Abstract
Game-based learning (GBL) involves adding game elements to non-game activities to encourage engagement. Pharmacy curricula are required to incorporate active learning to meet accreditation standards. The literature supports that well-designed GBL holds the attention of students and improves knowledge in some instances. Furthermore, these adaptable experiences can be leveraged for a variety of content areas in pharmacy education. Some activities utilized by educators require large amounts of technological expertise, while others involve minimal use of technology. The incorporation of technology can create highly immersive experiences for learners; however, there are barriers (e.g., financial and technology prowess) to implementation compared to simpler designs. One area of GBL that is not well defined in the literature is how to adequately assess student learning outcomes. Most current studies describe subjective attitudes and confidence or assess content knowledge through objective pre- and post-tests. In the future, more defined and connected methods for assessment—such as active demonstrations within the game—will be needed to better incorporate GBL into pharmacy curricula. Based on the collective evidence in the literature, some GBL activities may serve as useful tools to improve pharmacy student engagement and learning.
Highlights
Game-based learning (GBL) applies typical elements of game playing to other nongame areas of activity to encourage engagement [1]
Many studies in the literature indicate that game-based learning may improve student engagement and knowledge
Not all intended outcomes for GBL activities are captured by current assessment methods
Summary
Game-based learning (GBL) applies typical elements of game playing to other nongame areas of activity to encourage engagement [1]. Examples of GBL activities described in the literature include escape rooms, software and real-life simulations, and quiz-based review games. Other reasons to consider GBL include the ability to provide (1) low-stakes formative assessments to students and (2) instant and incremental feedback and results. Some research suggests that integrating low-stakes formative assessments helps increase student achievement [3], as these types of assessments often include short and direct quizzes or assignments that represent a small percentage of the course grade. This strategy can be especially useful when students are provided with instantaneous feedback inside of an immersive game experience
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