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Background: In a world increasingly stressed by climate change and scarcity of natural resources, the prosocial behaviors of new generations become increasingly essential, especially when aimed at sustainability. This study aims to investigate the gamified system applied to the game-based educational program BLUTUBE, designed to promote better practices regarding virtuous water usage in the primary schools of the Municipality of Lucca. Methods: We analyze the self-reported sustainable behaviors of almost 800 students of the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grades, using a survey about water consumption and awareness of related topics. We examine the association between the increase in the self-reported prosocial behaviors, which occurs after the end of the educational program, and participation in different activities - measured by the number of accumulated points - stimulated through gamification. Results: We find that higher participation in gamified activities corresponds more likely to a higher increase in reported sustainable behaviors. Moreover, we observe that this result is led by specific activities - playing the board game Blutube at school, playing the urban game, and taking pictures of virtuous actions - rather than others - playing the board game at home. Lastly, given the difference between genders in the perceived benefits from gamification, we find that males increase more their awareness about sustainable behaviors by playing more the board game than females. In contrast, females raise their awareness when playing the urban game more. Discussion: We suggest that playing the board game in a broader social context, such as school, can enhance the perception of children's behaviors' impacts on the external environment. Also, to effectively promote sustainable behaviors, educators should consider using game-based learning materials that incorporate rewards mechanisms into the activities. Conclusions: This work sheds light on the relationship between gamification and pro-environmental behaviors, laying the ground for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Game‐based learning can frame problem‐solving as a sense‐making experience with domain‐specific tasks for school students. However, multiple challenges arise when trying to support learners in such a complex, problem‐oriented learning environment. Objectives and Methods: With an architecture‐themed mathematics learning game, we conducted two mixed‐method studies to explore the impact and design of game‐based mathematical experience on the math problem‐solving performance of middle school students. Results and Conclusions: The study findings suggested a positive impact of game‐based math experience on math problem‐solving for middle school students. Problematization‐oriented game‐based math tasks with structuring features enhanced students' reasoning with problems and channelled it to doing mathematics. Takeaways: The current research findings support the initiative to frame learning as a sense‐making experience with domain‐specific tasks and inform the design of game‐based mathematical experience and learning support. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Realistic mathematical practices frame learning as a sense‐making experience.Challenges arise when involving learners in realistic mathematical experiences driven by domain‐specific tasks. What this paper adds: Game‐based simulation of math tasks framed learning as sense‐making experience.Game‐based math experiencing promoted math contextual problem‐solving performance.Structuring features enhanced problematized experiencing with math tasks. Implications for practice and/or policy: Teachers can integrate and facilitate game‐based math experiencing in class.Efforts should be made to make game‐based math tasks meaningful for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In 2015, our university hospital pharmacy acquired the PharmaHelp robot system to automate part of its chemotherapy production. Complex technical use, downtime periods, and insufficient training caused a drop in motivation and disparities in operators' knowledge. We created a short, playful, standardized, gamed-based training program to address this, and evaluated its impact. Methods: Operators were classified as trainers or trainees according to their knowledge about Information and Communication Technologies. Before, after the training, and at 6 months (6M), their robot knowledge was assessed on a 0-24-scale, motivation and self-efficacy in using it on 0-to-100 scales. Pairwise comparison t -test with Bonferroni adjustment was used (p < 0.05 considered significant). Satisfaction was measured using a six-point Likert scale. Trainer/trainee teams participated in 2-hour training sessions with three games and a debriefing. For "Knowing the manufacturing steps," cards with the steps were placed in the correct order. For "Knowing the criteria for using the robot," teams guessed whether certain compounds could be used with the robot. For "Knowing how to handle production errors," the answer to each error (taken from real-life issues) was selected from four options. Results: Participants (n = 14) were very satisfied about sessions' interactivity and playfulness. Knowledge improved from 57% pretraining to 77% (p < 0.005) to 76.6% (6M) (p < 0.05 compared to pretraining). Motivation and self-efficacy, respectively, improved from 57.6% to 86.6% (p < 0.05) to 70.4% (6M) and from 48.5% to 75.6% (p < 0.05) to 60.2% (6M) (p > 0.1 compared to pretraining) (t -test). Conclusions: This highly appreciated training program efficiently improved knowledge retention out to six months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing interest in applying gamified designs in higher education is challenged by mixed results in terms of student acceptance. Different players are attracted to games for different reasons and game design elements, and a better understanding of how each learner will connect to different game mechanics provides valuable input for game design and evaluation. In this paper, we present and validate a scale to measure the affinity of each player with different game elements. First, a theoretical review was carried out on three profile classifications and six motivational theoretical models, proposing a taxonomy for twelve player profiles based on three axes: relational, competence and motivational. Then, a pilot test was carried out with 54 subjects, analysing content and comprehension validity through the judgment of six experts and construct validity through an exploratory factorial analysis. Subsequently, with a sample of 1010 subjects, a confirmatory factor analysis was performed. The scale was made up of 30 items, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.822; three main components were obtained: dominators, interactors and trackers. The results show the validity of the scale, with high levels of confidence. It provides an understanding of the player's profile in a playful context, their motivational orientation and their affinity with the specific game design. This can be used to improve the design of gamified experiences in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate user perceptions and educational impact of gamified online role-play in teledentistry as well as to construct a conceptual framework highlighting how to design this interactive learning strategy, this research employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Participants were requested to complete self-perceived assessments toward confidence and awareness in teledentistry before and after participating in a gamified online role-play. They were also asked to complete a satisfaction questionnaire and participate in an in-depth interview to investigate their learning experience. