Game-Based Learning for the Win

Donny McChesney, CTO

The Problem: Boredom, Not Difficulty

“Every maker of video games knows something that the makers of curriculum don’t … You’ll never see a video game advertised as being easy. Kids … say school is boring, not hard” (Papert, 1998). Nearly three decades later, this insight still rings true.

Students crave challenge. Popular video games like the Dark Souls franchise prove that young people thrive when the difficulty is high but the experience is engaging. School, however, often fails to deliver that inspiration. In a national study on high school dropouts, 70% of respondents believed they could have graduated. Their most common reason for leaving school? Classes felt uninspiring and unchallenging (Bridgeland et al., 2006).If students are leaving school not because it is too hard, but because it is too boring, then the solution isn’t lowering the bar — it’s raising engagement. That is where Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) comes in.

What the Research Says About DGBL

Digital Game-Based Learning is “conducting academic activities through games to achieve learning outcomes” (Adipat et al., 2021). A growing body of research shows its potential:

• Systematic review evidence: Hussein et al. (2022) examined 43 studies of DGBL in K–12 mathematics and found that most reported positive gains, including stronger content learning, improved cognitive skills, and increased motivation.
  
• Meta-analysis evidence: Byun and Joung (2018), synthesizing 17 studies, reported an average effect size of d ≈ 0.37 — a small-to-medium benefit compared to traditional methods. In education research, this translates into meaningful improvements in both achievement and engagement.
  

In other words, when implemented well, game-based learning doesn’t just make class more fun. It measurably improves student learning outcomes.

Flexible Game Design at Zipline

At Zipline, we design games to match the type of learning they support. Different skills require different game mechanics:

• Fact Fluency: Fast-paced, competitive games encourage speed and repetition, making them ideal for times tables and other memorization-heavy tasks.
• Complex Problem-Solving: For higher-order math, we use turn-based games where students earn moves by completing problems. This sustains engagement without pressuring students to rush through challenging concepts.

By tailoring the game mechanics to the learning goal, we avoid the pitfalls of “gamification for gamification’s sake.” Instead, every game is designed to support good practice habits and deepen student engagement.

The Benefit for Teachers and Students

Research shows that students often disengage because school feels irrelevant or uninspiring (Bridgeland et al., 2006). By integrating learning into fun, challenging games, Zipline helps reverse that narrative.

• Students stay motivated to keep practicing, even when the material is difficult.
• Teachers gain a simple, plug-and-play way to make lessons engaging without rewriting their curriculum.
• Classrooms start to feel more like interactive communities of problem-solvers than quiet rows of bored students.

Conclusion

Students don’t dislike learning — they dislike boredom. Digital Game-Based Learning gives them a reason to engage, turning practice into play and effort into accomplishment. Supported by research and designed with intention, Zipline’s flexible games make learning both challenging and inspiring.

Created by teachers for teachers, Zipline transforms math instruction into personalized learning – free to try anytime at zipline.ac.

References

Adipat, B., Laksana, K., & Busayanon, K. (2021). Digital game-based learning in education: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange, 14(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.18785/jetde.1401.01

Bridgeland, J. M., DiIulio, J. J., & Morison, K. B. (2006). The silent epidemic: Perspectives of high school dropouts. Civic Enterprises. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED513444.pdf

Byun, J., & Joung, E. (2018). Digital game-based learning for K–12 mathematics education: A meta-analysis. Educational Media International, 55(4), 338–356. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523987.2018.1547945

Hussein, M. H., Ow, S. H., Cheong, L. S., Thong, M.-K., & Ale Ebrahim, N. (2022). Effects of digital game-based learning on elementary and middle school mathematics achievement: A systematic review. Education and Information Technologies, 27(2), 2419–2444. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-021-10760-9

Papert, S. (1998). Does easy do it? Children, games, and learning. Game Developer Magazine. https://dailypapert.com/does-easy-do-it-children-games-and-learning/