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Web gamification with problem simulators for teaching engineering

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Abstract

Problem-solving is one of the biggest challenges that students can find in an Engineering degree. Information and communication technologies are of great use in this regard, providing learners with tools that complement their study and facilitate skills acquisition. A good strategy to enhance student motivation towards problem-solving is to use engaging and interactive gamification techniques. To achieve this, we developed a web board game with six categories of problems for the Industrial Systems Optimization Techniques subject, which is part of the Industrial Organization Engineering curriculum at Madrid Open University. The game relies on case-study simulators for six categories of problems in such way that the cases presented to the students are always different. Students receive instant feedback about the accurateness of their response as well as the correct solution. The results of the experience, based on data obtained and surveys carried out, indicate that the board game is dynamic and motivational as well as academically encouraging.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Technical Sciences and Engineering, Madrid Open University MOU, Ctra. de la Coruñakm 38.500 - Vía de Servicio, 15, 28400, Collado Villalba, Madrid, Spain

    F. David de la Peña Esteban, Juan A. Lara Torralbo & David Lizcano Casas

  2. Faculty of Economics and Business, Madrid Open University MOU, Ctra. De la Coruña, km 38.500 - Vía de Servicio, 15, 28400, Collado Villalba, Madrid, Spain

    María Concepción Burgos García

Authors
  1. F. David de la Peña Esteban
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  2. Juan A. Lara Torralbo
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  3. David Lizcano Casas
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  4. María Concepción Burgos García
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Correspondence to F. David de la Peña Esteban.

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Appendices

Appendix 1: Game perception survey form

GENERAL SATISFACTION WITH THE SUBJECT’S BOARD GAME

Rate between 1 (lowest) to 5 (highest) according Likert’s scale.

  1. 1.

    Was the game useful for your study?

  2. 2.

    Was the availability of various and numerous examples helpful in preparing the final exam?

  3. 3.

    Did your knowledge of the subject improve?

  4. 4.

    Does it provide the explanations required to understanding the solution?

  5. 5.

    Is it an incentive that motivates you to engage with the subject?

  6. 6.

    Do you think it is a fun learning experience?

  7. 7.

    Does it add value to the subject?

Open question:

  1. 8.

    What is your opinion about the game, overall impression, usability, feel, structure, types of exercises, time spent on the game, etc.

Appendix 2: Exam grade and game statistics per student

See Table 12.

Table 12 Game statistics per student
Full size table

Appendix 3: Number of classroom accesses by students who played the game more than once

See Table 13.

Table 13 Accesses to the classroom per student
Full size table

Appendix 4: Detailed game statistics per student

See Table 14.

Table 14 Detailed game statistics per student
Full size table

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de la Peña Esteban, F.D., Lara Torralbo, J.A., Lizcano Casas, D. et al. Web gamification with problem simulators for teaching engineering. J Comput High Educ 32, 135–161 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-019-09221-2

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