error rate	5 over 10	3 over 10 (SD)
	Percentage of time consumed	Not measured (no time limit)	33%
Block 4	Resolution time	279.34 s. (SD)	159.66 s. (SD)
	Score achieved	5.9 over 10 (SD)	6.9 over 10 (SD)
	Error rate	6 over 10 (SD)	3 over 10 (SD)
	Percentage of time consumed	Not measured (no time limit)	51%
Block 5	Resolution time	292.67 s. (SD)	144.09 s. (SD)
	Score achieved	5.5 over 10 (SD)	6.5 over 20 (SD)
	Error rate	6 over 10 (SD)	2 over 10 (SD)
	Percentage of time consumed	Not measured (no time limit)	58%
	Average time spent on tasks	There are no tasks	243.3 s.
	Average time on challenges	No challenges	118.2 s.
	Total time on the tool	3441.18 s.	2130.27 s.
	Professional score achieved	There are no records	9.54
	Personal score achieved	There are no records	9.41
	Task successes	There are no records	22/25
	Task errors	There are no records	3/25
	Challenge successes	There are no records	17/25

Own elaboration.

, since the gamified educational programme allows for the recording of more data than the MOOC-based programme. With regard to the time spent solving tasks, it should be noted that this increases progressively in both EPs as the training blocks progress, with the time spent by EP1 students tending to be between 40% and 50% longer in all the blocks compared to EP2 students.

Also noteworthy is the significant difference between the results obtained by EP2 students with respect to EP1 students, which, as in the case of task resolution times, decreases proportionally in both programmes as the course progresses, due to the complexity of the content. The same is not true for the error rate, where in EP2 the figures of 3 failures out of 10 are not exceeded, compared to EP1, which does not fall below 4 out of 10 in the five training modules.

3.3. Results of Statistical Analysis

Table 3. Results of Chi-square of independence.

Variable	χ2	gl	p
Dropout rate	35.6	1	<0.001
Employability	19.3	1	<0.001

p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant.

shows how the Chi-square test reveals significant differences in the dropout rate (χ² = 35.6; p < 0.001) and the employability of students in both programmes (χ² = 19.3; p < 0.001).

Table 4. Results of Student’s t-tests and effect sizes (Cohen’s d).

Variable	EP1	EP2	χ2	gl	p	Cohen’s d
Teamwork	3.80 (SD)	4.70 (SD)	−8.65	179	<0.001	−1.29
Conflict management	3.80 (SD)	4.70 (SD)	−8.65	179	<0.001	−1.29
Self-awareness	4.60 (SD)	4.70 (SD)	−0.96	179	n.s.	−0.14
Creativity	4.20 (SD)	4.30 (SD)	−0.96	179	n.s.	−0.14
Time management	4.60 (SD)	3.70 (SD)	8.65	179	<0.001	1.29
Expectations	4.60 (SD)	4.80 (SD)	−2.74	179	0.007	0.41
Overall quality	4.20 (SD)	4.60 (SD)	−5.48	179	<0.001	0.82
Design	4.20 (SD)	4.80 (SD)	−8.22	179	<0.001	1.22
Participation	3.90 (SD)	4.60 (SD)	−9.59	179	<0.001	1.43
Socialisation	3.40 (SD)	4.00 (SD)	−5.48	179	<0.001	0.82

p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant, n.s.: not significant.

shows the results obtained in Student’s t-test and effect sizes (Cohen’s d) related to the competencies and degree of satisfaction of the participants in both programmes with significant results in teamwork (t = −8.65; df = 179; p < 0.001; d = −1.29), conflict management (t = −8.65; df = 179; p < 0.001; d = −1.29) and time management (t = 8.65; df = 179; p < 0.001; d = 1.29).

Finally, Figure 1 shows the differences expressed as percentages in the dropout rate and degree of employability among the educational programmes analysed.

4. Discussion

The teaching complexity of soft skills goes hand in hand with their relevance for employment, a correlation that has long been recognised [38,39]. Its formative difficulty comes from its transversality and its link with the students’ personal values, a circumstance that makes the acquisition of competences more complex [45]. This is where more rigid e-learning elements such as MOOCs lose out, due to the impossibility of the learner being able, in this digital environment, to exercise reactions to simulated or real situations as the focus of learning [47]. The results obtained in the MOOC sample show how this initial expectation is fulfilled, materialised in Hypothesis 1: The use of gamified resources and transmedia content in educational environments for the acquisition of transversal and digital competences of university graduates with disabilities without prolonged access to the labour market offers better results than in educational environments based on MOOCs. Active learning has reduced levels in MOOCs as is evident in the data, all reduced in comparison to the serious game tool. The classic structure of MOOC environments (video + pdf content + assessment survey) is proven to constrain applied thinking and peer interaction dramatically [49]. In addition to this, when considering the data obtained by the participants who went through the MOOC, it is very important to bear in mind that they are those provided by the students who finished the entire training programme, bearing in mind the high drop-out rate and the negative evaluation of the tool.