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and framework analysis. There were 18 participants who completed self-perceived assessments and satisfaction questionnaire, in which 12 of them participated in a semi-structured interview. There were statistically significant increases in self-perceived confidence and awareness after participating in the gamified online role-play (P < 0.001). In addition, the participants were likely to be satisfied with this learning strategy, where usefulness was perceived as the most positive aspect with a score of 4.44 out of 5, followed by ease of use (4.40) and enjoyment (4.03). The conceptual framework constructed from the qualitative findings has revealed five key elements in designing a gamified online role-play, including learner profile, learning settings, pedagogical components, interactive functions, and educational impact. The gamified online role-play has demonstrated its potential in improving self-perceived confidence and awareness in teledentistry. The conceptual framework developed in this research could be considered to design and implement a gamified online role-play in dental education. This research provides valuable evidence on the educational impact of gamified online role-play in teledentistry and how it could be designed and implemented in dental education. This information would be supportive for dental instructors or educators who are considering to implement teledentistry training in their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars in teacher education have observed that the dichotomy between teachers' professional and personal identities could restrain their pursuits of adopting innovative approaches in the classroom. At the same time, adopting new pedagogical approaches often contests teachers' professional identities and confidence. In this paper, we examine a graduate course on game-based learning, designed for professionals such as teachers and practitioners. While video games and game-based learning have gained attention from researchers and practitioners, they may pose challenges for many teachers. We observed that this course could provide opportunities for participants to construct their narratives in relation to gaming and learning over time. They may also reinterpret and extend their cultural worlds as part of their teacher identity. We conclude that enabling teachers to confront tensions and risks of adopting unfamiliar practices could help them transform their self-narratives. This study could inform design considerations to support teachers' adopting innovative pedagogies in future research and practices on professional learning. It is also important to acknowledge that the study had limited participant diversity and representativeness. There is the need for further exploration of teachers with different backgrounds and experiences in order to better understand the challenges and opportunities of adopting innovative pedagogies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In recent years, cryptocurrency has increasingly sparked interest among investors. Many people have invested in this field without adequate knowledge. Existing research has shown that using game design elements can be an effective method of education. Such learning interventions can potentially be a good match for educating market investors, as they provide risk-free simulations for novice investors to gain practical experience without having to be concerned about real financial losses. However, it is unclear how market investors perceive gamified and game-based learning interventions and whether they would adopt them for cryptocurrency education. Research Objectives: Our study investigated market investors' perceptions, needs and expectations regarding the integration of gamification and game-based learning interventions in cryptocurrency education. Methodology: We conducted an online survey with n=413 participants, including experienced market investors and people who are interested in cryptocurrency. Within the survey, we presented the mock-ups of two cryptocurrency learning interventions: a gamified cryptocurrency learning application, and a cryptocurrency learning video game. Results: From market investors' perspectives, our study revealed the benefits and drawbacks of incorporating gamification and game design principles to facilitate learning cryptocurrency. We identified the need to develop dynamic, accessible, reliable, and community-building gamified and game-based cryptocurrency learning interventions. Conclusion: From our findings, we propose guidance for the integration of gamification and games in cryptocurrency education, and we provide design recommendations for investor-specific cryptocurrency learning interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Psycholinguistics presents a challenge to teaching and learning because of the many abstract models in the field. Language-related games provide a vehicle for students to ground and demonstrate their understanding of these models. Statement of the problem: Models in psycholinguistics are challenging to teach and learn because they represent mental phenomena that have no physical counterpart. Literature Review: Research on the teaching of models in other fields demonstrates that students have difficulty with models even when they represent physical phenomena. Little research has examined the teaching of cognitive models such as those in psycholinguistics. Objective: This article demonstrates how using party games and board games is an active-learning approach that helps students ground their understanding of models in a concrete experience of producing and understanding language. Students learn through analyzing and reflecting on game play. Teaching Implications: Using games helps make abstract models concrete and is a motivating tool. Written assignments using games clearly demonstrate students' understanding of models. Conclusion: Many popular party/board games have a language focus. These can easily be incorporated into existing courses to promote understanding of models in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Degree apprenticeships (DA) help employees gain new knowledge and skills by allowing them to study towards a university degree while working full time. For these programmes to be effective, the learning design should be adapted to the needs of these students, who are goal oriented (i.e. they want to gain only knowledge that can be applied within their workplace), have limited time for studying, and usually have not attended formal education for some time. As these programmes are relatively new, there is limited research on how these students can be supported to achieve the programmes' learning goals by using information and communication technologies. Objectives: This paper aims to understand whether a learning design that combines game‐based learning with online flipped classrooms can engage DA students in their learning and help them develop their reflective skills. Methods: Two focus groups were conducted with DA students that study at a UK Business School towards gaining the Chartered Manager status. The focus groups recordings have been analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results and Conclusions: The three main themes, "change can be helpful and challenging at the same time", "the ideal game", and "the effect of others", show that DA students find game‐based learning and online flipped classrooms useful, with the right support. Simulation games can be more fulfilling to DA students than quiz games, even if they take more of their out‐of‐class time. In addition, instructors are advised to work more closely with diverse teams to enable students share their work experiences and learn from each other. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic?: Online flipped classrooms offer flexibility in learning, but instructors need to find solutions to challenges, like students' limited e‐learning readiness and lack of motivation.Game‐based learning has been found to facilitate learning in general, but there is a need to identify the specific circumstances (i.e. settings, gaming elements) under which it is effective.Degree apprenticeship students need more support with their learning compared to traditional university students, as they face additional challenges in terms of family life‐work balance and connecting their learning to their working experience. What this paper adds?: Game‐based learning can be useful to degree apprenticeship students providing that focuses on the application of knowledge and provides feedback.Despite facing challenges related to maintaining work‐study‐life balance, degree apprenticeship students are willing to complete the flipped classroom's out‐of‐class activities, if they see a clear benefit from doing so.Online group activities can be challenging for degree apprenticeship students, if they are not able to form teams with other learners that work for the same organisation. The implications of study findings for practitioners: Avoid quiz‐like games and select the ones that use real‐life scenarios for degree apprenticeship students to help them link their learning to their practice.Formative feedback should be provided by both the instructor and the game to motivate degree apprenticeship students to spend the additional time to complete the out‐of‐class activities.Students should be reminded frequently of the purpose of any new learning elements (e.g. learning analytics) as they may not have the time to explore them on their own.When forming student teams based on students' workplace is not possible, spend more time in each breakout room to facilitate the online group discussion and help students bring their different working experiences together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) interventions can be superior to traditional instruction methods for learning, but previous meta-analyses covered a huge period and included a variety of different target groups, limiting the results' transfer on specific target groups. Therefore, the aim of this meta-analysis is a theory-based examination of DGBL interventions' effects on different learning outcomes (cognitive, metacognitive, affective-motivational) in the school context, using studies published between 2015 and 2020 and meta-analytic techniques (including moderator analyses) to examine the