Exploring the Potential of Game-Based Learning for Promoting Academic Integrity and Complex Thinking

Academic integrity refers to the adherence to ethical principles and values in academic settings. It involves the responsible and ethical use of information, proper citation and referencing, avoidance of plagiarism, honesty in examinations and assignments, and compliance with institutional and disciplinary guidelines and policies. The aim of this paper is to present the results of a game-based intervention designed to train university students in academic integrity and complex thinking. In this qualitative study, thematic analysis was utilized to analyze data collected using an online questionnaire. Participants’ responses reveal their interactions with the game allowed them to openly discuss academic integrity issues in a safe, consequence-free environment. Our findings indicate that (A) the use of games as a means of interaction is a feasible approach to raise students’ awareness of academic integrity since they allow open discussions on strategies to avoid involvement in situations of academic dishonesty; (B) the game mechanics designed to generate student interactions allow for the development of the sub-competencies of complex thinking; and (C) most of the participants perceived the game as a playful and useful learning experience. This research sheds light on the potential of game-based interactions to foster constructive dialogue and reflection on academic integrity.