GAME-BASED LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Learning How to Learn: Using Game-Based Learning in Higher Education

Shelly D. Richardson
Educational Technology, Boise State University

Abstract
Game-based learning principles are being deployed on campuses around the country in a variety
of methods. The deployment of this Constructivist learning model has a variety of learner
benefits including motivational factors, enhanced engagement, active learning, and the use of
problem solving and cognitive skills. In this paper, I will address the connection between the
needs of a university student, the attributes of gamification in education and the connection to the
Constructivist Learning Theory.

Learning How to Learn: Using Game-Based Learning in Higher Education

The university educational system is experiencing a time of transition both with the
adoption of emerging educational technologies and in the shift of teaching methodologies that
accompany implementing them. These changes are essential to prepare students for the evolving
job market of the future, yet many in the university setting cling to traditional pedagogical
systems.
In a recent Pew Research survey of digital stakeholders, Wesley George of the Advanced
Technology group of Time Warner Cable voiced frustration with the current university system, a
sentiment that was largely shared with many in the survey:
The educational system is largely broken, he said. It's too focused on the result of
getting a degree rather than teaching people how to learn: how to digest huge amounts of
information, craft a cogent argument in favor of or against a topic, and how to think for
oneself. Individuals learn differently, and we are starting to finally have the technology to
embrace that instead of catering to the lowest common denominator. (Anderson, Boyles
& Rainie, 2012).
Learning How to Learn
Undergraduates arrive at their university and immediately have to adjust to a new
learning environment. Students must learn to navigate an unfamiliar world that has larger class
sizes, less individualized attention from teachers and a whole new set of responsibilities and
procedures that they may be unprepared for. Throughout their career in higher education,
students will need to develop an understanding about the systems that help them build skills and
knowledge. (Charles, Charles, & McNeill, Bustard & Black, 2011.). The employment of game-

based principles within a constructivist learning structure can assist in developing the skills and
knowledge necessary for students to succeed in higher education.
Game-based Learning
Gamification was logically defined by Deterding, Dixon, Khaled & Nacke, (2011) as the
use of game design elements in non-game contexts. As game-based elements are numerous and
varied, the perception of incorporating these into educational systems can often be subjective and
the effects of doing so is a subject of ongoing research.
Gamification Structure Examples
One research perspective on educational games presented by Kim and Lee (2012)
describes the principles that define four primary factors of learning games for educational
effectiveness. In their research, they are attempting to discern game-based learning aspects that
engage learners.
The first theory of gamification engagement they addressed was Game Design Factors
(GDF), which the authors loosely defined as the qualities of a game that make it game-like.
Cool features such as a series of interesting choices, a surprise and delight factor, interactive
aspects and distinct features from the graphics and sound effects. (Kim, & Lee, 2012).
The second proposed gamification theory they studied were Key Characteristics of a
Learning Game (KCLG: Challenge, Curiosity, Fantasy, Control). The authors point out that
intrinsic motivation in a game-based learning environment is connected to making learning fun.
These motivational factors are emotionally driven and are often challenge the learners senses
and cognitive abilities.
The third theory presented in the gamification for education research of Kim and Lee
(2012) was Elements of Educational Environment Design: ARCS model of motivational design.

ARCS stands for Attention, Relevance, Confidence, and Satisfaction. Attention is the learners
response, relevance is how the material relates to the learners prior knowledge, confidence is
how the learners feels about their performance and satisfaction relates to how the learners draw
conclusions regarding the content they have learned in the game-based instruction. (Kim, & Lee,
2012).
The fourth aspect of gamification that Kim and Lee addressed was Basic Elements of
Gamification: MDA framework. The MDA framework consists of three components of game
design: Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetics. Mechanics are the components of a game,
dynamics are the interaction of the player and the mechanic elements, and aesthetics are the
emotional responses elicited by the learner in the gaming environment. (Kim, & Lee, 2012).
Constructivism
Game-based learning fits well in the family of Constructivist Learning Theories, where
learning occurs because personal knowledge is constructed by an active and self-regulated
learner who solves problems by deriving meaning from experience and the context in which that
experience takes place. (Larson & Lockee, 2014) In a game-based learning environment,
students may participate in collaboratively, engage in problem solving, develop critical thinking
skills and have the opportunity to construct meaning from these learning experiences.
Gamification also lends itself to the scaffolding approach to learning through levels inherent in
some games. These level achievements usually require mastery of certain skills or knowledge
before proceeding to a higher game level.
Engaged Learners
Why should we include game-based learning into higher education curricula? When
successfully integrated by designers and educators (marrying the content with the learner needs),