effectiveness of DGBL interventions compared to traditional instruction methods. Results from random-effects models revealed a significant medium effect for overall learning (g =.54) and cognitive learning outcomes (g =.67). Also found were a small effect for affective-motivational learning outcomes (g =.32) and no significant effect for metacognitive learning outcomes. Additionally, there was no evidence of publication bias. Further meta-regression models did not reveal evidence of moderating personal, environmental, or confounding factors. The findings partially support the positive impact of DGBL interventions in school, and the study addresses its practical implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children born after 2010 are labelled as members of Generation Alpha, who currently pursue their primary education. Gamification and game-based learning methodologies have gained popularity in the global education sector in the recent past. The goal of this study is to investigate the present state of adopting gamification and game-based learning for primary education student cohorts, with the aid of recent peerreviewed research publications. By employing a systematic mapping design, reviewed paper results are categorized and further evaluated in relation to the attributes such as type of gamification, game mechanics and elements used, evaluation context, type of experimental outcome, gamified academic subject area, and type of application. With the aid of review results, this study proposes a mapping of gamification learning mechanics, suited to address Generation Alpha traits. It also recommends future research directions, which include investigating the realistic learning preferences of Generation Alpha, the need for designing novel educational game elements and adaptive gamification learning strategies, and the importance of long-term studies with diverse learner samples. The findings of this study will support prospective stakeholders, such as researchers, educators, parents, and educational policymakers, to utilize gamification approaches effectively in educating Generation Alpha. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Play is crucial to children's development. With the prevalent use of digital technologies, children and young adults are seen playing games more often and longer on digital devices. How should teachers capitalize the advantages of games in class, without inducing more health risks or problems for children? To achieve this goal, teachers need empirical details and conclusive results in the application of game-based learning (GBL) in primary education, so that they can design GBL experiences that cater to the specific needs of pupils. The present paper provides a systematic review for 35 experimental studies that substantially integrated gaming elements in primary school lessons. Our major findings include that (1) most studies were published in technology-assisted learning journals, focusing on higher-grade students' natural science learning, through one GBL lesson conducted within one week; (2) theoretical foundations were absent in the majority of studies, with the rest implicitly or explicitly drawing upon Constructivist premises; (3) adopted GBL technologies were mostly self-designed, and used for formal learning; (4) Gamification was the most frequently used game genre and Intellectual Problem-Solving was the top gaming element to be incorporated and (5) there were more positive outcomes than mixed findings and more cognitive results reported than affective or behavioral dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This perspective piece explores the transformative potential and associated challenges of large language models (LLMs) in education and how those challenges might be addressed utilizing playful and game-based learning. While providing many opportunities, the stochastic elements incorporated in how present LLMs process text, requires domain expertise for a critical evaluation and responsible use of the generated output. Yet, due to their low opportunity cost, LLMs in education may pose some risk of over-reliance, potentially and unintendedly limiting the development of such expertise. Education is thus faced with the challenge of preserving reliable expertise development while not losing out on emergent opportunities. To address this challenge, we first propose a playful approach focusing on skill practice and human judgment. Drawing from game-based learning research, we then go beyond this playful account by reflecting on the potential of well-designed games to foster a willingness to practice, and thus nurturing domain-specific expertise. We finally give some perspective on how a new pedagogy of learning with AI might utilize LLMs for learning by generating games and gamifying learning materials, leveraging the full potential of human-AI interaction in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diving into the realm of game-based learning, the "CARBGAME"(CARd & Board GAmes in Medical Education) is an innovative series of games that reimagines the way medical students learn complex but essential chapters. In the pilot study, there was a highly significant improvement in the academic performance of students in the chapter "Vitamins." All the students perceived CARBGAME to be highly rewarding in terms of creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences. Recognizing the benefit of games in medical education, we strongly recommend the implementation of CARBGAME for essential topics in physiology education to create a more dynamic and engaging learning environment for students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital games are widely used in education to motivate students for science. Additionally, augmented reality (AR) is increasingly used in education. However, recent research indicates that these technologies might not be equally beneficial for students with different background characteristics. Moreover, students with different backgrounds may differ in their self‐efficacy and interest when playing games and this could lead to differences in performance. Given the increased use of games and immersive technologies in education, it is important to gain a better understanding of the effectiveness of games for different student groups. This study focused on the role of students' socio‐economic status (SES) and examined whether SES was associated with in‐game performance and whether interest and self‐efficacy mediated potential associations between SES and in‐game performance. Since log data are increasingly used to predict learning outcomes and can provide valuable insights into individual behaviour, in‐game performance was assessed with the use of log data. In total, 276 early secondary school students participated in this study. The results indicate that SES has no direct or indirect effect through self‐efficacy and interest on in‐game performance. However, a lower self‐efficacy increased the likelihood to drop out of the game. These findings suggest that students from different socio‐economic backgrounds are equally interested and self‐efficacious while playing the game and that their performance is not affected by their background. The affordances of AR as an immersive learning environment might be motivating enough to help mitigate possible SES differences in students. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topic Digital games are an effective tool to increase motivation and learning outcomes of students.Students' self‐efficacy and situational interest influence learning outcomes and in‐game performance.It is unclear whether digital games are equally effective for students with different socio‐economic status.What this paper adds Socio‐economic status (SES) of students does not affect in‐game performance.Students with different SES are equally interested and self‐efficacious.Lower self‐efficacy and lower school track influence the likelihood of dropout.Implications for practice and/or policy Socio‐economic status does not fortify the possible performance differences between students and games can be utilized as a learning tool that motivates all students equally.There are students who do not optimally benefit when games are implemented in education and who may need additional support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distinguishing feature of intelligent game-based learning environment is its capacity for assisting stealth assessment. Stealth assessment gathers data regarding student competency in an invisible way and enables drawing valid inferences with respect to student knowledge. Stealth assessment might radically extend the impact and scope of learning analytics. Stealth assessment describes the unobtrusive assessment of learner by using emergent data from the digital traces in electronic learning environment via machine learning technology. This study presents a new stealth assessment model using ensemble learning for inferring the student competency in a game-based learning (GBL) environments, named ELSAM-GBL technique. To perform automated and accurate stealth