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Behavioral Sciences
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Benefits of Game-Based Learning
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Benefits of Game-Based Learning

A special issue of Behavioral Sciences (ISSN 2076-328X). This special issue belongs to the section "Educational Psychology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 8 November 2025 | Viewed by 3938

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Ian Turner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Biomedical and Forensic Science, University of Derby, Derby DE22 1GB, UK
Interests: role playing games and skill development; game based learning; higher education pedagogy and innovative/creative practice in higher education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With this Special Issue we would like to focus on game-based learning and its potential benefits.

The link between learning and playing is longstanding and predates the current Higher Education climate by thousands of years.  Many prominent 20th century theorists have argued that play is a crucial component of cognitive development from birth and through adulthood.  Game-based learning is a pedagogic approach that stems from playing games -both physical and digital.  More broadly game-based learning generally refers to the application of gaming principles in educational contexts to engage learners. It involves using game mechanics, dynamics, and elements to enhance the learning experience. These elements can range from simple memorization and recall to more complex outcomes like evaluation or creativity. Game-based learning brings the strategies, rules, and social experiences of playing a game into the classroom, creating immersive and collaborative learning opportunities.

The potential for Game-based learning is enormous and has previous studies have explored a range of different approaches to integrating physical and digital games into Higher Education.  Game-based learning has been applied in a range of contexts often using game mechanics, dynamics, and elements transform the learner experience and enhance learner engagement. Research has shown that game-based learning can have positive impacts on some of the big challenges in Higher Education such   student motivation, participation, and enjoyment.  Game-based learning has been applied in a wide range of Higher Education disciplinary context from accountancy to zoology and been shown to be effective in subject specific knowledge acquisition and retention, increasing understanding and developing subject specific skills.

This special issue welcomes studies on any aspect of game-based learning – physical or digital, but especially those that investigate its role in promoting active learning, developing critical thinking and other skills, advancing understanding and mastery of a subject, promoting inclusion, or those provide frameworks for further study in the area.

Prof. Dr. Ian Turner
Guest Editor

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. Behavioral Sciences 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 2200 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.

Keywords

  • game-based learning
  • gamification
  • games
  • video games
  • digital game-based learning
  • active learning
  • critical thinking
  • play