gamified learning has the ability to create deep engagement with the learner and the educational
material. Developing engaged learners may allow us to curtain student dropout rates and improve
retention and avert the potential frustration and confusion students may experience when
navigating a new learning environment.
Creating Engagement
Should game-based learning be used to motivate learners to do something that would
otherwise be undesirable? (Giannetto, 2013) A contrasting viewpoint is that game-based learning
should not be about injecting fun into learning but be used to enhance the fun that is inherent in
most learning anyway. (Charles, Charles et all, 2011. p.639). I agree with the latter comment in
that game mechanics should not be an educational tool relied upon to magically transform course
content but rather by joining the carefully chosen content within a motivating structure, the
learners may be able to connect with learners it in a new, engaging way.
Engagement through Feedback
One set of game principles presented by Charles, Bustard and Black (2008) was boiled
down from forty to six aspects of gaming engagement and motivation points: structure, identity,
challenge, feedback, social and fun. When students are developing the skills and knowledge
necessary to succeed in higher education, the feedback they receive has the ability to set them on
the right path. Games and educational systems both share a feedback system with standards and
objectives, all of which can be reinforced incrementally through a game-based learning system.
As Charles, Charles, McNeill et all (2011) point out, positive feedback can offer students
tangible rewards, reinforcing good behaviors and acting as scaffolding in the Constructivist
learning process.

Social Engagement
Employing gamification principles in a higher educational setting may also have the
benefit of engaging your learners in an active learning social context. Business students at
Babson College participated in a mobile app case study whose goal was to focus on how social
technologies can help businesses capture and leverage the underlying connection among
employees, consumers, and business partners. (Parise & Crosina, 2012) Students worked in
small groups using the smartphone app SCVNGR and a game designed by their professors, to
visit locations, complete tasks, solve problems and gain points. The problems were designed to
reinforce classroom content where students became active participants in the learning process
through exploration. (Parise & Crosina, 2012)
Active Learning Engagement
In a case study presented by Ma, Bale, & Rea, (2012) a group of medical students adopt
the constructionist approach in a digital form to encourage learners to create their own anatomy
game. The teacher facilitates the process of learning in which students are encouraged to be
responsible and autonomous. The students created a 3-D anatomy game from scratch using the
Unity 3-D game engine and this active learning role allowed the students to be more invested and
motivated in the final outcome of the project. The learners also gained a practical understanding
of the subject they were studying (anatomy) by creating an engaging 3-D model based game and
presenting it to their peers for review. 3-D game creation is a wonderful example of how gamebased learning can simultaneously embody constructivist principles, active learning, autonomy
or self-motivated learning and group learning elements.

Mobile Gaming for Education

The NMC Horizon Report: 2014 Higher Education Edition authors have asserted that
games and gamification will play an important role in higher education over the next two to three
years. In the Horizon Report, they make the connection to big business use of mobile apps and
social media, employing elements of game-based learning for commercial purposes. It would
make sense that higher education instructional designers could make use of the game-based
design principles already in use commercially, not having to reinvent the wheel. The Horizon
Report authors also assert, Educational gameplay has proven to foster engagement in critical
thinking, creative problem-solving, and teamworkskills that lead to solutions for complex
social and environmental dilemmas. (Johnson, Adams Becker, Estrada & Freeman, 2014.)
I recently attended HEEMAC (Higher Education Enterprise Mobile App Conference) in
which one of the co-founders of GoRobos, Leslie Roberts, presented an educational mobile app
her company was beta testing at thirty-eight universities in the United States and Canada. It is a
full length academic business entrepreneurship course whose structure is based on level
achievements, rewards points and badges where learners create a lemonade stand franchise in a
virtual world. The feedback from students and educators has been very positive and they are
working on creating their second mobile app for higher educational purposes.
In research presented by Wu, Hsiao, Wu, Lin, & Huang (2012), they assert that
constructivists view learning as a social process, placing importance on understanding the world
through social processes and group knowledge construction. In the GoRobos entrepreneur
educational mobile app, students in the class are also allowed to interact with one another and
share elements of the game outside the educational sphere, like being able to post their

