Digital Game Based Learning (A Literature Review)

Game Base Learning (GBL) has gained a lot of attention in the field of Instructional Design and Technology (IDT). The increased adoption levels in institutions and complex organizations have led to the growth of studies around the area with the goal of assessing their effectiveness in the learning process. This descriptive paper conducts an analysis of GBL as a learning process and the issues involving the IDT. The information is gathered from secondary sources where a systematic review of previous literature is conducted, was used to provide general knowledge about GBL. Particularly, the main issues addressed by this descriptive paper include overview of GBL, brief history of the concept, benefits, drawbacks, and successes addressed by current studies. Overall, GBL has become a significant area of interest in IDT in the world today. Most educational institutions and corporations are adopting this concept in their learning process due to its numerous benefits. Some of the benefits include development of cognitive skills, motivation during learning process and helping learners to gracefully accept failures. The findings indicate that most users and implementers of GBL decide to focus on the benefits in spite of various criticisms. Also, experts continue to support the concept as an alternative learning approach to the traditional methods of teaching.