Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study
Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) is a complementary methodology to traditional instruction. However, it often faces conceptual and practical limitations in learning environments that are in constant change, such as its focus on the closed nature of games, and a narrow focus on single competences....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Serious Games Society
2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Serious Games |
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| Online Access: | https://journal.seriousgamessociety.org/index.php/IJSG/article/view/916 |
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| author | Inmaculada Rodríguez Anna Puig Oriol Sors |
| author_facet | Inmaculada Rodríguez Anna Puig Oriol Sors |
| author_sort | Inmaculada Rodríguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
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Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) is a complementary methodology to traditional instruction. However, it often faces conceptual and practical limitations in learning environments that are in constant change, such as its focus on the closed nature of games, and a narrow focus on single competences. To address these drawbacks, this paper proposes a holistic and systemic analysis of DGBL through the third generation of Activity Theory (AT). Specifically, it presents an analysis of DGBL as a socio-technological system, exploring the ”zone of proximal development” of Learning, Teaching, and Game Designing Activity Systems (AS). Emphasizing several components of AS, we propose a learning-teaching model that involves students and teachers as both players and creators of game challenges, and also consider game designers as orchestrators of scaffolded competences. This model is vali- dated through a case study of GeoBuild, a geometry game for 3D spatial skills development, conducted in a Math’s class at a secondary school. The initial results are promising and highlight the potential of our proposal, showing that when students both play and create game challenges, the learning experience becomes more effective and engaging even with complex content like that found in the geometry curriculum.
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| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-d807c8f6465540b0a1ae2d7062e51b53 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2384-8766 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Serious Games Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Serious Games |
| spelling | doaj-art-d807c8f6465540b0a1ae2d7062e51b532025-08-20T03:13:32ZengSerious Games SocietyInternational Journal of Serious Games2384-87662025-05-0112210.17083/ijsg.v12i2.916Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case studyInmaculada Rodríguez0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5931-7713Anna Puighttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2184-2800Oriol SorsUniversity of Barcelona Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) is a complementary methodology to traditional instruction. However, it often faces conceptual and practical limitations in learning environments that are in constant change, such as its focus on the closed nature of games, and a narrow focus on single competences. To address these drawbacks, this paper proposes a holistic and systemic analysis of DGBL through the third generation of Activity Theory (AT). Specifically, it presents an analysis of DGBL as a socio-technological system, exploring the ”zone of proximal development” of Learning, Teaching, and Game Designing Activity Systems (AS). Emphasizing several components of AS, we propose a learning-teaching model that involves students and teachers as both players and creators of game challenges, and also consider game designers as orchestrators of scaffolded competences. This model is vali- dated through a case study of GeoBuild, a geometry game for 3D spatial skills development, conducted in a Math’s class at a secondary school. The initial results are promising and highlight the potential of our proposal, showing that when students both play and create game challenges, the learning experience becomes more effective and engaging even with complex content like that found in the geometry curriculum. https://journal.seriousgamessociety.org/index.php/IJSG/article/view/916Activity Theory, Digital Game-Based Learning Serious GameGeometry learning |
| spellingShingle | Inmaculada Rodríguez Anna Puig Oriol Sors Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study International Journal of Serious Games Activity Theory , Digital Game-Based Learning Serious Game Geometry learning |
| title | Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study |
| title_full | Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study |
| title_fullStr | Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study |
| title_short | Analytical and Practical Study of Digital Game-Based Learning under the lens of Activity Theory: a Geometry game case study |
| title_sort | analytical and practical study of digital game based learning under the lens of activity theory a geometry game case study |
| topic | Activity Theory , Digital Game-Based Learning Serious Game Geometry learning |
| url | https://journal.seriousgamessociety.org/index.php/IJSG/article/view/916 |
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