Scaffolded Game-Based Simulation Design for Conceptual-Operational Transition in Railway Education

Abstract

Game-based learning (GBL) has gained increasing attention in engineering education due to its potential to foster learner engagement. However, its pedagogical integration in railway education remains limited. Current digital learning environments in this domain largely rely on high-fidelity systems originally developed for professional operational training. Consequently, they focus primarily on procedural skill acquisition. While these systems provide valuable opportunities for operational training, they offer limited support for developing conceptual understanding before learners engage with complex system interactions. This leaves a gap between theoretical learning and practical application. This study examines the role of game-based approaches in railway and related transport contexts and explores their potential to address this learning gap. To this end, a structured review of existing applications was conducted. Drawing on established frameworks from GBL and gamification research, the analysis identified recurring design patterns and key functional characteristics. The findings indicate that game-based applications in the transport domain remain limited and are primarily used for purposes such as awareness raising or data elicitation rather than conceptual learning. Compared with conventional high-fidelity simulations, more game-oriented applications tend to incorporate staged complexity, bounded decision-making, and explicit feedback. These features are consistent with scaffolding principles but are rarely discussed in terms of helping learners progress from conceptual understanding to operational skills. Based on these findings, this paper proposes Scaffolded Game-Based Simulation (SGBS) as a conceptual framework that introduces an intermediate learning layer between theoretical instruction and high-fidelity simulation. Through progressive complexity and guided interaction, SGBS helps learners move from understanding concepts to applying them in complex domains such as railway education. In this way, simulation-based learning is reframed not only as a tool for skill acquisition but also as a structured pathway that connects conceptual and operational knowledge.