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Education Sciences
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Current Trends in Game-Based Learning
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Current Trends in Game-Based Learning

A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 August 2021) | Viewed by 32934

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Margarida M. Marques

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: innovation in Science Education, specifically technology supported Education (e.g., by mobile devices and augmented reality) and game-based learning; scientific literacy and teacher professional development
Dr. Lúcia Pombo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Centre on Didactics and Technology in the Education of Trainers, Department of Education and Psychology, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
Interests: mobile technologies in education, namely learning enhanced by mobile devices, augment reality and gamification, and teaching methodology in Science Education in formal, non-formal and informal contexts

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

The potential of digital games to promote learning is a growing field of research. Researchers have been extensively analyzing the impact of games on learner motivation and engagement in educational settings [1] and even reporting the contribution of this approach to a diversity of learning outcomes, such as concept understanding [2], [3] and soft skills development [4].

A myriad of technologies can be used to support digital game-based learning; however, this Special Issue of Educational Science focuses on game-based learning supported by mobile devices, a technology with a high penetration rate in our societies, even among the young population. The aim is to collect a set of strong contributions presenting new knowledge on the design, development, implementation, monitoring, and efficacy assessment of game-based learning mobile environments, to promote best practices and the integration of mobile educational games in educational settings.

Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Design and development of mobile game-based learning
  • Efficacy assessment and quality issues in mobile game-based learning
  • Pedagogical models and learning theories in mobile game-based learning
  • Teacher acceptance and adoption of mobile game-based learning
  • Integration of augmented reality or virtual reality in mobile game-based learning
  • Mobile game-based learning in educational settings: formal (K-12, higher education, continuing education, special education, teacher education), non-formal, and informal education; face-to-face, blended and distance education

We welcome the submission of original and unpublished works reporting the latest empirical research findings, relevant theoretical frameworks, and well-structured literature review articles.

Dr. Margarida Morais Marques
Dr. Lúcia Pombo
Guest Editors

References:

[1]   L. Shu and M. Liu, “Student Engagement in Game-Based Learning: A Literature Review from 2008 to 2018,” J. Educ. Multimed. Hypermedia, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 193–215, 2019.

[2]   Y.-L. Huang, D.-F. Chang, and B. Wu, “Mobile Game-Based Learning with a Mobile App: Motivational Effects and Learning Performance,” J. Adv. Comput. Intell. Intell. Informatics, vol. 21, no. 6, pp. 963–970, Oct. 2017.

[3]   L. Pombo and M. M. Marques, “Improving students’ learning with a mobile augmented reality approach – the EduPARK game,” Interact. Technol. Smart Educ., vol. 16, no. 4, pp. 392–406, Nov. 2019.

[4]   S. Kailani, R. Newton, and S. Pedersen, “Game-Based Learning and Problem-solving Skills: A Systematic Review of the Literature,” in Proceedings of EdMedia + Innovate Learning, 2019, pp. 1127–1137.

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Game-based learning
  • Mobile technology
  • Pedagogical models
  • Learning theories
  • Teacher acceptance and training
  • Educational augmented reality
  • Educational virtual reality

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

2 pages, 181 KiB  
Editorial
Current Trends in Game-Based Learning—Introduction to a Special Collection of Research
by Margarida M. Marques and Lúcia Pombo
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(10), 622; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11100622 - 11 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1615
Abstract
The potential of digital games to promote learning is a growing field of research [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

