Swedish study: Board games boost engineering student teamwork and real-world skills
Researchers at a Swedish university found that tactile board games significantly improve collaboration, motivation, and problem-solving in interdisciplinary engineering courses. The finding matters to educators and corporate trainers seeking cost-effective ways to develop critical soft skills—particularly teamwork and cross-functional thinking—that industry says engineering graduates lack.
Originaltitel: Enhancing interdisciplinary engineering courses through game-based learning
<p>Game-based learning becomes increasingly valuable as engineering education adapts to industry trends and the need for interdisciplinary skills. This study examines a multidisciplinary master’s course on the efficacy of board games at a Swedish university. It promotes teamwork and engagement with tactile board games. The game’s effectiveness is evaluated through iterative design, testing, questionnaires, and observations, focusing on engagement, learning outcomes, and user experience. The findings indicate that the board game improves student motivation, collaboration, and understanding of real-world engineering challenges by allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge in a structured, interactive environment. The study provides (1) a validated framework for developing educational board games for interdisciplinary contexts, (2) empirical evidence supporting physical game-based learning in engineering education, and (3) practical insights for educators seeking to implement similar approaches in their courses. The study concludes that well-designed board games enhance interdisciplinary engineering learning, with implications for educational and industrial training contexts.</p>