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This study presents an evaluation of an online game-based student access, retention, progression and attainment (ARPA) initiative at the University of Kent. The initiative, a narrative-based simulation of a condensed student journey from pre-enrolment to graduation, is designed to prepare and support students in their transition to and participation in Higher Education. Student retention continues to be a perennial issue across the Higher Education sector, and studies have indicated that the more knowledgeable and informed students are about their university environment, the less likely they are to leave before completing their studies. Many institutions have developed interventions with the express purpose of addressing these concerns. Recognising the contextualised and subjective nature of such interventions, a realist evaluative framework was adopted to better understand the initiative under scrutiny, asking what works, for whom and in what circumstances. Participant interviews were utilised to assess the efficacy of the initiative in supporting students and in helping them to navigate often unfamiliar institutional cultures, practices and expectations. A revised programme theory is presented, enabling deeper insight into the merit of the initiative and its overall worth as a mechanism for change within the ARPA paradigm.

Novel community-wide approaches that gamify physical activity through challenges and competition have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about the factors that help or hinder their implementation. This qualitative study aimed to address this gap in the literature by systematically investigating the facilitators (organizational and experiential) and barriers to successful implementation of a community-wide intervention delivered in Gloucester, the United Kingdom. A two-phased process evaluation was conducted. Phase 1 involved the thematical analysis of open question feedback from n = 289 adults. Phase 2 included three focus groups conducted with n = 12 participants. This research showed that promoting the initiative through primary education settings was fundamental to enhancing awareness and participation. Social elements of the intervention were identified as a motivating factor for, and a consequential outcome of, participation. A lack of promotion to wider-reaching proportions of the community was perceived to be a significant barrier to implementation, potentially limiting inclusivity and participation in the activity. Game dynamics, timing, and fears regarding sustainability represented further difficulties to implementation. [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]

The discussions on the future of work are pulled between technological optimism and the increasing concerns regarding the precarity brought about by the gig economy. Often, these scenarios fail to meaningfully engage and account for the workers' experiences, whose agency in effectively shaping their working future is denied and obscured behind discourses of autonomy, entrepreneurship and individual responsibility. In the context of the increased use of gamification strategies by platforms to both monitor and incentivise couriers, this article examines the capacity of playful methods to act as effective forms of engagement and mobilisation amongst gig workers. A workshop with this aim was run online in April 2021, at the end of the third Covid lockdown in the UK, using a role-playing card game with food couriers in Manchester. It drew on ethnographic data to explore how to support empathy and solidarity amongst couriers, how to facilitate the creation of a shared pool of knowledge about the job and how to reconfigure other stakeholders' roles to improve working conditions. We finally offer some ideas to take the game beyond the workshop space suggesting several pathways for the future: a face-to-face game using printed cards, an open-source version of the game and collaborating with trade unions to reach more couriers. [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]

Educational functions of digital games are often seen only in the light of the serious and purposeful activities that aim for learning outcomes, in contrast with noneducational games that are designed for entertainment. The focus of this paper is in studying players’ learning outcomes from playing non-educational games, and how these relate to wellbeing outcomes of playing, and gaming motivation. The data for this study was collected via a survey (N = 1,202) in the United Kingdom and the United States. The survey respondents answered the question regarding what players perceive they have learnt by playing digital games. A generic datadriven qualitative content analysis of the responses to this question yielded 11 categories representing different types of game-based learning outcomes. A consequent cluster analysis suggested three groups of informal game-based learning, which differed in their emphasis on (1) learning persistence, (2) learning practices and community, and (3) learning to perform. Our analyses indicated substantial connections between the learning outcomes and gameplay motives and gameplay activity preferences. Such connections point out how gameplay activity has an inherently close relationship with learning. Moreover, the results yielded significant association between learning outcomes, wellbeing measures, and eudaimonic motives to play digital games. These results indicate that playing games because gaming is aligned with players’ core values and need for