assessment, this study focuses on the design of ensemble learning model by the incorporation of three DL models, namely gated recurrent unit (GRU), sparse auto encoder (SAE), and vanilla recurrent neural network (RNN). At the same time, the hyperparameter tuning of the DL models takes place using the atomic orbital search (AOS) optimization algorithm, which helps in improving the ensemble learning process. To demonstrate the enhanced stealth assessment performance of the ELSAM-GBL technique, a comprehensive experimental analysis is conducted. The comparative study shows the enhanced performance of the presented ELSAM-GBL technique over other DL models in terms of different metrics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Misinformation and fake news are severe threats to society. The role of critical reading skills is crucial in the battle against misinformation. Despite the promising results of game-based interventions to mitigate the effects of misinformation, the corpus of research on games supporting critical reading skills needs an overview. Therefore, a systematic literature review was conducted to analyze how games have been used to tackle misinformation and reveal game design trends. A total of 15 papers eventually met the defined inclusion criteria and were analyzed. The review revealed that the use of games in critical reading education had emerged recently and focused mainly on fake news. Most games were grounded on inoculation theory and consequently designed to expose players to weakened doses of the misinformation manipulation techniques to build resistance against them. So far, the games have been studied mainly in informal settings and with adult participants. The median sample size was 196, and the median playing time was 15 min across the studies reported in the papers. Although all the reviewed papers reported positive outcomes, the game-based learning research on the critical reading domain is not yet mature enough to generalize findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning (GBL) is widely utilised in various domains and continues to receive interest and attention from researchers and practitioners alike. However, there is still a lack of empirical evidence concerning its effectiveness, making GBL evaluation a critical undertaking. This paper proposes an integrated approach for planning and executing GBL evaluation studies and presents its application by evaluating the effectiveness of a GBL approach to improve the Arabic reading skills of migrant refugee children in an informal learning setup. The study focuses on how children's age group, learning modality preference, and prior mobile experience affect their learning, usability, and gameplay performance. A quasi-experiment with a one-group pretest-posttest design was conducted with 30 children (5–10 years old) from migrant refugee backgrounds. The results show a statistically significant improvement in their reading assessment score. The results also outline a clear impact of children's age groups on their learning gain, usability score, and total levels played. Moreover, learning modality preference and prior mobile experience both had a statistically significant effect related to usability and gameplay performance parameters. However, no effect was found on learning gain. Based on the findings, some design recommendations are suggested for more inclusive design focusing on user characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious games, board games, and well-designed commercial video games represent emerging technologies that have been utilized by instructors to help students develop systems thinking skills. In this paper, the author proposes an innovative pedagogical framework that can support educators using digital game-based learning in higher education. By following a series of steps and activities, university instructors can successfully integrate digital gameplay in their classrooms and align course content with gameplay objectives. Game-based environments for learning offer a glass box approach that can explain how and why these technologies can be suitable for teaching complex competencies like systems thinking skills in a variety of academic contexts. The glass box instructional approach can provide researchers with student data that can be used during gameplay to help students develop competencies and adapt instructional strategies that can tailor the game environment to improve student performance. Successfully implementing digital game-based learning in university classrooms requires a methodical instructional approach that can support both novice and expert technology using educators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article we present a web-based e-book used in educational context for teaching road safety to first grade students. The tool is a collection of situations that are presented in a game-based form. The players solve each situation in order to receive points. At the end of the course there is a final evaluation based on the training gaming situations. We use Unity game engine and WebGL for the development of the educational tool. In addition, the tool is cross-compiled for android mobile devices. We evaluate the learning effectiveness of the web-based tool via the t-test, analyze the results and draw conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effects of an educational intervention grounded in gamified game-based learning on attention, relevance, confidence, satisfaction, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, as well as academic performance, utilizing the ARCS motivational design model. This study involved 384 undergraduates across three physical activity and sport sciences courses. The experimental group, consisting of 287 students, was further divided into competitive (n = 142) and noncompetitive (n = 145) subgroups, while the control group comprised 97 students. Data collection was conducted using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ), Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS), and academic performance assessments. The findings of this study revealed significant disparities in the ARCS dimensions between the intervention and control groups. The experimental groups displayed notably lower scores in attention, relevance, confidence, and satisfaction. The intervention had a significant impact on students’ perceptions of intrinsic goals and task value, and it exerted a moderate influence on extrinsic goals. No statistically significant impact on conceptual knowledge was observed. These findings suggest that integrating the gamified digital game-based learning (DGBL) approach with the ARCS model can effectively enhance students' motivation, academic performance, and practical knowledge in higher physical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Research into transgressive play experiences in games has grown in recent years. In this article, we explore the potential for transgressive play to be constructive in multiplayer settings—something we conceptualize as "benevolent transgression." Aim: This article describes the presence and appeal of benevolent transgressive play experiences in the tabletop role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons [D&D]. Research Methods: In 2021, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, we conducted focus group discussions (3 groups, 14 participants, aged 24–55) and an online survey (354 participants, aged 18–63) with current D&D players to better understand what play experiences were meaningful and appealing for them—in consideration of the game's contemporary resurgence. Key Finding and Discussion: Our qualitative analysis focuses on participant responses that described the presence and appeal of transgressive play that knowingly challenges player boundaries or game boundaries, what we term benevolent transgression. We propose two key factors that we believe enable it—1) player agency and 2) collaborative negotiation —and briefly discuss benevolent transgression in consideration of game-based learning [GBL]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious games are an emerging tool for teaching and learning within medical education. These games can be used to facilitate learning or to demonstrate complex concepts in short bursts of interactive learning. This educator's blueprint will provide 10 strategies for creating a serious game, focusing on card and board games. These strategies include creating a project charter; determining the nature of the game; establishing game mechanics; selecting the best medium; prototyping and playtesting; reviewing sensitivity to equity, diversity, and inclusion; reviewing and refining content; funding game development, manufacture, and distribution; marketing and publicizing the game; and future‐proofing the game. This blueprint hopes to help aspiring serious game designers and educators to conceptualize the steps for successfully creating a new serious game for medical education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the concept of flipped classrooms continues to gain interest across