Digital game-based learning (DGbL)

Dear Colleagues,

The innovative methodology called Game-based Learning (GbL)  and, more specifically, Digital Game-based Learning (DGbL), is intended to take advantage of the educational potential of videogames, digital games, augmented reality playful apps, etc. These resources are used for activating teaching and learning processes, contributing to students’ acquisition and development of several competences, in a motivating way. This methodology supports the use of digital games for promoting multiple learning and invites teachers to take profit of its intrinsic motivation-triggering ability, with an educational purpose.

Undoubtedly, these games immerse the schoolchildren in new settings based on simulation and fiction, so that they are involved in game-based experiences in a mediated way. Thus, students are faced with complex problems that require to take good decisions for a quick resolution. They are also provided with skills and abilities to manage themselves in the real world. Finally, the participants travel in time and space, contextualizing their knowledge, playing the role of historical characters, experiencing past events, discovering the future, assuming responsibilities, learning from their own and the others’ mistakes, resolving conflicts, etc.

It is clear that narrative, challenge, curiosity, fantasy, and personal control are motivating factors that impel people to make an effort to overcome challenges, focusing the attention on the proposed tasks. However, DGbL implementation in the classroom should be based on a strict selection and a well-organized educational methodology. Thus, it would possible to evaluate to what extent it promotes greater learning results in students of several educational levels.

In this sense, even if there are interesting educational experiences based on this methodology, it is necessary to carry out, know, and disseminate quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research showing positive results. It is also needed to publish works describing the didactic procedures, the criteria for selecting games, the design of activities linked to the curriculum, the creation of instruments to register students’ progress, etc. For these reasons, this special monographic intends to collect contributions that help promote Digital Game-based Learning in the classrooms.

Prof. M. Esther Del Moral Pérez
Dr. María del Rosario Neira Piñeiro
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.