achievement badges on social networking sites. Mobile app technologies easily lend themselves
to the social participation and group learning elements of Constructivism.
Conclusion
In creating or implementing game-based learning environments, as with any design
discipline, it is essential to know who your audience or learner is. As technology changes, so do
generations and how they use technology. What motivates our students? What gamification
elements may we use to encourage and engage learners at our educational institutions? What will
their needs be in ten years?
In a recent Pew Research survey, digital stakeholders were asked for their vision of
higher education in the year 2020. Charlie Firestone, executive director of the Aspen Institute
responded: The timeline might be a bit rushed, but educationhigher and K-12has to change
with the technology. The technology will allow for more individualized, passion-based learning
by the student, greater access to master teaching, and more opportunities for students to connect
to othersmentors, peers, sourcesfor enhanced learning experiences.
As we look to the future of higher education, there should be a massive shift occurring in
the way our students learn, with a focus on learning how to learn. By adapting the traditional
pedagogy to incorporate game-based learning principles, we will be better preparing our students
with a foundation of problem-solving skills, collaborative learning experiences and an engaged
connection with the instructional content.

References
Charles, D., Charles, T., McNeill, M., Bustard, D., & Black, M. (2011). Game-based feedback
for educational multi-user virtual environments. British Journal of Educational
Technology, 42(4), 638-654. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01068.x

Dabbagh, N. (2011). Personal learning environments, social media, and self-regulated learning:
A natural formula for connecting formal and informal learning. The Internet and Higher
Education.

Deterding, S., Dixon, D., Khaled, R., & Nacke, L. (2011). From game design elements to
gamefulness: Defining gamification. MindTrek '11 Proceedings of the 15th
International Academic MindTrek Conference: Envisioning Future Media Environments.
2011. 9-15.

Domnguez, A., Saenz-de-Navarrete, J., De-Marcos, L., Fernndez-Sanz, L., Pags, C., &
Martnez-Herriz, J. (2013). Gamifying learning experiences: Practical implications and
outcomes. Computers & Education, 63, 380-392.

Ganguin, S. (Hoblitz). Mobile worlds: Mobile gaming and learning?. In Gobel, S., Muller, W.,
Urban, B., Wiemeyer, J. (Eds.), E-Learning and games for training, education, health
and sports (pp. 111-120). doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-33466-5_12

Giannetto, D. (2013). Gamification in a social learning environment. Issues in Informing Science

& Information Technology, 10, 195-207.

Johnson, L., Adams Becker, S., Estrada, V. & Freeman, A. (2014). NMC horizon report: 2014
higher education edition. Retrieved 03/15, 2014, from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2014nmc-horizon-report-he-EN.pdf

Kim, J. T., & Lee, W. (2012). Dynamical model for gamification: Optimization of four primary
factors of learning games for educational effectiveness. Computer applications for
graphics, grid computing, and industrial environment (pp. 24-32) Springer.

Larson, M. B., & Lockee, B. B. (2014). Streamlined id: a practical guide to instructional design.
New York, NY: Routledge.

Ma, M., Bale, K., & Rea, P. (2012). Constructionist learning in anatomy education. Serious
games development and applications (pp. 43-58) Springer.

Parise, S., & Crosina, E. (2012). How a mobile social media game can enhance the educational
experience. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teching, 8(3)

Wu, W., Hsiao, H., Wu, P., Lin, C., & Huang, S. (2012). Investigating the learning-theory
foundations of game-based learning: A meta-analysis. Journal of Computer Assisted
Learning, 28(3), 265-279. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2729.2011.00437.x