Recently, alternate reality games (ARGs) have been applied in museum learning to encourage learners' active engagement through playful problem-solving activities. However, most learners have insufficient prior knowledge and metacognitive skills to complete the learning tasks in such games. To support learning with ARGs, there is a need to provide…

This study focuses on the development and evaluation of a challenge-based hybrid learning approach utilizing a virtual board games platform to enhance international standard student competency. Our research applies educational management theories to challenge-based learning, providing learners with diverse opportunities for engagement,…

Using game-based learning (GBL) and digital game-based learning (DGBL) as a teaching and learning environment can be a pedagogical resource and a good strategy in the classroom to support mathematical learning (Santos et al., 2023). Even though primary school teachers are demonstrating strong preferences for using non-digital games instead of…

Educational digital escape games (EDEGs) are digital versions of escape rooms where players solve puzzles and complete challenges to achieve educational goals. This study investigates the effects of EDEGs on the academic achievement and motivation of elementary school students in mathematics. Using an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, 45…

Escape rooms have been receiving more attention for use in education. Escape rooms are games in which teams solve multiple puzzles and challenges using clues, hints, and strategy to determine how to escape from a locked room. The implementation of escape rooms has the potential for increasing students' mathematical understanding and engagement.…

Higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) are reliable predictors of success in school and the workplace. A typical technique for encouraging higher-order thinking is to use instructional design interventions that engage learners in simple cognitive activities. Business simulation game (BSG) is one of the types of interactive learning environments that…

This article presents an experience in teaching mathematical thinking through games in a math course for non-science majors. The course described here has run twice on the campus of Sam Houston State University and is a combination of escape room pedagogy and game-based pedagogy. From these courses, I note an increased engagement of students with…

Games are an everyday part of most students' lives. Games engage students and provide opportunities to foster perseverance in problem solving. When implemented in the mathematics classroom, game-based learning can have similar positive benefits. Students can enjoy mathematics and develop important life skills that will help them in their current…

Anatomy plays a key role in veterinary training, and alternatives to traditional teaching methods, such as game-based learning and escape rooms, are emerging as innovative and effective methods. However, the effectiveness of these approaches, particularly in areas such as veterinary anatomy, remains under-researched. The aim of this study was to…

This Spotlight explores effective strategies for improving math instruction and enhancing student achievement in K-8 classrooms. From making math more relevant and engaging and mastering word problem-solving to deepening conceptual understanding of fractions and nurturing students' ability to tackle challenges, these articles offer valuable…

Gamification has a strong track record of improving student engagement and learning in the chemical sciences. Meta-analyses of different approaches to gamification have highlighted that providing a game fiction, encouraging students to work in teams, and breaking games into smaller "quests" are particularly effective. Here, we aimed to…

This qualitative research study explored the procedures and instructional practices of implementing game-based learning within a course and/or curriculum in higher education. Game-based learning is structured to integrate gameplay into a subject matter to increase a student's ability to acquire and apply knowledge to the real world. Furthermore,…

While the development of creativity, or creative thinking, in mathematics is considered important by many researchers, there are several difficulties in implementing creative tasks, especially before secondary school. Within the original context of a mathematical escape game, this paper reports two episodes exemplifying the difficulties met by…

Pattern recognition is an important skill in computational thinking. In this study, an equation puzzle game was developed by combining pattern recognition with algebraic reasoning, and scaffolding was designed to support learners' learning. Sixty participants were enrolled in this study, divided into a control group and an experimental group to…

Teaching second year undergraduate digital electronics is a serious business, designed to impart individual technical mastery. In this paper we attempt to embed several key digital logic concepts within an escape room game. We report results of iteratively piloting our game with academic engineering staff and then used them with students showing…