self-realization are clear precedents for both wellbeing and learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Through active learning and experiential learning theoretical perspectives, this paper explores the role of gamification on the student experience and student learning of undergraduate business management students in the UK. Design/methodology/approach: To capture the impact of gamification on student experience and student learning during and after the Covid-19 pandemic, data were collected through online surveys with L6 undergraduate students studying during the academic years 2020–2021, 2021–2022 and 2022–2023. Findings: The analysis of the data revealed three core themes: a) gaining practical experience through gamification b) opportunities for peer engagement and active participation and c) development of soft skills and hard skills. Practical implications: Based on the lessons learnt, the paper proposes actions and guidelines for integrating gamification into business management curricula that prepare future business managers and leaders to respond to unforeseen challenges and changes. Originality/value: This study contributes to a series of design suggestions for fellow tutors and practitioners seeking to advance their pedagogical approach to developing agile and resilient future managers and leaders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starting a new position often brings significant stress. Amidst the adjustment to a new job, the increasing prevalence of gamification has revealed mixed effects on work-related factors, notably presenting an unclear impact on employee stress levels. Therefore, this article aims to explore the connection between gamification and occupational stress among new employees. The study involved 575 employees from various fields living in the United Kingdom or the United States who have been working in their new jobs for no longer than one year. The study utilized the Perceived Occupational Stress (POS) scale by Marcatto and colleagues (2021) and a questionnaire based on the GAMEFULQUEST model (Högberg, Hamari, and Wästlund, 2019) to evaluate the overall gameful experience in the work environment. Participants were also given descriptions of eight gamification elements and were asked to assess how frequently they encountered and engaged with these elements in their new roles. The obtained results showed that new employees’ limited interaction with gamification, marked by a low number of gamification elements, rare encounters, and low engagement, contributes to a prediction of higher stress experience. This trend was also observed with perceived challenges and competition in the workplace environment. Finally, gameful experiences related to guidance, social connectedness, accomplishments, and playfulness predicted lower stress scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common pitfalls in quantitative research were examined with two audiences using a Game-Based Learning (GBL) approach to support the engagement and interaction of participants. The researcher asked the UK mathematics and statistic community to determine the game's answers. This approach ignited an enthusiasm to discover the benefits, which was later delivered at the CETL/MSOR annual conference. The paper explores the design and delivery of the Game-based learning session and evaluates how this action research can benefit teaching quantitative concepts in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the creation of the Global IPE Collaboration Model (gIPE) by seven higher educational institutions in Hong Kong, China . Topics discussed include the emergence of interprofessional education (IPE) as a widely accepted approach to promoting cross-disciplinary collaboration within universities, importance of embracing diverse perspectives and expertise, and lessons learned from the approach.

This paper provides a conceptual theoretical review of participatory turn and gamification from a United Kingdom (UK) perspective. Democratic deficit is a perennial problem in urban-planning systems due to the number of causal factors. Participatory practices and gamification are two instruments that can be used to help alleviate low democratic responsiveness. The paper articulates how there are different ways of knowing and assessing community priorities and values -- people need increased consciousness and self-confidence to participate. The UK case studies that are discussed have made a significant contribution by providing useful insights regarding the benefits and limitations of participatory practices and gamification. For example, 'Participology' and 'Geogopoly' have clear participatory gamification benefits even though they are unable to include decision-maker accountability or recreate real-life power relationships. This paper posits that the use of participatory practices and/or gamification as policy levers (specifically in UK urban-planning processes) will herald a shift in the balance of power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Increasingly, dental education is using digital strategies to deliver teaching; however, not all of these learning materials are engaging and effective. Aim: To evaluate the perception and knowledge retention of undergraduate dental students after using two different digital learning tools: quizzes and PDF. Methods: Thirty‐three students from a Dental School in the United Kingdom took part in the research. They received learning material derived from the Prosthodontic (Kennedy classification) or Paediatric dentistry content (Tooth classification). The