Abstract:

Objectives:
Recently, eSports has focused on education. However, the effectiveness of incorporating eSports into university education has not yet been fully evaluated. This research measures the educational impact of using eSports and evaluates its effectiveness. Then our objective is to propose a new educational method that includes eSports.

Methodology:
We use the PROG test for measuring the effectiveness of university education incorporating eSports. The PROG test is a tool for evaluating students' literacy and competency, measuring skills such as information gathering, analysis, problem identification, conceptual skills, and others. The PROG test is one of the methods for measuring basic work skills provided by RIASEC Corporation and is among the most well-known evaluation methods in Japan. Since April 2025, 340,000 people have taken the test at 310 universities. In this research, two groups are the targets. One group is education, including eSports, the other is education with system development. The duration was approximately one year, with two rounds of the PROG test. The growth of the two student groups over one year is compared to measure educational effectiveness.

Results:
In the first test, the eSports group recorded high scores in problem identification and planning skills. On the other hand, the System development group showed high scores in conceptual skills, cooperative ability, and leadership, indicating improvements in teamwork and leadership through projects. In the second test, in the eSports group, improvements in information analysis and practical skills indicate an enhanced ability to judge situations accurately and act. The System development group continued to demonstrate significant growth in conceptual skills, similar to the previous test. The eSports group saw growth in task-solving capabilities and information analysis, confirming the effectiveness of practical activities.

Discussion:
Based on the results of PROG tests, we propose the following two student growth models.
(1) Growth model of the eSports group
Through practical activities, the eSports group acquired skills essential for real-world problem-solving. In particular, collaborative work and real-time problem-solving honed their planning and problem-identification abilities. Such education helps students develop responsiveness and cooperation, needed for future roles.
(2) Growth model of system development group:
The system development group deepened its technical skills and logical thinking through individual learning. Growth in conceptual skills manifested in their ability to manage complex projects and design solutions. This approach suits roles that require specialization and systematic problem-solving methods.
In addition, we propose a new educational method including eSports based on student growth models. The technique leverages the strengths of both approaches to enhance practical education. The method combines the collaborative strengths of the knowledge transfer-based approach with the individualized learning of the academic approach to build a flexible, balanced curriculum.

Conclusion:
We propose a new educational method, including eSports, based on student growth models. The models have been constructed using the results of PROG tests. The proposed method will make a new curriculum incorporating eSports materials. In the future, we will try to create a new concrete curriculum and its practices.

Keywords:

Higher education, eSports, student growth model, measurement of education effects.