disciplines, more research is needed to strengthen the instructional design by integrating active learning strategies and emerging technologies. Among various possibilities, little is known about how game‐based learning combined with Augmented Reality (AR) can be effectively infused into language education to establish supportive flipped learning contexts. Objectives: This study thus proposed an AR‐enhanced game‐based learning (ARGBL) approach, featuring the use of an augmented board game to engage students actively in classroom activities. It further compared the effects of the proposed approach with traditional game‐based learning on the students' vocabulary acquisition and creative thinking as they were instructed to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) in flipped classrooms. Methods: A quasi‐experimental design was adopted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed approach to promote the students' participation in flipped in‐class activities, thereby improving their learning outcomes. Participants were recruited from two classes of the same undergraduate course, one of which was designated as the experimental group to take part in game‐based learning activities in class by playing an AR‐enhanced board game, and the other as the comparison group to learn by playing a paper‐and‐pencil game with identical puzzle content. The desired student learning outcomes were measured by pre‐ and post‐intervention vocabulary tests and creative thinking tests, supplemented by individual interviews. Results: Results indicated that the students in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts in vocabulary acquisition and creative thinking. They also expressed positive perceptions of the augmented game‐based learning experience in the flipped EFL classroom. Take Away: ARGBL can be a promising approach to improving student learning, and it is particularly beneficial to the design of classroom activities in flipped learning contexts due to its affordances for enriched content visualization and active learner engagement through gameplay. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Flipping the classroom is becoming prevalent in education, and researchers have stressed the need to move beyond comparing the outcomes of flipped and non‐flipped settings in order to advance innovation and examine the effectiveness of instructional design.Recent research has shown positive effects of using AR technology for content delivery, with location‐based context‐aware applications being more commonly applied in language education, while the potential of image‐based AR also warrants research attention.Learning by playing games has been considered an engaging strategy that provides benefits for learner engagement, but not all game genres have been fully studied. What this paper adds: This study proposed an ARGBL approach, applying image‐based AR to augment board gaming activities in class when the classroom was flipped.The ARGBL approach was found to significantly improve the students' English vocabulary acquisition.The ARGBL approach was found to significantly enhance the students' creative thinking development. Implications for practice: The innovative merger of image‐based AR and physical board gaming pieces into a hybrid form of mediation, namely the AR‐enhanced board game, likely encouraged face‐to‐face interaction of meaningful language use in flipped in‐class activities, thereby leading to the vocabulary growth and creative thinking development of EFL learners.The effectiveness of the ARGBL approach should be considered as an integrated whole with a holistic understanding of the interplay between the AR technology and the active learning strategy through gameplay in the broader pedagogical context of flipped classrooms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advances in visualisation techniques provide new ways for us to explore how we introduce complex topics like remote sensing to non-specialist audiences. Taking inspiration from the popularity of augmented reality (AR) apps, a free, mobile digital AR app titled SatelliteSkill5, has been developed for both Androids and iPhones in Unity AR. SatelliteSkill5 helps users conceptualise remote sensing (RS) theory and technology by showcasing the potential of datasets such as multispectral images, SAR backscatter, drone orthophotography, and bathymetric LIDAR for tackling real-world challenges, with examples tackling many of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the focus. Leveraging tried and tested pedagogic practices such as active learning, game-based learning, and targeting cross-curricular topics, SatelliteSkill5 introduces users to many of the fundamental geospatial data themes identified by the UN as essential for meeting the SDGs, imparting users with a familiarity of concepts such as land cover, elevation, land parcels, bathymetry, and soil. The SatelliteSkill5 app was piloted in 12 Irish schools during 2021 and 2022 and with 861 students ranging from 12 to 18 years old. This research shows that both students and teachers value learning in an easy-to-use AR environment and that SDGs help users to better understand complex remote sensing theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escape rooms in medical education are a novel, game-based learning approach for teaching medical topics. In these escape rooms, learners complete a sequential series of medical-themed puzzles leading them to "escape" a specific story. Designing puzzles can be anxiety-provoking and may be the gatekeeper for educators in medicine to create their own escape rooms. Though there have been publications on the importance and methods of building a healthcare-themed-escape room, there is a gap in the literature on designing puzzles to teach specific learning objectives successfully. In this Scholarly Perspective, the authors share puzzle ideas and support tools and use Bloom's taxonomy as the framework to teach educators how to design challenging and engaging escape room puzzles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaningful gamification is the use of game elements and play to build engagement and help learners find personal connections in real-world settings. This study examined the impact of meaningful gamification design on preservice teachers' perceptions, performance, and motivation levels within a gamified lesson planning unit. Participants were enrolled in a language arts teacher preparation course at a regional campus over five semesters. Results show meaningful gamification incorporating mastery learning and leveled curriculum created a learning condition where preservice teachers surpassed expectations and felt intrinsically motivated. Challenges to gamification included waiting on feedback and learning within a new format. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Even though game elements can increase motivation and engagement, they also might distract learners and thereby decrease performance and learning outcomes. In the current study, we investigated the effects of intrinsically integrated game elements on performance and learning outcomes. In a pre-post training study, 85 adult participants were randomly assigned either to the game-based or non-game-based training condition. Participants trained their fraction magnitude understanding with digital number line estimation tasks on five consecutive days (á 15–20 min). The learning outcomes were evaluated using a paper-based number line estimation task. While participants in both the game-based and non-game-based condition improved their fraction magnitude understanding from pretest to posttest, their improvement did not differ significantly. However, during the training, participants in the game-based condition responded more accurately but were slower than those in the non-game-based condition. The current results suggest that game elements might increase participants' cognitive engagement and change their priorities or strategies (i.e., accuracy over speed) during learning. Nevertheless, better training performance did not lead to superior learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning is an educational approach aimed at acquiring knowledge through the use of play. There are various studies that note the effectiveness of playing as an educational tool and the use of digital platforms as a tool that can increase its effectiveness. We wanted to investigate whether a game-based learning approach may determine an improvement in Italian as a foreign language in terms of vocabulary expansion. The sample consists of 48 Ukrainian children between 6 and 7 years old. There were 24 female children and 24 male children in the sample, divided into two groups: the control group (Gr1) learnt Italian through frontal lessons (traditional approach), the experimental group (Gr2) learnt Italian through games and activities (game-based learning). The results have shown that the experimental group had a major increase in Italian vocabulary. However, both groups had an increase in this sense. Game-based learning remains an effective and promising educational