Gamifying digital learning across multiple disciplines in Higher Education

Digital game-based learning (DGBL), the merging of digital games and educational design, is becoming increasingly popular in higher education since Prensky (2001) proposed the idea. Many researchers and educators reported positive results, such as better academic achievement and increased learning motivation (e.g., von Kotzebue et al., 2022). However, some researchers did not experience similar effects (e.g., Lin et al., 2020). Some possible explanations for the differences in findings have been attributed to differences in research design and instructional design, such as the effectiveness of specific gamification elements (Tay et al., 2022), as well as the profile of the participants (Lukosch et al., 2017). Our project examines different approaches to DGBL learning and teaching innovations across different disciplines in higher education. Part of the project is designing digital escape rooms (DER) incorporating H5P technology to enhance hybrid learning interaction. The idea of using DER was formed when the project team attended the Advance HE’s Teaching and Learning Conference 2021. Over the years, the team crafted several project outcomes, such as innovative practices, educational research, and the learning design method. Furthermore, some team members have received international recognition from leading associations and publishers regarding conference presentations and publications.