Gamification can strengthen English language skills, improve learners’ attitudes and emotions, and build overall competence (Zhang & Hasim, 2023). In multicultural contexts like Australia, limited English can isolate migrants—especially women—and affect wellbeing. Sport offers a powerful space for connection, belonging, and recovery, but language barriers and fear of mistakes can discourage...
Read MoreThe National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) has launched a new handbook aimed at helping pre-primary and lower primary teachers integrate gamification into classroom learning. Developed during Uganda’s transition to a Competency-Based Curriculum, the guide emphasizes learner-centered approaches that actively engage pupils in skills acquisition.
Read MoreToyota has used a gamified internal platform, Toyota Policy Drivers, to mobilize US employees and dealers to lobby politicians in support of its corporate policy goals, particularly opposing stricter environmental regulations. Workers earn points and prizes by playing retro-style games, engaging with company messaging, and contacting lawmakers using prepared talking points.
Read MoreClassic video games like Super Mario Bros. can help reduce stress and burnout in young adults by evoking childlike wonder and joy. In an always-on culture marked by financial pressure, social comparison, and rising anxiety, researchers found that nostalgic games offer a restorative escape. A study in JMIR Serious Games showed that Mario and Yoshi games improve happiness and lower burnout risk...
Read MoreCompany leaders, using gameplay to simulate real executive decision-making under pressure. Participants, after an intensive crash course in business fundamentals led by senior executives, assume co-CEO roles and make strategic choices about hiring, investment, and growth, mirroring challenges of leading a major toy company.
Read MoreDigital games are increasingly being recognized as powerful tools for education. This article explores how game-based learning can enhance student engagement, improve critical thinking, and foster deeper comprehension. Through real-time feedback, immersive simulations, and dynamic problem-solving scenarios, games provide experiential learning that traditional methods often lack.
Read More“When Rivers Were Trails” is an Indigenous-designed educational video game set in the 1890s, mirroring the mechanics of the classic Oregon Trail. Reviewed by Karl Hele, the game immerses players in the journey of an Anishinaabeg character fleeing colonized land while navigating cultural encounters, survival challenges, and historical injustices.
Read MoreThe Casa de África Museum in Havana hosted the launch of African Diaspora, an educational game developed by artists, researchers, and teachers from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Venezuela under UNESCO’s General History of Africa project. Designed for schools and communities, the game teaches African and Afro-Caribbean history through cooperative, interactive play using maps, timelines...
Read MoreRifat Ara Tasnim, a recent doctoral graduate from Idaho State University, focuses her research on serious games—games designed for learning, emotional well-being, and skill development rather than entertainment. With a background in computer science, she explored how integrating psychotherapeutic techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy into games can influence player emotions and outcomes.
Read MoreGame-based learning may seem modern, but many of its most effective principles were established decades ago. Early educational games like The Oregon Trail were designed as classroom tools aligned with curriculum and institutional needs, not entertainment products. Organizations such as MECC integrated games into statewide educational infrastructure, ensuring durability and relevance.
Read MoreJeff Kuhn, director of Ohio University’s esports program, represents OHIO and a global community of educators through the U.S. Department of State’s English Language Specialist and Speaker Programs. Working at the intersection of educational technology, gaming, and artificial intelligence, Kuhn has led workshops and talks in 24 countries, engaging educators with topics from...
Read MoreThis reflective piece by Harrison Mooney explores the joys and challenges of replacing screen time with tabletop games during a family’s screen-free holiday. Through humorous anecdotes and touching observations, Mooney shares how games like Sleeping Queens, Outfoxed!, and Kinfire Delve transformed his family’s routine.
Read MoreIn 'Game, Set, Match,' Geoff Engelstein explores the concept of fairness in tennis scoring systems, referencing a proposal for a 'Grand Tie Break' that would award victory to the player with the most games, not just sets. He critiques this as overcomplicating the game and draws parallels to chunking in other sports like baseball, and board game mechanics...
Read MoreThe American creator of a controversial Irish Famine-themed board game, Kevin McPartland, has addressed backlash from the Irish public. Marketed as a historical simulation, the game encourages players to survive famine-era hardships. Critics argue it trivializes tragedy, comparing it to a Holocaust-themed game. McPartland defends it as educational, aiming to inform Americans about An Gorta Mór.
Read MoreIn 2025, a decade-long game-oriented learning project reviewed its multidisciplinary research on using games in higher education. Since 2015, teachers have integrated existing games into courses using the GamiXlab, a large game library and simulation platform. The project identified nine game-oriented learning approaches, key game types, and six criteria for effective educational use.
Read MoreThe author reflects on their love of video games while acknowledging the mental and physical toll of excessive screen time during Covid lockdowns. Spending up to 14 hours a day on digital devices led to headaches, poor sleep, and low mood. Struggling to focus on reading or adopt trends like yoga or baking, they found relief through offline hobbies, starting with Lego gifted for their birthday.
Read MoreHospitals can be intimidating, especially for children facing MRI scans. Özgür Taşar from Philips MRI showed how gamification and storytelling can improve patient experience through Philips Pediatric Coaching. Using an app with friendly characters like Ollie the elephant, children are prepared at home, practice in waiting rooms, and receive guidance during scans.
Read MoreAnno 117: Pax Romana places players in the role of a Roman governor, blending city-building gameplay with lessons about ancient urbanism and universal principles of city growth. Through interviews with writer Matt Cook and art director Reiko Gross, the developers explain how historical authenticity is balanced with accessibility, using simplified, iconic buildings and intuitive mechanics.
Read MoreIn a world dominated by secular gaming, 12-year-old Nazar Balaklytskyi embarks on a quest to find faith-based video games that reflect his Christian values. His search reveals a lack of immersive, high-quality Christian games, with most offerings being simplistic mobile apps or quizzes. With insights from his father, Nazar explores the cultural and technological gaps in faith-driven...
Read MoreSaskatchewan Polytechnic is integrating video games into education to enhance student engagement and skills development. Learning Technology trainer Justin Matheson collaborates with instructors across eight programs to tailor game-based learning to curriculum goals. Games like Portal 2 and Detroit: Become Human help students develop skills in communication, ethical decision-making...
Read More