approach, but other variables must be taken into account. Furthermore, the scarcity of literature on foreign language learning through game-based learning creates the need for more studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Educational games are becoming increasingly prevalent. Recently, adaptive game-based learning to accommodate diverse learners has received considerable attention. The current study aims to explore the effect of adaptive scaffolding from a multidimensional engagement perspective. A total of 61 students from a Taiwan secondary school studied Newton's laws in a computer-based interactive game environment. The students were assigned to either a fixed scaffolding group or an adaptive scaffolding group to test the effect of adaptive scaffolding. The findings suggest that adaptive scaffolding can have a significant effect on students' learning performance and engagement. The study offers significant implications for the design and integration of adaptive scaffold to promote learning engagement in digital game-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores and sheds light on how various designs of game-based learning materials benefit music education. The developed games followed Gordon's music skill learning sequence of discrimination, and aimed to teach listening and visual skills for the middle C octave. Two genres of game-based learning materials were proposed, one with most game design features and the other which excluded most game mechanisms but retained simple gamification features. A total of 34 elementary school students participated in the experiment and were separated into three groups to learn music with the game-based learning materials. The pros and cons of using various music game-based learning materials for learning performance and learning motivation are summarized. The findings suggest that teachers could adopt the simple version game as a course assisting tool to enable immediate game interaction with students in formal music classes, and the full version game could be provided to learners for after-class informal learning. Besides, the full version could be a trigger for advanced learners to challenge themselves, whereas the simple version would be good for novice learners to acquire the targeted music content more smoothly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Managing passenger information during disruption (PIDD) is a significant factor in running effective and quick-to-recover rail operations. Disruptions are unpredictable, and their timely resolution is ultimately dependent on the expert knowledge of experienced frontline staff. The development of frontline employees by their employers usually takes the form of practice reviews and 'on-the-job' learning, while academic education majors on theoretical approaches and classroom-based teaching. This paper reports on a novel industry-funded project that has developed a serious game (the 'Rail Disruption Game') that combines theory and practice to better manage PIDD for frontline staff in a UK train operating company (TOC). It defines challenges and the development method for the Rail Disruption Game; it also incorporates developer and user feedback. This paper provides insight into how to design, make and deploy a serious game as part of a gamified management process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores lecturers' perceptions and suggestions on integrating gamified lessons in Malaysian higher institutions. The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the norm of traditional classroom teaching by accelerating digital integration amongst educators and necessitating the need to address classroom gamification. To further understand educators' perceptions, we conducted in-depth interviews with 25 lecturers. We thematically analyzed the interviews by following the steps undertaken by Braun and Clarke (2006) to identify the emerging themes. The findings determine that educators found gamification suitable in teaching and learning activities during the set induction, reinforcement and assessment of specific skills. Several misconceptions also evident in this study. We conclude that although educators are familiar with gamification, they have not fully utilized the strength of gamification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-Based Language Learning (GBLL) has been proven an effective approach tool to improve learning and has become a widely used teaching aid to maintain engagement and motivation in learners. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to identify the framework elements of Game-Based Arabic Language Learning (GBALL) for Dyslexic Children. Although previous research has addressed various guidelines and frameworks for educational tools in Arabic language learning, however, only few studies focus on dyslexic children. The methodology used in this paper is Systematic Literature Review (SLR) by Kitchenham (2004) and Kitchenham and Charters (2007). A selection of relevant research was performed to achieve the research objectives. The selected online open sources databases involved as are primary resources: Google Scholar, ResearchGate, UM Student Repository, Open Access Theses and Dissertation (OATD). Scientific publications and journals, conference proceedings, and technical papers are found in well-known online databases that include a complete citation and reference analysis. Based on a systematic review process, the researchers reported and discussed findings with possible future research directions. A total of 18 studies were selected, which revealed two themes: the multimedia elements of game-based language learning for dyslexic children and the Arabic language learning elements for dyslexic children. The results of this study can be applied as a guideline for educational tools for dyslexic children in Arabic language learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Libraries have started incorporating game-like elements into their services, while the latter have added gamebased facilities to their collections. Now a days, Gamification is a well-known concept in education and marketing. It entails incorporating game-like features into a certain process. It can serve to attract people's attention, interest them in a specific activity, and affect their behaviour. Gamification can be used to grab library users' attention, engage them in game-like library activities, and impact their overall library user behaviour. Ten years of data from 2013 to 2023 was extracted from Web of Science, and R Software (Biblioshiny) has been used for visualising the extracted data. Findings are mainly based on indicators like-most relevant sources, authors, globally cited documents, affiliations, country scientific production, three field plot, word growth, keyword plus and co-occurrence network. This study emphasises the importance of Gamification in library culture as it motivates users and makes learning more engaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The issue of climate refugees needs urgent attention at global level. After illustrating the complex relationship between climate change and migration, this article analyzes the issue of climate refugees from a socio-political and legal point of view, arguing for the need to address this issue both at regional and international level but also to discuss the issue directly with citizens through the innovative approach of game-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Escape room-based learning is a new educational game-based learning trend which embeds student learning within an exciting escape room scenario. Ordinarily these educational escape rooms are in a table-top format which involves learners decoding clues together around a table. In the age of a global pandemic [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)] with stringent social distancing and lock-downs, this normal game modality was not possible and so an alternate online approach was required. Thus, this paper aims to study escape room activities during global pandemics. