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The Use of a Game-Based Learning Platform to Engage Nursing Students: A Descriptive, Qualitative Study
Nurse Education in Practice
  • Cara Gallegos, Boise State University
  • Abigail J. Tesar, Boise State University
  • Kelley Connor, Boise State University
  • Kim Martz, Boise State University
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
11-1-2017
Disciplines
Abstract

Baccalaureate nursing programs require students to complete a research course, and faculty find it challenging to engage students. Educational gaming has recently gained attention as a technique to motivate students and enhance learning. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe undergraduate nursing students' reflections of their experiences with 3D Gamelab©, a game-based learning platform. A descriptive qualitative research design was used to elicit students' reflections of their experiences. Educational content such as handouts, videos, activities, and recommended resources for a required junior level nursing research course was organized into quests for use in 3D GameLab©. At the end of the semester, students were invited to give their feedback through a survey with open-ended questions. Thematic analysis resulted in the following components of the game-based learning experience: navigation, motivation, gaming concept, knowledge, technology, and target population. Although the overall response to 3D GameLab© in this course was negative, game-based learning does have the potential to engage students and enhance learning. To better understand how educational gaming could be used in nursing, further research should be conducted to determine the most motivating elements and the types of course content best delivered in this manner.

Citation Information
Gallegos, Cara; Tesar, Abigail J.; Connor, Kelley; and Martz, Kim. (2017). "The Use of a Game-Based Learning Platform to Engage Nursing Students: A Descriptive, Qualitative Study". Nurse Education in Practice, 27, 101-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2017.08.019