In the serious game tool, we see how the data show high rates of competence acquisition, combined with low drop-out rates, generating high interest among the participating students [52,57,58,76]. The need for autonomy in learning, critical thinking or the possibilities of relating to others are elements that appear as impossible to execute in the MOOC framework and yet are addressed in challenges incorporated into the learning programme established in the serious game tool with excellent results and low error rates, adjusting perfectly to the designed learning curve and the linked reward system [69]. The user-friendliness of the tool environment also appears to be better perceived in the serious game than in the MOOC, in line with previous studies [75]. Elements of the serious game that involve emotions and previous social stereotypes and judgements as determining variables in the personal interactions of the work team are clearly highlighted in the serious game, with actions in which the student must highlight these elements by exercising them in specific challenges, revealing personal positions in this sense, which are very difficult to show in other types of tools unless they involve presence and active group dynamics [73,74]. In contrast to this element is the mere linking of these concepts in the MOOC.

The comparative results for the second hypothesis: The degree of employability of university graduates with disabilities without prolonged access to the labour market is greater when they learn with gamified environments and transmedia content compared to those who do so in MOOC-based educational environments, shows a very strong comparison, almost doubling the employment rate ten months after the training programme for students who went through the serious game tool compared to those in the MOOC. It is evident that, as we expected from the previous framework [61,62,63], differences in employability are due to better acquisition of skills in the training programme.

Considering the limitations of the study, we must point out the following: Demographic data, such as age or degree of disability, which can significantly affect the results, are not included. It is also important to note that the numerous variables that can affect disability profiles, some of which have obvious effects on medium- and long-term employability, have not been filtered (mainly due to the difficulty of doing so). Another limitation of the study is the absence of inferential statistical tests, such as descriptive comparisons in Table 1 and Table 2, which does not allow us to establish whether the observed differences are statistically significant or random. Future research should take this into account to strengthen the conclusions.

As future research derived from the study, the follow-up of the graduates who form part of this group who have found work after ten months of training is clearly shown to us. The monitoring of their employability would provide us with an important indicator for these tools: the solidity of the acquisition of competences, i.e., to check whether the training tools make a difference in terms of the maintenance over time of the soft skills developed. Another relevant element could be to assess the degree of day-to-day applicability of the acquired knowledge in the work environment: would there be differences in use depending on the learning tool? Both elements are considered good predictors of job retention as well as job satisfaction, problem solving and relationships with customers and colleagues [44]. This project marked the beginning of a line of work that continues today. The logical progression led to the importance of digital immersion combined with personal interaction, always in gamified environments. In too many previous experiences, the digitisation of content has led to a solitary learning space prone to abandonment and blocking access to certain content that requires social dynamics. In this project, we successfully tested the value of cooperation between students as a complement to learning, combined with immersion in the digital environments created. The next logical step, therefore, was a project in which an expert system would open the door to the use of artificial intelligence while broadening the conversational horizons and dynamics between characters in the simulation environment (European HealthComm Project, in this case applied to the training of healthcare professionals: https://www.healthcommsimulator.com/en/, accessed on 1 July 2025). Following its promising results, training in workplace communication using generative artificial intelligence was addressed in the European Surgical Comm Project (https://surgicalcom.um.es/proyecto/, accessed on 1 July 2025). The process has been ongoing, laying solid groundwork in order to ensure the efficiency of the funds received and maximise the usefulness of the digital tool at all times. We should consider this project as an initial proposal that outlines the areas of application of AI in gamified training environments for the acquisition of cross-cutting skills, with a focus on people with disabilities.

In terms of aspects that could be improved in the design of the Transwork educational programme, we highlight adaptive feedback, where AI would allow the pace, difficulty and content to be adjusted in real time to the needs of each student, enabling a more personalised experience and further improving the dropout rate. AI could also improve learning analysis, detecting patterns in participants’ progress, identifying strengths and difficulties, and providing information that could be decisive in pedagogical decisions [77,78]. On the other hand, the inclusion of conversational agents based on generative AI could expand and improve interaction between participants, facilitating environments closer to each student’s work reality and fostering socio-emotional skills. The literature indicates that the use of educational chatbots and intelligent tutors promotes autonomy, motivation and self-regulated learning, factors that are critical in populations at higher risk of exclusion [79,80].

5. Conclusions

With the results obtained in this study, we can confirm the effectiveness of gamified and transmedia environments in training people with disabilities compared to traditional MOOC environments. The results attribute to these new environments a significant reduction in dropout rates and an excellent short-term employability rate, which leads to more sustainable educational environments. The results also attribute to this type of environment the development of interpersonal skills that are crucial in job hunting, such as teamwork, workplace integration and conflict management, qualities that also promote sustainability in the workplace. In short, this study indicates that innovative educational programmes based on gamified environments and transmedia content are not only effective in generalist groups, but also in vulnerable groups, as well as significantly benefiting their participants in their job search.