Abstract:

The strategic agenda of higher education providers worldwide includes the enhancing of the employability of graduating students. In this sense, it is usual to highlight the key role of certain skills which assist graduates in applying their disciplinary knowledge in the workplace. These so-called key (or core) employability skills, broadly considered critical in graduating students, span among others, interpersonal skills as working effectively with others. This key skill usually has been examined in terms of two main behaviours: task collaboration (e. g. to complete group tasks through collaborative communication) and team working (e. g. to operate within, and contribute to, a respectful, supportive and cooperative group climate).

A great amount of effort has been devoted to the development and enhancing of such core competence in higher education settings, however more research is needed regarding useful tools that might contribute to foster it amongst undergraduates’ students in an engaging and motivating way. Gamification –the application of gameful thinking, and game mechanics, in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems or carrying out tasks- could represent an interesting and useful tool in this sense. A growing body of empirical evidence supports that learning in a variety of subjects can be favoured effectively by games. Moreover, it has been found that classroom instruction build less confidence for on-the-job application of learned knowledge, than simulation games does. However, mostly of the empirical evidence regarding the usefulness of game based learning come from digital games that could not provide face-to-face interaction, while in a classroom situation, student-student interactions could exert a profound impact in the acquisition and enhancement of core competences as team working.

It is difficult to think in a professional domain where working effectively with others could not be necessary in this our highly dynamic, globalized and technological world, but for those professions related with individuals’ Health is crucial. Psychology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy university undergraduates, throughout their university training must acquire the competence to work in teams. An important part of key knowledges to develop such competence are worked and developed in the classroom in subjects related to the grounds of Groups Psychology. In this context this paper deals with examining the effects of a serious game called “the group to the rescue” on undergraduates´ own competence perceptions for working effectively with others. This simulation game implies for participants to be confronted to a new and a potential stressfully situation that needs a fast and effective solution as a group. Our results in sample composed by 90 Psychology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy that participated in the game, showed that after it, undergraduates have a higher perception of such competence, especially in terms of task collaboration. These findings are of usefulness in order to foster the development of team working competence.

Keywords:

Game-based learning, team working competence, Psychology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy undergraduates.