same content was delivered in two different formats: quiz game (n = 17) and PDF file (n = 16). The PDF file had ten images and their classifications, whilst the quiz had the same images with a question about the classification, along with alternatives (single best answer). Results: All students gave similar performances on the knowledge assessment; however, their perception about the learning material differed. Students using quizzes (88%) agreed that they were fun and an interesting way of learning, while only 37.5% had this opinion about PDF material (p =.002). When using quizzes, learners were more motivated and confident. They would frequently recommend quizzes to other colleagues; however, the use of PDF was not suggested as frequently (p =.039). As a learning strategy, 100% of the students using quizzes wanted more of the same to study other dental subjects. This was not the case with the PDF format (p =.005). Conclusion: Despite quizzes and PDF files resulting in a similar understanding of dental subjects, learners prefer quizzes to supplement their studies. Educators should consider using this interactive digital tool to engage students, instead of PDF files. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contemporary warehouses are key links in the supply chains in competitive global business environments and with rapidly evolving trends in technology they need to adapt to the evolving needs of customers. Gamification recently emerged as a potential means of improving employee engagement leading to increased operational efficiency. This article therefore explores the perspectives of warehouse managers in the UK on gamification of warehousing activities. The findings suggest that gamification is applicable in the warehousing context with potential benefits such as improved worker engagement, increased morale and productivity, enforced competition, increased accuracy, and skills development. However, there are also significant barriers to effective implementation – these include resource constraints, gamification efficacy over time, ethical considerations, and ensuring fairness for all players. The findings from this study provide some valuable insights, thereby providing a rational basis for potentially fruitful future research in this area of growing interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrition label education promotes healthier diets via the use and understanding of this information, whilst gamification of nutrition education is already known to influence knowledge acquisition and health-related behavioural change among younger people. Evaluate the feasibility of a nutrition label education intervention with school students which features a new computer game "Food Decisions" where players can make food choices using virtual products in various settings; assess potential for enjoyable learning and impact on confidence and knowledge mediators of healthier food choices. A non-controlled, pre-post experimental intervention delivered at a UK secondary school by Teachers and Researchers to students in Year 10 (14 yrs old) in January 2023. The Intervention includes a 1-hour classroom nutrition label education session and individual computer game play. All 30 pupils in the year group were invited to participate following University ethical approval. Pre and post-questionnaire instruments adapted from validated tools were used to assess confidence (10 point scale) and knowledge (% correct quiz answers) of making healthier choices (MHC) and levels of perceived learning and enjoyment playing the game (five point "emoji" scales). Descriptive statistics and pre-post mean differences were analysed using paired t-tests and Chi-Squared. Consent was obtained for 27 pupils, with 20 participants' submitting both pre and post questionnaires (94% White British, 56% female, 93% played computer games at least once a week). Most participants' perceived the game was "fun" (95%) and rated it "really good" (65%). Participants' pre-post levels of confidence in MHC increased significantly (mean difference +3.2, SD 2.3 p<0.05). No differences were found in pre (76% correct) and post (75% correct) levels of knowledge of MHC. This gamified nutrition label education intervention is feasible to use with Year 10 students. There is potential for further development and impact on participants' learning and confidence when using nutrition labels to make healthier choices. UK ESRC Impact Acceleration Account, University of Leeds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2019 a pilot project called 'Homeless Monopoly' evolved in Coventry to investigate how arts methodologies, dramatic scenarios and gamification could be used to raise awareness in young people regarding homelessness. This article investigates the origins and collaborative development of this project, but specifically focuses on how piloting the game in schools, colleges and universities has raised questions about the ways in which resourcefulness and resilience might be taught as adaptive and sustainable strategies through processes of rehearsing and discussing unpredictable challenges, vulnerabilities, support mechanisms and different life outcomes rooted in 'real-world' scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For higher education, the question of how in‐class activities can be supported in large lectures is of great relevance. This paper suggests a gamified flipped classroom approach to address this challenge. In an experimental study, N = 205 educational science students performed either gamified in‐class activities using a