Board Game Design As Alternative Educational Material and Frequently Used Game Mechanics

This study emphasizes the potential of board games as alternative educational materials and examines their structural features for informational communication. While game design involves aligning mechanics, narratives, and physical components with a specific theme, this article focuses on identifying and explaining board game mechanics that can be adapted to educational purposes. A comprehensive review of databases and literature identified 8,614 board games classified under the "educational games" category. Among these, 130 educational board game samples were analyzed under a secondary limitation, leading to the identification of 17 frequently used game mechanics in contemporary productions were identified. Using content analysis, both quantitative and qualitative data were examined to explore the prevalence and functions of these mechanics. The 17 mechanics identified across the 130 games were categorized based on their frequency of use and described individually in the "Findings" section, which also includes three case studies illustrating their application. Additionally, using thematic analysis, a secondary evaluation further analyzed the frequency of these mechanics in relation to the types of information they convey. This research is expected to serve as a valuable resource for prospective teachers, educators, and scholars in the development of educational materials.