Megagames as a Methodology to Foster Learning in Higher Education

Abstract

Megagames are large-scale collaborative games with elements of role-playing and board games. Players need to
solve wicked problems together and explore multiple solutions. When applied to higher education, megagames create
opportunities for learners to work in multidisciplinary teams solving ill-structured problems, and in this way prepare learners
to deal with complex social processes and different actor's interests. Despite the promising potential of megagames, there
is limited research on the use of megagames in education. The project ‘Megagames as a Methodology to Enhance Global
Awareness’ (MEGA) involved a multidisciplinary team of teachers, researchers and game designers and its aim was to
investigate the potential of megagames as methodology for higher education to address global problems, which cannot be
simply solved from a fragmented disciplinary approach. In this paper we present and discuss insights gathered during the
MEGA project. The guiding research question was: How can megagames be used in higher education to create immersive
learning experiences that foster learning about global issues? We addressed the research question through
phenomenological research because we wanted to capture the players' experience. Phenomenological research emphasizes
the importance of direct experience for understanding the essence of a phenomenon. Within this methodology we
developed and piloted a megagame centered on AI and Ethics, a relevant global issue for our university’s students and faculty
and investigated players' experience. The game event took about 4 hours, and it was open to students, faculty staff and other
professionals. Thirty people participated in the game. We investigated participants’ learning and personal experience and
how they envisioned the implementation of megagames in education through open questionnaires and semi-structured
interviews. In this paper we focus on the results from the twenty-eight participants who answered the questionnaire. The
data was analyzed qualitatively. Results reveal dimensions in the participants’ megagame experience that are valuable for
preparing students to deal with complex situations and global problems. In particular, experiences that were connected with
moral values and social skills, which are increasingly needed to prepare students for a democratic society. The megagame
approach can help meet this need by offering immersive learning experiences.