Abstract:

Research skills are crucial for students at all levels of Higher Education, in particular postgraduates who rely on independent problem-solving and rigorous research design and methods. However, students often find research skills courses "dry" and "irrelevant," leading to disengagement. To enhance relevance and motivation, which in turn leads to more capable and satisfied student researchers, those teaching research skills have increasingly begun to emphasize constructivism, using active and experiential methods such as scaffolded research activities, real-world critiques, mind maps, and metacognitive strategies. These approaches have been shown to improve learning outcomes, engagement, and practical application of skills. However, the literature notes that further innovation and cultural shifts are needed. Game-based learning (GBL) approaches have been shown to be effective for learning and skill development across a range of fields. However, Higher Education has been slower to adopt GBL due to unique barriers, such as the perception of games as frivolous, and challenges in evaluating high-level cognitive outcomes, particularly at the postgraduate level. Research skills training is an area of particular need in terms of both student satisfaction and equipping students with the skills they require to successfully transition to further study or the workplace. Despite this, game-based approaches to researcher development is still an under-researched topic.

This paper analyses the results of a new survey of attitudes towards GBL specifically for improving research skills training in Higher Education institutions (n=88). The survey was disseminated to communities of researcher developers, research leaders, and academic skills teachers in UK Higher Education. Results demonstrate a very strong appetite for games and gamified approaches in this topic area, with a large majority of respondents noting the potential for novel, interactive and experiential techniques for delivering high-level learning outcomes. Thematic analysis of qualitative responses also identifies and analyses key themes such as: institutional and attitudinal barriers to the use of GBL; the need for balancing flexibility in learning approaches with a structured framework to scaffold learning; and for a choice of complementary methods to suit diverse learner cohorts. Other key findings are related to accessibility; platforms for engagement; cultural knowledge and perceptions; and the potential for cognitive overload.

This paper gives a clear overview of the attitudes, opportunities, barriers, and concerns of HE staff when considering the use of GBL to complement existing research skills training provision in universities and contextualises this with current opportunities for engagement with GBL for research skills.

Keywords:

Game-based learning, serious games, researcher development, research skills, higher education, research.