From Facebook to Classroom: A Systematic Analysis of Educational Games Designed by Educators

An increasing number of platforms facilitate the production, implementation, and sharing of game-based learning and gamification in educational practice. Teachers are increasingly taking advantage of these tools to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes. By analyzing the characteristics, usability, and education value of the games developed and shared by teachers on Facebook, this study aimed to identify the core components and patterns that teachers use when they design game-based learning and gamification experiences. To achieve this goal, this study employed content analysis of games developed by educators according to 27 criteria in four main categories: general information, learning aspects, game elements, and information design. Games developed by educators and shared on two Facebook groups dedicated to sharing educational materials between 2020 and 2024 were analyzed, and 100 posts of educational materials that were described by teachers as games were examined. Key findings suggest that, while teachers generally understood and effectively developed various educational games for instructional purposes, the materials often lacked sufficient feedback mechanisms and clear learning objectives, and demonstrate a need for better visual design and instructional clarity. This paper contributes both theoretical and practical knowledge to the field of game-based learning by offering a structured evaluation of educator-designed games and identifying areas for improvement, to achieve better learning experiences.