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<p>This theoretical paper presents the systematic differentiation of game-based approaches (GBA) within educational contexts through the development of a pedagogically grounded analytical framework. The authors address a persistent problem in the field: the conceptual fragmentation of key terms such as game-based learning, gamification, and playful learning. Although these approaches are widely implemented, their overlapping definitions and theoretical ambiguities obscure their distinct pedagogical purposes and mechanisms of learning. Resolving this conceptual opacity is of critical importance, as educators and instructional designers increasingly employ game-inspired strategies to enhance motivation and engagement, yet often do so in inconsistent and eclectic ways. Drawing on theoretical foundations from educational psychology and game studies and extending the MDA framework (mechanics–dynamics–aesthetics), this article proposes a seven-dimensional analytical framework that conceptualizes game-based approaches according to their pedagogical function rather than their technological form. The dimensions serve as an integrated system for analysing diverse educational applications, including Kahoot!, MathterMinds, and drama-based learning practices. The application of the framework indicates that the pedagogical effectiveness of game-related interventions depends not on superficial playfulness but on the degree of structural alignment between game mechanics, cognitive operations, and curricular objectives. Within this spectrum, game-based learning exhibits the highest level of integration between game knowledge and academic knowledge, whereas gamification and game-like learning primarily rely on extrinsic motivational dynamics. The proposed framework provides a theoretically coherent and practice-oriented instrument that enables both researchers and practitioners to identify, design, and evaluate game-based interventions in alignment with explicit pedagogical aims, thereby contributing to a more systematic and conceptually rigorous understanding of learning through play.</p>

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Game, Play, and Learning: An Analytical Framework for Differentiating Game-Based Approaches from an Educational Perspective

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月8日

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  • Ferenc Arató,
  • Máté Fridrich

摘要

This theoretical paper presents the systematic differentiation of game-based approaches (GBA) within educational contexts through the development of a pedagogically grounded analytical framework. The authors address a persistent problem in the field: the conceptual fragmentation of key terms such as game-based learning, gamification, and playful learning. Although these approaches are widely implemented, their overlapping definitions and theoretical ambiguities obscure their distinct pedagogical purposes and mechanisms of learning. Resolving this conceptual opacity is of critical importance, as educators and instructional designers increasingly employ game-inspired strategies to enhance motivation and engagement, yet often do so in inconsistent and eclectic ways. Drawing on theoretical foundations from educational psychology and game studies and extending the MDA framework (mechanics–dynamics–aesthetics), this article proposes a seven-dimensional analytical framework that conceptualizes game-based approaches according to their pedagogical function rather than their technological form. The dimensions serve as an integrated system for analysing diverse educational applications, including Kahoot!, MathterMinds, and drama-based learning practices. The application of the framework indicates that the pedagogical effectiveness of game-related interventions depends not on superficial playfulness but on the degree of structural alignment between game mechanics, cognitive operations, and curricular objectives. Within this spectrum, game-based learning exhibits the highest level of integration between game knowledge and academic knowledge, whereas gamification and game-like learning primarily rely on extrinsic motivational dynamics. The proposed framework provides a theoretically coherent and practice-oriented instrument that enables both researchers and practitioners to identify, design, and evaluate game-based interventions in alignment with explicit pedagogical aims, thereby contributing to a more systematic and conceptually rigorous understanding of learning through play.