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

34 pages, 2545 KiB  
Article
Designing for Engagement in Primary Health Education Through Digital Game-Based Learning: Cross-National Behavioral Evidence from the iLearn4Health Platform
by Evgenia Gkintoni, Emmanuella Magriplis, Fedra Vantaraki, Charitini-Maria Skoulidi, Panagiotis Anastassopoulos, Alexandra Cornea, Begoña Inchaurraga, Jaione Santurtun, Ainhoa de la Cruz Mancha, George Giorgakis, Kleri Kouppas, Stella Timotheou, Maria Jose Moreno Juan, Miren Muñagorri, Marta Harasiuk, Alfredo Garmendia Lopez, Efi Skoulidi and Apostolos Vantarakis
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(7), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15070847 - 24 Jun 2025
Viewed by 232
Abstract
This study evaluates design effectiveness in Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) for primary health education through systematic teacher assessment of the iLearn4Health platform. Rather than measuring educational transformation, the research investigates how DGBL design principles influence user engagement patterns and platform usability as evaluated [...] Read more.
This study evaluates design effectiveness in Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) for primary health education through systematic teacher assessment of the iLearn4Health platform. Rather than measuring educational transformation, the research investigates how DGBL design principles influence user engagement patterns and platform usability as evaluated by education professionals. The study contributes to design optimization frameworks for primary school digital health education applications by examining the distinction between DGBL and superficial gamification approaches in creating engaging educational interfaces. The iLearn4Health platform underwent comprehensive design evaluation by 337 teachers across 24 schools in five European countries (Greece, Cyprus, Romania, Poland, and Spain). Teachers served as design evaluators rather than end-users, assessing platform engagement mechanisms through systematic interaction analysis. The study employed multiple statistical approaches—descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, ANOVA, regression modeling, and cluster analysis—to identify design engagement patterns and their predictors, tracking completion rates, progress trajectories, and interaction time as indicators of design effectiveness. Design evaluation revealed a distinctive bimodal engagement distribution, with 52.8% of teacher–evaluators showing limited platform exploration (progress ratio 0.0–0.2) and 35.3% demonstrating comprehensive design assessment (progress ratio 0.8–1.0). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.95, p < 0.001) between time spent and steps completed indicated that design elements successfully sustained evaluator engagement. Multiple regression analysis identified initial design experience as the strongest predictor of continued engagement (β = 0.479, p < 0.001), followed by country-specific implementation factors (Romania vs. Cyprus, β = 0.183, p = 0.001) and evaluator age (β = 0.108, p = 0.049). Cluster analysis revealed three distinct evaluator profiles: comprehensive design assessors (35.3%), early design explorers (52.8%), and selective feature evaluators (11.9%). Cross-national analysis showed significant variations in design engagement, with Romania demonstrating 53% higher average progress ratios than Cyprus (0.460 vs. 0.301, p < 0.01). Teacher evaluation validates effective design implementation in the iLearn4Health platform for creating engaging primary health education experiences. The platform successfully demonstrates DGBL design principles that integrate health concepts into age-appropriate interactive environments, distinct from gamification approaches that merely overlay game elements onto existing content. Identifying initial engagement as the strongest predictor of sustained interaction highlights the critical importance of onboarding design in determining user experience outcomes. While this study establishes design engagement effectiveness through educator assessment, actual educational transformation and student learning outcomes require future implementation studies with primary school populations. The design validation approach provides essential groundwork for subsequent educational effectiveness research while contributing evidence-based design principles for engagement optimization in digital health education contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Game-Based Learning)
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16 pages, 1795 KiB  
Article
Fostering Empathy Through Play: The Impact of Far From Home on University Staff’s Understanding of International Students
by Shuanghui Sofia Shan and Sam Illingworth
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 820; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15060820 - 14 Jun 2025
Viewed by 2241
Abstract
This study investigates the potential of Far From Home, a non-digital board game, as an innovative tool for fostering empathy among university staff towards international students. International students face multifaceted challenges—linguistic barriers, cultural dissonance, and systemic inequities—yet traditional staff training often fails [...] Read more.
This study investigates the potential of Far From Home, a non-digital board game, as an innovative tool for fostering empathy among university staff towards international students. International students face multifaceted challenges—linguistic barriers, cultural dissonance, and systemic inequities—yet traditional staff training often fails to cultivate the perspective-taking required for meaningful support. Using a mixed-methods approach, we analysed data from 82 participants across 10 game sessions, including surveys (n = 27), recorded gameplay observations, and semi-structured interviews (n = 6). Thematic analysis explored how role-playing as student avatars and collaborative problem-solving influenced staff empathy. The results demonstrated the game’s effectiveness in bridging cultural gaps, with participants reporting a heightened awareness of structural barriers and reduced stereotyping. Notably, the emergent findings suggested a “contrast commitment” effect, where witnessing biassed behaviours reinforced staff’s dedication to equitable practices. This study advocates for game-based training as a complement to existing programmes, with future research needed to assess longitudinal impacts. Potential applications include adapting the framework for other marginalised student groups and institutional contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Game-Based Learning)
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24 pages, 1196 KiB  
Article
Playing with Numbers: The Social and Behavioural Impacts of Using a Card Game to Teach Business Metrics
by Ruth Smith and Elaine Conway
Behav. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/bs15060761 - 1 Jun 2025
Viewed by 592
Abstract
This study investigated the social and behavioural impacts of employing a card game designed to support the teaching of business metrics through active peer-to-peer engagement, contrasting with traditional passive lectures. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT), the study used a multiple-methods approach [...] Read more.
This study investigated the social and behavioural impacts of employing a card game designed to support the teaching of business metrics through active peer-to-peer engagement, contrasting with traditional passive lectures. Grounded in Bandura’s Social Learning Theory (SLT), the study used a multiple-methods approach including student feedback, a focus group, and an interview. A novel card game, Metrics Masters©, was played by 390 students across a range of educational levels and settings. The research found that the game effectively introduced and reinforced their understanding of key business metrics, while simultaneously enhancing social interaction, teamwork, and problem-solving among Millennial and Generation Z students. The findings underline the efficacy of game-based learning and its close alignment with the SLT principles of observation, imitation, and social interaction. The theoretical contribution of this paper lies in its explicit application and extension of SLT within the context of business education, illustrating empirically how social interactions facilitated by game-based activities significantly enhance learning outcomes. Furthermore, this paper contributes to educational practice by providing robust evidence that game-based learning methods can effectively address educational challenges heightened by the COVID-19 pandemic, offering actionable strategies for educators aiming to foster both academic and social development among students. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Benefits of Game-Based Learning)
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