21 pages, 1100 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Teacher Training Using Mobile Augmented Reality Games on Their Professional Development
by Margarida M. Marques and Lúcia Pombo
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(8), 404; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11080404 - 05 Aug 2021
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3575
Abstract
Ongoing technology progress sustains innovative teaching approaches. Mobile devices, augmented reality (AR), and games are a few of the new resources that teachers have at their disposal to promote student learning. However, their effective integration into practices requires training, so there is a [...] Read more.
Ongoing technology progress sustains innovative teaching approaches. Mobile devices, augmented reality (AR), and games are a few of the new resources that teachers have at their disposal to promote student learning. However, their effective integration into practices requires training, so there is a need to analyze the impact of training initiatives on teacher professional development. A case study is being conducted on the development process of mobile AR games for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning by 14 Portuguese in-service teachers in a 50 h workshop. This contribution refers to the analysis of this training’s impact on teacher professional development through a questionnaire filled in at the beginning and end of the workshop. This study registered a higher impact on teachers’ understanding of AR educative use, the less-known approach, compared to mobile and game-based learning. Moreover, teachers became more experienced with these approaches as learners, and reported having explored them with their students during the workshop period. Teacher ability to identify benefits and barriers in these approaches increased with the workshop, particularly the learning that could be promoted with mobile AR games. The presented set of barriers to implementation is relevant to future teacher professional-development initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)
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25 pages, 2726 KiB  
Article
Development of Game-Based M-Learning Apps for Preschoolers
by Dionísia Laranjeiro
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(5), 229; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11050229 - 12 May 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6445
Abstract
Recent studies indicate tablets as the preferred devices of preschool children, due to portability, autonomy of use and variety of apps. There is also extensive evidence of the contributions of digital technologies in different areas of learning at these ages. The Aprender XXI [...] Read more.
Recent studies indicate tablets as the preferred devices of preschool children, due to portability, autonomy of use and variety of apps. There is also extensive evidence of the contributions of digital technologies in different areas of learning at these ages. The Aprender XXI project aimed to develop game-based learning apps, with content recommended in the Curriculum Guidelines for Pre-School Education (CGPE). The project used Design-Based Research (DBR) methodology, which combines scientific research and technological development. It was divided into three phases: preliminary study (literature review, search for existing apps, study of preschool curriculum), development (specifications, scriptwriting, design and programing) and evaluation (tests with users and conclusions). The preliminary study identified the needs to define robust apps. The evaluation with children and educator validated the development and defined improvements in the apps. As a result, we obtained four thematic apps—environment, health, citizenship and professions, composed of a set of games, suitable for autonomous use for children or for educational activities guided by educators in kindergarten. In addition, a website collects children’s play data, which is represented with flowers in a virtual world, to illustrate their participation/collaboration for a better future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)
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23 pages, 7104 KiB  
Article
Application of Virtual Reality in Computer Science Education: A Systemic Review Based on Bibliometric and Content Analysis Methods
by Friday Joseph Agbo, Ismaila Temitayo Sanusi, Solomon Sunday Oyelere and Jarkko Suhonen
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(3), 142; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11030142 - 23 Mar 2021
Cited by 41 | Viewed by 8628
Abstract
This study investigated the role of virtual reality (VR) in computer science (CS) education over the last 10 years by conducting a bibliometric and content analysis of articles related to the use of VR in CS education. A total of 971 articles published [...] Read more.
This study investigated the role of virtual reality (VR) in computer science (CS) education over the last 10 years by conducting a bibliometric and content analysis of articles related to the use of VR in CS education. A total of 971 articles published in peer-reviewed journals and conferences were collected from Web of Science and Scopus databases to conduct the bibliometric analysis. Furthermore, content analysis was conducted on 39 articles that met the inclusion criteria. This study demonstrates that VR research for CS education was faring well around 2011 but witnessed low production output between the years 2013 and 2016. However, scholars have increased their contribution in this field recently, starting from the year 2017. This study also revealed prolific scholars contributing to the field. It provides insightful information regarding research hotspots in VR that have emerged recently, which can be further explored to enhance CS education. In addition, the quantitative method remains the most preferred research method, while the questionnaire was the most used data collection technique. Moreover, descriptive analysis was primarily used in studies on VR in CS education. The study concludes that even though scholars are leveraging VR to advance CS education, more effort needs to be made by stakeholders across countries and institutions. In addition, a more rigorous methodological approach needs to be employed in future studies to provide more evidence-based research output. Our future study would investigate the pedagogy, content, and context of studies on VR in CS education. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)
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23 pages, 2505 KiB  
Article
Mobile App for Science Education: Designing the Learning Approach
by Rita Tavares, Rui Marques Vieira and Luís Pedro
Educ. Sci. 2021, 11(2), 79; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci11020079 - 18 Feb 2021
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5663
Abstract
This paper reports research work related to a wider study, aimed at developing a mobile app for Science Education in primary-school. Several studies reveal that Science Education can be improved by using technology, namely educational software. However, to promote a structured use of [...] Read more.
This paper reports research work related to a wider study, aimed at developing a mobile app for Science Education in primary-school. Several studies reveal that Science Education can be improved by using technology, namely educational software. However, to promote a structured use of technology, innovative learning approaches must be designed for educational software. This paper aims to answer how the interaction between students and a mobile app for Science Education can promote students’ scientific competences development and self-regulated learning. To achieve this, a learning approach was designed, combining the Universal Design for Learning principles, Inquiry-Based Science Education and the BSCS 5E – teaching model for Science Education designed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study, which results in the acronym of the model. The 5E is related to each phase of the model: Engagement; Exploration; Explanation; Elaboration; Evaluation. The proposed was based on a grounded, participatory, and user-centred approach, crossing literature contributions with data collected among primary-school teachers through the application of a questionnaire (n = 118). Data collected allowed deductions about the expected adequacy of the learning approach, according to Nieveen’s criteria for high quality educational interventions. This adequacy was revealed through the teachers’ conceptions about the potential impact of the conceptualized mobile app (i) to provide a comprehensive and practical Science Education learning; and (ii) to enhance students’ scientific competences development and self-regulated learning. The paper aims to contribute to the design of an innovative learning approach in Science Education and to share it with other researchers since it can be expanded to other educational software. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)
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20 pages, 4335 KiB  
Article
The Potential Educational Value of Mobile Augmented Reality Games: The Case of EduPARK App
by Lúcia Pombo and Margarida M. Marques
Educ. Sci. 2020, 10(10), 287; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/educsci10100287 - 16 Oct 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4493
Abstract
New teaching methodologies are nowadays integrating mobile devices, augmented reality (AR), and game-based learning in educational contexts. The combination of these three elements is considered highly innovative, and it allows learning to move beyond traditional classroom environments to nature spaces that students can [...] Read more.
New teaching methodologies are nowadays integrating mobile devices, augmented reality (AR), and game-based learning in educational contexts. The combination of these three elements is considered highly innovative, and it allows learning to move beyond traditional classroom environments to nature spaces that students can physically explore. The literature does not present many studies of this approach’s educational value. The purpose of the study is to present an illustrative case of a mobile AR game in order to analyse its educational value based on the users’ opinion, both teachers and students, and on logs of game results. Through a mixed method approach, the educational value scale was applied to 924 users after playing the EduPARK app in a Green City Park. Results revealed high educational value scores, especially among teachers and students of 2nd and 3rd Cycles of Basic Education (83.0 for both). Hence, this particular software seems to be more suitable for 10–15 years-old students who highlighted motivational features, such as treasure hunting, points gathering, the use of mobile devices in nature settings, and AR features to learn. This study empirically revealed that mobile AR games have educational value, so these specific game features might be useful for those who are interested in creating or using games supported by apps for educational purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Trends in Game-Based Learning)
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