Comparative Study of Game-Based Epedagogies in an Online Undergraduate Course

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) has shown to be an effective approach to gamifying the learning experience in any course and learning environment. To make learning more active and engaging for students, college faculty can use educational technologies such as game-based student response systems (SRSs) and interactive PowerPoint games as a formative assessment for assessing student learning and improving learning outcomes in their courses. This quasi-experimental research study examined differences among undergraduate elearners' posttest summative scores comparing game-based epedagogies (Socrative vs. interactive PowerPoint game) using the Technological, Pedagogical, Content, and Knowledge (TPACK) theoretical framework. An independent t-test was used to test for differences in summative scores between the Socrative and interactive PowerPoint game group and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups (p < 0.05). Results from the t-test showed that the interactive PowerPoint game group scored significantly higher compared to the Socrative group on the summative assessment. Two recommendations for practice were for higher education leadership to (a) encourage DGBL approaches for teaching and learning for elearners enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, and (b) to encourage college faculty to use game-based epedagogies such as game-based SRSs and interactive PowerPoint games as formative assessments to not only enhance their teaching but also improve student learning outcomes. A recommendation for future research is to conduct a quasi-experimental study with a between-groups design using interactive PowerPoint games to determine the causality of differences based on gender, course subject, and learning modality.