Game designers and researchers have sought to create gameful environments that consider user preferences to increase engagement and motivation. In this sense, it is essential to identify the most suitable game elements for users' profiles. Designers and researchers must choose strategies to classify users into predefined profiles and select the…

Serious games research shows that games can increase engagement and improve learning outcomes over traditional instruction, but the impact of specific elements of serious games has yet to be fully explored across many contexts. Additionally, many existing intervention studies omit the details of the game design and development theory that informed…

There are plentiful online programming resources that enable learners to develop an understanding of conceptual knowledge and practical implementation. However, learners, especially novices, often experience difficulties locating the required information to solve the programming problems. Differ from natural language in syntax and convention,…

Mathematical games can be used to engage learners, promote fluency and deepen conceptual understanding. When considering the level of engagement of students, sometimes a small change can have a large impact. Something as simple as switching dice for cards in a game and, importantly, introducing a 'non-replacement' mechanism to the gameplay, can…

This article explores the integration of fun and engaging games into fitness units in physical education in order to increase student motivation and engagement. Fitness Uno, Chaos Kickball, and Frisbee golf are discussed, demonstrating their potential to reinforce fitness concepts, promote teamwork, and align with students' preferences and needs.…

Using a descriptive cross-sectional survey design, this study investigates how different player types--achiever, explorer, killer, and socializer--engage with gamified learning elements in higher education. Grounded in Self-Determination Theory--which emphasizes autonomy, competence, and relatedness in fostering intrinsic motivation--the research…

Many high school students fear and dislike introductory biomechanics, which can add to the challenges physical educators face in teaching and supporting their students' learning. There is evidence that active and participative learning approaches can improve student engagement with and understanding of biomechanical concepts. This can be done by…

Education has undergone many changes in teaching and learning, intensified by the significant technological developments that have responded to the fourth industrial revolution and other emergent situations. In this context, developing information and communication technologies has become vital in supporting new ways and learning models in the…

Histology is a preclinical subject transversal in medical, dental, and veterinary curricula. Classical teaching approaches in histology are often undermined by lower motivation and engagement of students, which may be addressed by innovative learning environments. Herein, we developed a serious game approach and compared it with a classical…

Background: Attention has been paid to collaboration in digital game-based learning, as it fosters interaction and student engagement, thereby enhancing learning outcomes. Previous findings about the effect of collaboration in digital game-based learning were inconsistent, and few studies have explored the underlying mechanisms, particularly…

Gamification has been widely used to design better educational systems aiming to increase students' concentration, motivation, engagement, flow experience, and others positive experiences. With advances in research on gamification in education, over the past few years, many studies have highlighted the need to tailor the gamification design…

This article aims to systematically explore the literature on game-based learning in higher education, focusing on its impacts on students' thinking and learning. Prisma method was employed to analysis the data. The article published between 2016 to 2023 from Web of Science, Scopus and Eric were taken into consideration for this study with the…

This research examines the effect of critical reflection activities in an educational environment that uses active and blended learning experiences for students to develop confidence, motivation, and engagement with their learning. A mixed-methods research approach was adopted on a sample of 137 Communications and Media students, who were involved…

This study aimed to investigate the impact of gamification on students' learning outcomes in a higher secondary school subject, specifically focusing on the topic of Morphology. A quasi-experimental research design was employed, involving an experimental group that received gamified instruction using Kahoot and a control group that received…

This study examines the relationship between game-based student response systems (GSRS) and college student academic performance. GSRS, such as Kahoot!, are emerging in classrooms as a "fun" way to review course material and test student understanding. Its increasing usage begs the question of its effectiveness for students. Therefore,…