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the authors outline how these escape room activities have been taken online, in an synchronous virtual environment and evaluate the student perception of these escape rooms, in contrast to previous cohorts of students who completed escape rooms together in person. Findings: The authors' results indicate that although students enjoy the escape room game-based learning environment, the remote nature of the activity means the students take longer to solve the puzzles. The students are also more likely to struggle in the activity and find them less engaging than the in-person escape room challenges. Originality/value: Although educational escape rooms have been devised for a variety of subjects and can be run through several different modalities (table-top, full rooms and online), this study compares different modalities (online vs table-top) for identical puzzles taken over different cohorts of students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we use two sensors – Kinect v 2.0 and Tobii 5.0 in order to detect and measure the attention levels of primary school students during the road safety educational classes. We use custom-developed road safety serious games for conducting the experiments with students in primary schools. One of the evaluation tools is a web-based e-book – a digital representation of a traditional textbook. The other tool is a 3D virtual platform for safety on the road. Both tools are developed using Unity 3D. Finally, we compare the selected road safety educational tools, discuss their strengths and weaknesses and draw conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates whether using My Math Academy, which provides personalized content and adaptive embedded assessments to support existing curricula, can improve learning outcomes and engagement for kindergarten and first grade students (N = 505 treatment, 481 control). Findings indicate that students using My Math Academy made significant learning gains in math relative to children who did not. More skills mastered in My Math Academy was associated with greater learning gains on the external assessment, with the greatest impacts among students with lower levels of math knowledge, where there was more room for growth and on the most difficult skills. Teachers surveyed found My Math Academy easy to use in their classrooms and recognized it as a valuable learning resource that supplemented their existing curricula to improve students' engagement, motivation, and confidence in learning math. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting a pretest–posttest experimental design with repeated measures, this study examined the effects of three types of game-based learning supports in the form of modeling on knowledge development that contributed to successful math problem solving and students' perceived game flow. Forty-one sixth-grade students participated in the study and played a 3D architecture game that aims to promote mathematical conceptual understanding and problem solving skills, and presented with different types of learning supports (i.e., conceptual knowledge only, procedural knowledge only, and the combination of the two). No significant effect of the types of supports was found on participants' perceived game flow. However, there was a significant impact of support type on participants' performance on two posttests. The results indicated that the learning support with procedural knowledge only, compared with the learning support with both conceptual and procedural knowledge as well as that with conceptual knowledge only, was significantly more effective in promoting students' knowledge acquisition related to mathematical problem solving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a questionnaire-based study conducted at the "Vasile Alecsandri" University of Bacău, Romania. The study aimed at identifying students' perception of the impact of educational games on their social emotional skills. The objectives of the study are: O1. to highlight the connection between game-based learning and social emotional learning skills; O2. to identify students' perceptions of the effects of learning games on their social-emotional learning skills in the context of online education; O3. to systematise the main arguments for using learning games to build social-emotional learning skills. A questionnaire consisting of a series of closed questions answered by 200 students from different study programmes was used for data collection. The results obtained made it possible to determine both students' perceptions of the impact of educational games on their professional and personal development and to formulate suggestions for the use of games to build social-emotional learning skills in higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the state of mobile game-based learning in the field of cultural heritage education. Design/methodology/approach: A bibliometric methodology based on scientific mapping and an analysis of co-words was used. The scientific production on this field of study indexed in Scopus was analyzed. The analysis included a total of 725 publications. Findings: The results show that the National Research Council of Italy is the institution with the highest volume of production. Among the journals, the Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage stands out. In addition, in the analysis of the structural and thematic development of co-words, a low percentage of keyword matching was observed. The research is currently mainly oriented to pedagogical methods, especially game-based learning, gamification and the use of serious games, although these are not the only trends in this field. Research is also focusing on virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. Originality/value: This work is an exploratory and novel study that analyzes the publications to date on mobile game-based learning in cultural heritage education. In theoretical terms, this can serve as support so that other researchers interested in this field can access the information highlighted in this work. From a practical perspective, this work will contribute to the promotion of new innovative actions in cultural heritage education to satisfy the demands of a learning group increasingly familiar with games technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In recent years, the importance of emotions in learning has been increasingly recognized. Applying emotional design to induce positive emotions has been considered a means to enhance the instructional effectiveness of digital learning environments. However, only a few studies have examined the specific effects of emotional design in game‐based learning. Objectives: This quasi‐experimental study utilized a value‐added research approach to investigate whether emotional design applied to scaffolding in a game‐based learning environment improves learning and motivational outcomes more than emotionally neutral scaffolding. Methods: A total of 138 participants, mean age of 11.5 (SD = 0.73) participated in the study. A total of 68 participants played the base version of a fraction learning game (Number Trace), where scaffolding was provided with emotionally neutral mathematical notations, and 70 participants played the value‐added version of the game using emotionally designed animated scaffolding agents. Pre‐and post‐tests were used to measure conceptual fraction knowledge and self‐reported measures of situational interest and situational self‐efficacy to evaluate motivational outcomes. Results and Conclusions: Our results indicate that the emotional design applied to scaffolds can improve the educational value of a game‐based learning environment by enhancing players' situational interest and situational self‐efficacy. However, although the intervention improved the participants' conceptual fraction knowledge, there was no significant difference between the scaffolding conditions in participants' learning outcomes. Takeaways: The results suggest that emotional design can increase the educational impact of game‐based learning by promoting the development of interest, as well as improving self‐efficacy. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter: Learning games that include scaffolding can enhance learning outcomes.Emotional design can enhance learning outcomes.Only a few studies have examined effects of emotional design in game‐based learning.There are no studies examining the effects of emotional design of scaffolding. What this paper adds to this: The study is the first to examine the effects of emotionally designed scaffolds in game‐based learning.Emotional design applied to scaffolds did not enhance learning more than emotionally neutral scaffolds.Emotional design applied to scaffolds enhanced participants' situational interest and situational self‐efficacy. The implications of study findings for practitioners: The study confirms that math games that include number line mechanics and scaffolding can be effective.The results demonstrated that emotional design of scaffolds did not harm learning.The results confirm that emotional design of instructional features is useful as it can enhance motivational outcomes.Learning effects of emotionally designed features should be examined with longer interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is challenging to comprehend abstract information on a scientific topic. In essence, AR could display abstract scientific information excitingly and graphically, improving the students' learning interests and performance. Their critical engagement could be enhanced further through AR's visualisation capability, achieved via active learning in an AR-game environment. Hence, this paper proposed and described a reflection on a mobile AR game, ARCell, involving cell biology. This game is designed to help students learn about the structures of animals and plant cells via an AR tapping game and a quiz module. This study recruited thirty-two participants. The usability results showed that the game was practical and highly developed, predicated on the different usability factors. They were keen on more educational content on biology, which included challenging game features in the AR game module. