Enhancing 3D geometry learning: A differentiated educational game approach

This study aims to develop and evaluate a differentiated educational game to enhance junior high school students’ understanding and engagement in learning three-dimensional geometry. Using a Research and Development (R&D) approach with the ADDIE model (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation), a game titled “Five Dragon Balls” was designed with RPG Maker MV to accommodate diverse learning styles—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic. The participants were 25 eighth-grade students from a public junior high school in Cirebon Regency, Indonesia. Data were collected through observation, interviews, and documentation, then analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Expert validation indicated high content and media validity (88.5% and 87.3%, respectively). Classroom implementation revealed improvements in students’ conceptual understanding, motivation, and participation. Visual learners benefited from 3D representations, auditory learners from narration and cues, and kinesthetic learners from interactive exploration. The results demonstrate that a differentiated game-based learning approach can effectively support inclusive, engaging, and conceptually meaningful mathematics learning. This study contributes a practical framework for integrating differentiated instruction principles into digital learning environments that align with the Merdeka Curriculum and 21st-century educational goals.