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29 pages, 350 KB

Open AccessReview

The Gaming Revolution in History Education: The Practice and Challenges of Integrating Game-Based Learning into Formal Education

by Chien-Hung Lai and Po-Yi Hu

Information 2025, 16(6), 490; https://doi.org/10.3390/info16060490 - 12 Jun 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3949

Abstract

This study conducts a comprehensive literature review to explore the potential and challenges of integrating game-based learning (GBL) into formal history education. Given the increasing interest in the educational value of games, this review systematically examines academic research published over the past fifteen years. The analysis focuses on two major themes: (1) the development and theoretical underpinnings of history-related game-based learning, and (2) the difficulties encountered when implementing GBL in formal education systems, including issues related to curriculum alignment, teacher readiness, and instructional assessment. Drawing on 118 selected high-impact publications, this review identifies both the pedagogical benefits and the structural limitations of using historical games in the classroom. The findings highlight that while game-based learning holds promise in improving students’ engagement, motivation, and understanding of historical content, its practical implementation requires careful instructional design, sufficient resources, and alignment with national educational standards. This review concludes by proposing a set of strategic recommendations to guide future integration efforts of GBL into history education. As a literature review, this study does not involve empirical data collection but rather synthesizes existing research findings to inform educational practice and future inquiry. Full article

14 pages, 9760 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing EFL Students’ Performance and Self-Efficacy Using a Game-Based Learning Approach

by Maram Meccawy, Asma Alzahrani, Zinah Mattar, Rawan Almohammadi, Samah Alzahrani, Ghadeer Aljizani and Zilal Meccawy

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 1228; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13121228 - 11 Dec 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4467

Abstract

Educational technology plays a major role in today’s learning as it offers significant advantages in delivering learning content, classroom communications, and assessing learners. Assessment is a cornerstone in modern and formal education and is particularly necessary for tracking progress, measuring knowledge or achievement, and planning future educational steps. This study investigates the effects of using an online game-based learning (GBL) approach in students’ assessment in terms of their performance and self-efficacy in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning. A quasi-experiment was conducted on intermediate school-level students, who were divided into two groups, namely control and experimental. Each group underwent an English language test conducted through a Google Form and a role-playing game developed to mimic the functionality of an assessment tool. The results indicate that the performance of the experiment group was neither affected positively nor negatively using the GBL assessment tool. On the other hand, the results also show that using such a tool has positively affected students’ self-efficacy levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Language and Literacy Education)

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16 pages, 1946 KB

Open AccessArticle

Factors Influencing Game-Based Learning in the Colombian Context: A Mixed Methods Study

by Paola Julie Aguilar-Cruz, Peiyu Wang, Zongping Xiang and Heng Luo

Sustainability 2023, 15(10), 7817; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107817 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4478

Abstract

Game-based learning (GBL) places high demand on educational resources and has been widely practiced in classrooms in many developed countries; however, few studies on GBL and its influencing factors have been conducted in developing countries. To address this research gap, a mixed-methods study was conducted in a state high school in the Amazon region of Colombia with 64 tenth-graders who were learning English as a foreign language to identify the factors that affect learners’ learning outcomes when serious games are applied to vocabulary learning, with a specific focus on learning engagement. This study drew on both quantitative and qualitative data collected from surveys, interviews, and pre- and post-tests. The results showed that engagement and prior knowledge can positively predict GBL outcomes, while contextual factors and family condition had an adverse impact on GBL outcomes (Adjusted R² = 0.635, p < 0.01). The results also indicated that a male student with a higher level of prior knowledge would be more likely to achieve good grades in GBL. Based on the study results, several implications are proposed for incorporating serious games for vocabulary learning in less-developed regions. This study results provide important practical implications for high schools in developing countries to implementing GBL. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Technology-Enhanced Language Teaching and Learning: Innovations, Challenges, and Concerns)

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23 pages, 2020 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of In-Classroom Non-Digital Game-Based Learning Activities on Students Transitioning to Higher Education

by Chitra Balakrishna

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 328; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13040328 - 23 Mar 2023

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 13515

Abstract

The initial phase of learning at a university has a bearing on students’ long-term academic development and plays a crucial role in enabling them to successfully transition to higher education. While higher education institutes have long been struggling to address the challenge of student retention and student success, the new generation of learners (millennials and Generation Z) entering universities have brought in further complexity. This study explores the impact of in-classroom, non-digital game-based learning techniques on the academic performance, classroom engagement, and peer interaction among the first-year university students studying computing qualification. The study aimed to deduce how the overall enhanced learning experience of these students enables them to integrate into the new learning environment in the university, thereby helping them to successfully transition to higher education. Data for this study were taken from among the first-year computing students across two consecutive years of study (N = 251). The results corroborated the findings from previous studies and highlighted how academic performance, classroom engagement, and peer interaction considerably enhance students’ academic integration. The study concludes with a discussion of the limitations and implications for practice and future research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Game-Based Learning)

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12 pages, 952 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Game-Based Learning and Gamification in Physical Education: A Systematic Review

by Rubén Camacho-Sánchez, Ana Manzano-León, José Miguel Rodríguez-Ferrer, Jorge Serna and Pere Lavega-Burgués

Educ. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13020183 - 9 Feb 2023

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 22329

Abstract

The use of educational games or some aspects of games in the educational context is known as game-based learning (GBL) or educational gamification. The objectives of this study are to assess the existing evidence about how GBL and gamification have affected the variables studied in each investigation over the past ten years; to analyse the educational levels, variables, dynamics, and types of games; and to determine the advantages of implementing these games in the classroom. A systematic review is proposed utilising the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology across five multidisciplinary databases by conducting an exhaustive search with inclusion and exclusion criteria, examining quantitative experimental studies exploring the use of gamification and GBL in physical education. The results identify GBL and gamification as significant learning methods due to their impact on student motivation, academic performance, and commitment to improving health and physical performance. Consequently, this study implies that more research is needed on the needs and challenges of students when they are learning through GBL or gamification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Game-Based Learning and Gamified Learning: What’s Next?)

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