Digital Game-Based Learning for Mathematics Skill Development

Published Paper PDF: View PDF

Arpita Banerjee

Independent Researcher

India

Abstract

Digital Game-Based Learning (DGBL) leverages interactive game mechanics to support mathematics skill development by fostering motivation, engagement, and adaptive feedback. This manuscript investigates the theoretical foundations, empirical evidence, implementation strategies, and outcomes associated with DGBL interventions aimed at enhancing students’ mathematical abilities. Through a mixed-methods approach combining a survey of 350 secondary-school learners and a controlled quasi-experimental design, we examine how game-based tools impact conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, problem-solving, and learner attitudes. Results indicate statistically significant gains in mathematics achievement (p < .01) among participants exposed to DGBL, alongside improvements in self-efficacy, perseverance, and reduced math anxiety. Qualitative feedback highlights the importance of narrative context, immediate feedback, challenge adjustment, and social interaction for sustaining engagement. Moreover, the study identifies key design principles—aligned learning objectives, scaffolded difficulty, and real-time analytics—that mediate efficacy across diverse learner profiles.

By situating mathematical tasks within meaningful game worlds, DGBL environments tap into intrinsic motivation and encourage sustained practice beyond the classroom. The adaptive mechanics ensure that learners encounter tasks suited to their evolving skills, keeping them in a state of flow. Teachers play a crucial role in framing in-game experiences to curricular goals, debriefing students to reinforce mathematical connections, and interpreting dashboard data to personalize instruction. While infrastructural constraints and equity concerns remain, our findings suggest that with thoughtful integration and ongoing professional development, DGBL can serve as a scalable supplement to traditional pedagogy. The study concludes by offering actionable recommendations for educators, game designers, and policymakers to maximize the transformative potential of DGBL in mathematics education.

Keywords

Digital Game-Based Learning; Mathematics Achievement; Engagement; Self-Efficacy; Adaptive Feedback

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