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

Ana S. Domenech, Antonio Alex-Amor

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.

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

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.
Paper Structure (9 sections, 4 figures, 1 table)

This paper contains 9 sections, 4 figures, 1 table.

Table of Contents

  1. Introduction
  2. Materials and Methods
  3. Handmade Question Cards
  4. Teams and Participants
  5. Rewards
  6. Evaluation of Results
  7. Student Survey
  8. Statistical Analysis
  9. Conclusion

Figures (4)

  • Figure 1: Illustration of the hand-painted game board and some of the original handmade question cards in Spanish.
  • Figure 2: A picture of some of the participants—students and professors—of the second edition (fall semester, 2024) playing the activity. The main instructor of the "Radiocommunications" course appears on stage asking a question while the team members discuss what the correct answer is.
  • Figure 3: Small handmade gifts given to the winning team.
  • Figure 4: Boxplot of grades for both groups: students who participated in the gamified activity and students who did not participate. The box represents the interquartile range (lower Q1 and upper Q3), the horizontal red line indicates the median, and the whiskers represent the range of the data.