The literature chosen for this review are empirical, peer-reviewed articles found using the ERIC and EBSCO Education Full-Text databases via Cal State Fullerton Pollak Library. The keywords used in this search were: game-based learning, effects, motivation, student achievement, engagement, and learning effectiveness. To narrow down the process of searching for articles, all of the articles used were published within the last decade. The articles focus on the grade spans of elementary to higher education. The three major themes that emerged were: (a) academic achievement (b) motivation and engagement, and (c) collaboration and cooperation.

Incentives

Providing incentives in game-based learning can motivate users to put their best effort and to perform better in the learning context (Kim et al., 2019). Chen et al. (2016) found that games that incorporate digital badges and leaderboards positively impact students’ self-efficacy. Chen et al. (2019) believes that students who obtain a digital badge receive immediate, positive learning feedback and visible recognition. The student then becomes more motivated and assured that they have the capabilities to reach the goal, which in effect, enhances their self-efficacy (Chen et al., 2019). Chen et al. (2019) also found that the badging systems motivated students toward continued engagement, which then supported their skill acquisition of the learning content, as well as enhanced their self-efficacy.

Chen et al. (2019) also found effectiveness in leaderboards. Students are often competitive in nature and compare themselves with peers in a game. This was found to raise self-efficacy (Chen et al., 2019). Students visibly seeing the leader board motivated the learners to practice more. The more they practiced, the more their learning outcome increased (Chen et al., 2019). Therefore, educators incorporating game-based learning programs which offer incentive designs will positively affect learning performance and growth.

Partovi and Razavi (2019) discuss the benefits game-based learning has in addition to learning and achievement. Game-based learning can promote interaction between peers. Game-based learning has been found to be even more successful when combined with a collaborative approach. Yien et al. (2011) found a significant difference in learning achievement and learning attitudes between three different types of groups receiving game-based learning instruction. One group received game-based learning, while collaboratively completing a repertory grid. One of the control groups received game-based learning collaboratively without the repertory grid, while the other control group received game-based learning and completed the repertory grid individually. Yien et al. (2011) found that the experimental group receiving game-based learning and collaboratively completing the repertory grid had significantly higher learning achievement and learning attitudes than both control groups. The control group receiving collaborative game-based learning also reported higher achievement than the control group who completed the game-based learning activity independently. This finding shows that the collaborative approach helped facilitate their learning performance and was found to be extremely beneficial to students’ learning achievement and learning attitudes. Yien et al. (2011) also found that use of a repertory grid in a collaborative format also enhanced students’ self-efficacy by providing clear objectives for groups to discuss in an efficient way, as well as provide clear expectations for what needed to be completed. By combining game-based learning and collaboration, it will help students develop skills for future careers.

Game-based learning has become increasingly popular in being used for instructional purposes. Researchers have been studying ways to make these games more effective in having students reach learning goals (Chen et al., 2014). For example, students who played mobile games to learn content scored higher on a knowledge test than students who received regular class lessons (Chen et al., 2014). Furthermore, research has looked at the effects of using collaborative modes of game-based learning and solitary modes. Collaborative learning refers to students of various performance levels working together to achieve a learning goal (Chen et al., 2014). When students are working collaboratively, they are required to discuss, reason, and challenge each other’s ideas. Chen et al. (2014) examines the effects of collaborative game-based learning in comparison to students participating individually through game-based learning. They found that collaborative game-based learning increases social interaction and supports the reconfiguration of a student’s schema (Chen et al., 2014). Overall, in regards to learning outcomes, both collaborative and solitary groups did not perform differently on their post-test and found that those who played collaboratively did not necessarily do better in terms of the learning outcomes (Chen et al., 2014). Additionally, students who participated in collaborative and solitary modes of game-based learning had no differences in learning motivation (Chen et al., 2014). In contrast, Eseryl et al. (2014) found that collaborative game-based learning does contribute to a student’s motivation and engagement. It is important to note that collaborative game-based learning provides students with the opportunity to reason abstractly, problem-solve, and promotes the reconstruction of their knowledge schema (Chen et al., 2014). Regardless of collaborative or solitary modes, game-based learning promotes the exploration of learning concepts explicitly and mindfully, but collaborative game-based learning “enriches the learning experience and collective problem solving that brings students to the next level of learning” (Chen et al., 2014, p. 244).

Game-based learning can be an effective tool in educating students. The research has found that gameplay, for learning purposes, has a positive impact on a student’s academic success (Karakoc et al., 2020). Not only is game-based learning engaging and motivating, but it also allows a student’s education to be personalized to meet their needs and learning styles (Partovi & Razavi, 2019). For example, students who experienced math anxiety, in a traditional setting, felt less anxiety when learning through game-based learning (Hung et al., 2014). When used in science, it allowed students to connect with information in a way that traditional methods simply could not (Partovi & Razavi, 2019). Sung and Hwang (2012) state that computer games encourage an inductive reasoning style of thinking, similar to the style of thinking scientists engage in when researching a new topic. With the low interest of students in the area of nutrition, game-based learning was utilized in order to engage students in the learning with positive results (Yien et al., 2012). Liu and Chen (2013) found that after using game-based learning, the majority of students preferred this method of learning and hoped it would continue in the future. As a result of using game-based learning, there has been a positive impact on student achievement by being able to meet the needs of students.

Motivation and engagement are two reasons why teachers are incorporating game-based learning into their curriculum. By providing incentives to get through the game like badges and leaderboards, students gained self-efficacy in the content along with the intrinsic motivation to get better and receive extrinsic rewards for their achievements. Hence, game-based learning is essential in teaching, as it creates a robust learning environment, and engages and motivates students whether they are working collaboratively or alone, to learn in a fun and exciting way (Karakoç et al., 2020). Being more focused on student-centered learning rather than teacher-led instruction is a reason why game-based learning has been shown to lead to higher academic motivation and more positive learning attitudes than traditional methods. When thinking about motivating and engaging students through game-based learning, teachers need to be cognisant of the design of the game in order to promote optimal learning. Some of the things to think about are whether or not the game produces student autonomy, competence, and relatedness, which leads to intrinsic motivation and interest thus resulting in higher engagement (Eseryl et al., 2014). When students are motivated and engaged in what they are learning, this produces a positive attitude about learning which produces academic achievement amongst students.

The implications from this review show that game-based learning is a useful tool for enhancing student learning by motivating and engaging them in the content. Many educators differentiate instruction to meet students’ individual needs; therefore, game-based learning can help provide this kind of instruction through its unpredictable format. Another finding that should be noted had to do with gender in relation to student achievement in game-based learning. Due to the popularity of males playing video games in our society today, one could come to the conclusion that males would be more motivated than females during game-based learning. Lukosch et al. (2017) found that gender does have an impact on game performance and female participants outperformed male participants in certain areas. Although he did find that they differed in the genre of games that they preferred. Another area that future research should examine is game-based rewards and incentives. To what extent do these two components impact student motivation and engagement in game-based learning? The research that was found in this area was fairly new. Another area where there seemed to be a gap in the literature is in the area of metacognition. What part of game-based learning encourages metacognition or learning support? Also, a few of the articles touched on feedback, but only noted that it was important in games in order for players to cease and process what learning is taking place (Erhel & Jamet, 2013). This review focused on how game-based learning affects a student's knowledge of content. As the research revealed, it engages and motivates them in a way that traditional methods can not. Therefore, this is an exceptional tool for teachers to implement within their curriculum.

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