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Game-based learning plays an important role in all education and learning processes, including higher education nowadays. In the course, Mathematical Analysis, offered during the first semester, all students studying informatics learn about sequences of real numbers, convergence, and limits. These concepts are of key importance to understand advanced mathematical concepts and successfully complete advanced courses. Based on the benefits of game-based learning we came up with the idea of LimStorm that helps study groups of 4-10 students to learn and practice the limits of sequences of real numbers. In our paper we introduce a self-developed application which is suitable for generating decks of mathematical didactic card games, for example the deck of LimStorm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. The study aims to explore the current state of digital game-based learning to reflect the extent, possibilities, opportunities, and limitations of its implementation in the specific field of education as visual art, especially photography. Method. The explorative study employed the method of theoretical analysis of available literature and other secondary sources related to the issue, and subsequently applied the method of an illustrative (descriptive) case study. Results. Photo modes of commercially available digital games, originally intended to increase the players' retention and participation, have led to the birth of a new art form, virtual photography. The technology of photo modes in a larger variety of recent games has made virtual photography available to significantly more players. Photo modes provide artistic control and creative options alongside a whole catalogue of lenses, camera parameters, and other features, reducing the financial burden associated with the purchase of photographic equipment. Furthermore, photo modes offer more than just a substitutable alternative to traditional photography, as added artistic value is found within virtual worlds. Conclusions. Despite some limitations regarding the overall implementation of digital game-based learning in photography classrooms, photo modes of commercially available digital games are a suitable tool for educational efforts in photography through both self-development and measurement of outcome-based learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The teaching and learning needs of the 21st century have changed significantly from those a few decades ago. Changing economic conditions, new technologies, and labor market demands have changed the competency expectations. There is an increasing emphasis on independent creative work, critical thinking, and collaboration. Competence development and effective education of both children and adults is a central issue in pedagogy. An appropriate tool for this is games, which is an internal learning method for man. Playing is a genetically encoded activity that does not need to be taught and is not necessary to encourage in the case of a healthy child. Our research focuses on the methods of game-based education, and we explored what effective teaching and development approaches are there through games and how cognitive skills can be developed. During our work, we develop and test various movement-based and board games, about which we conduct surveys and practical examinations. From this, we have concluded that at the present which are the games that perform best in competency development and individual development in general. The research result here to be presented is based on the Castle of Mind (COM) board game we have created which, besides being an enjoyable game, also functions as an educational aid and development tool. Based on our research results, playing with COM effectively develops concentration, logic, relationship insight, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The game is one way to develop competencies effectively and in a lifelike way through playing, which is a very effective development tool. We found that game-based learning is a viable and effective competence development method for both children and adults, provided that the basic rules of the game are contained in the rules or framework of the educational method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creativity mindset (CM), grit, and self-determination have been defined as critical motivational variables affecting learners' self-efficacy. Therefore, this study pioneers the examination of the relationship between these motivational variables and creativity self-efficacy (CSE) during game-based learning. A Creativity Mindset Inventory (CMI) and a game-based learning intervention were employed. Participants for developing the CMI were 281 3rd to 6th graders, and those for the intervention were 114 3rd and 4th graders. The result revealed that the CMI included four constructs (growth-internal control, growth-external control, fixed-internal control, and fixed-external control). Moreover, the employed intervention enhanced the children's growth CM and CSE. Regression analysis results suggest that self-determination mediates the influence of growth CM and grit on CSE. Additionally, growth CM, especially the growth-internal control CM, is a powerful predictor of self-determination and CSE. In contrast, fixed CM (the overall fixed CM, the fixed-internal control CM, or the fixed-external control CM) does not have any significant influence on self-determination or CSE. Notably, the findings of this study support that growth CM can be enhanced through a well scaffolded educational game. This study contributes to the field of game-based learning by developing a CM inventory, demonstrating a growth CM intervention, and clarifying influential factors to CSE during game-based training. While game-based learning has become popular among elementary school students, the findings of this study provide important insights into the design of game-based learning and creativity training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Escape rooms in medical education are a novel, game-based learning approach for teaching medical topics. In these escape rooms, learners complete a sequential series of medical-themed puzzles leading them to "escape" a specific story. Designing puzzles can be anxiety-provoking and may be the gatekeeper for educators in medicine to create their own escape rooms. Though there have been publications on the importance and methods of building a healthcare-themed-escape room, there is a gap in the literature on designing puzzles to teach specific learning objectives successfully. In this Scholarly Perspective, the authors share puzzle ideas and support tools and use Bloom's taxonomy as the framework to teach educators how to design challenging and engaging escape room puzzles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Escape rooms are effective educational tools for engaging learners and may serve as a strategy for medication safety training to increase perceived learned safety measures and knowledge retention. Escape rooms are lifelike environments in which participants work together to solve a succession of puzzles to escape a locked room in the allotted time. Novel medication safety training modules such as a pharmacy escape room allow medical errors to be simulated in a team-based, controlled environment focusing on system improvement to establish a culture of safety. This project was conducted to improve medication safety knowledge using a novel pharmacy escape room training module piloted within a large, integrated pharmacy department. Summary Several pilot groups of 2 or more pharmacy employees took part in a virtual medication safety escape room as part of a training module at Advocate Aurora Health between January and March 2021. Participants included pharmacists and pharmacy technicians employed at Aurora St. Luke's Medical Center, Aurora Sinai Medical Center, and Pharmacy Integrated Clinical Services. Assessments were administered before and after completion of the escape room module to evaluate medication safety knowledge and perceived learned safety measures by comparing scores. A total of 101 employees participated in the pharmacy escape room, with an average escape time of 42 minutes. Overall assessment scores before completion of the escape room module ranged from 20% to 86.6%, while those afterwards ranged from 33.3% to 93.3%. Participant feedback was positive, with reports that the novel escape room training module was more engaging and interactive than the alternative online self-paced learning modules. Conclusion Virtual escape rooms can be used as a novel medication safety training module to increase medication safety knowledge and allow medical errors to be simulated in a controlled environment. Incorporating high-reliability tools and tactics into development of the escape room can promote safe medication practices and reinforce principles of high-reliability organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]