Digital game-based learning: Does it improve university students’ learning in an online context?

Abstract

The use of digital game-based resources constitutes an alternative educational practice to improve the teaching-learning process in the context of higher education. This research aims to examine students’ learning when employing serious games (Socrative and Cerebriti) and educational videos based on the video game Assassin’s Creed Odyssey to improve and reinforce their learning. The work was carried out during a semester with university students (N= 171) in an e-learning context. A pre- and post ad hoc learning questionnaire was applied. The results show a positive impact on learning after the didactic experience. Consequently, this work contributes to the scientific community by offering a practical proposal. Utilizing serious games and educational videos within a digital game-based learning framework significantly improves students’ learning in terms of their active, experiential, participatory, autonomous, and meaningful learning, as well as their knowledge and interest in learning key competencies of the 21st century.