gamified quiz with points and a team leaderboard, or non‐gamified in‐class activities using exercise sheets. In line with the theory of gamified learning, the results show a positive indirect effect of gamification on application‐oriented knowledge that is mediated by learning process performance. Furthermore, based on a self‐determination theory framework, the results show positive effects of gamified in‐class activities on intrinsic motivation and social relatedness, but no significant effect on competence need satisfaction. The study provides insights into a particular casual construct of game design elements (points and team leaderboards) triggering specific mechanisms (immediate task‐level feedback and team competition) affecting a mediator (learning process performance) that in turn affects a learning outcome (application‐oriented knowledge). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban exergames are played in the real-world environment using built-in mobile phone sensors. The influence of Pokémon Go on physical activity and sitting time has been examined previously, however limited research has explored motivations for using the application. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore Pokémon Go users' motivations for using the application, exusers' reasons for abandoning the game and non-users' reasons for not installing. After institutional ethical approval, the 'Physical Activity and Pokémon Go' questionnaire was developed using QualtricsTM and distributed using social media soon after launch in the United Kingdom (baseline). At baseline a total of 461 participants (n=193 male, n=265 female, n=3 transgender) who were predominantly white (n=420) and did not self-report a disability (n=443) completed the questionnaire. Users' (n=236) were questioned on their motivations for using Pokémon Go and non-users' provided reasons for not installing. At 3 months a total of 127 participants (n=23 users) completed the questionnaire again and all qualitative data was thematically analyzed. The most commonly reported reason for using Pokémon Go was 'to have fun' which was 86% and 83% at baseline and 3 months respectively. The second most frequent reason at baseline was 'friends were using it' (58%) and at 3 months was 'to be outside' (48%). The least common motivation for using Pokémon Go at both baseline and 3 months was 'to meet new people' (8% and 0% respectively). At baseline, social motives and competition were two general themes which encapsulated Pokémon Go users' motivation for using the application. There were two general themes reported by Pokémon Go users' as to why they did not think they would use the application in the future. These were application related factors and factors unrelated to Pokémon Go. Non-users reported a range of reasons for not using Pokémon Go, including lack of interest and a lack of time. Safety concerns and risk of adverse events were reported by both users and non-users. This is the first study to thematically analyze motives for using Pokémon Go in which the findings are: 1) future smartphone applications aiming to increase physical activity must ensure that objectives evolve to maintain initial interest and motivation to engage with applications; 2) game developers must consider the required phone storage and capability which could be a barrier to downloading; and 3) concerns of using the application including the safety of users and those around them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Mobile phone-based interventions have been proven to be effective tools for smoking cessation, at least in the short term. Gamification, that is, the use of game-design elements in a non-game context, has been associated with increased engagement and motivation, critical success factors for long-term success of mobile Health solutions. However, to date, no app review has examined the use of gamification in smoking cessation mobile apps. Our review aims to examine and quantify the use of gamification strategies (broad principles) and tactics (on-screen features) among existing mobile apps for smoking cessation in the UK., Methods: The UK Android and iOS markets were searched in February 2018 to identify smoking cessation apps. 125 Android and 15 iOS apps were tested independently by two reviewers for primary functionalities, adherence to Five A smoking cessation guidelines, and adoption of gamification strategies and tactics. We examined differences between platforms with χ 2 tests. Correlation coefficients were calculated to explore the relationship between adherence to guidelines and gamification., Results: The most common functionality of the 140 mobile apps we reviewed allowed users to track the days since/until the quit date (86.4%). The most popular gamification strategy across both platforms was performance feedback (91.4%). The majority of apps adopted a medium level of gamification strategies (55.0%) and tactics (64.3%). Few adopted high levels of gamification strategies (6.4%) or tactics (5.0%). No statistically significant differences between the two platforms were found regarding level of gamification (p>0.05) and weak correlations were found between adherence to Five A's and gamification strategies (r=0.38) and tactics (r=0.26)., Conclusion: The findings of this review show that a high level of gamification is adopted by a small minority of smoking cessation apps in the UK. Further exploration of the use of gamification in smoking cessation apps may provide insights into its role in smoking cessation., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)