Gamification in Radiocommunications: A Board Game Approach to Boost Engagement and Learning

TL;DR

This paper presents a board game-based gamification approach for radiocommunications courses, aiming to increase student engagement, motivation, and understanding through an interactive, collaborative learning activity aligned with course content.

Contribution

It introduces a novel, question-based board game for radiocommunications education, demonstrating its effectiveness over three years in enhancing learning and student motivation.

Findings

Improved student engagement and motivation.

Enhanced conceptual understanding and idea connection.

Positive student survey feedback and statistical validation.

Abstract

Courses in electromagnetism and related technical subjects are often dominated by lecture-heavy instruction and complex mathematical concepts, which can make it difficult for students to stay engaged. This is particularly problematic in today's hyper-digitalized society, where constant screen exposure and shortened attention spans challenge traditional learning methods. While computer-based tools and hands-on laboratories offer some pedagogical improvements, they often fall short in terms of interactivity, dynamism, adaptiveness, and student engagement. In an effort to enrich the learning experience and boost student motivation, we have created a gamified learning activity for the undergraduate course "Radiocommunications"-commonly referred to as Antennas and Propagation in other institutions-, implemented in the form of a question-based board game. The activity, carried out over three academic years, is fully aligned with the course syllabus and encourages active learning, healthy competition, and collaborative problem-solving. Custom-made materials-including a game board, 270 question cards, wildcards, and incentive-based rewards-were developed specifically for this purpose. Qualitative results from a student survey, together with statistical evidence from hypothesis testing, suggest that the activity enhances conceptual understanding, helps students connect ideas across related subjects, and contributes to a more motivating and enjoyable learning experience.