Facing a VUCA World: Developing learning skills through serious games

Abstract

The technological revolution is transforming the way the world is perceived. We are experiencing an increasingly “VUCA” world (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity). The global VUCA concept has profound implications, for example, for management and future jobs, considering the creation of novel business models and new requirements of skills. To confront this reality, students must develop learning skills such as self-management, self-assessment, information acquisition, logical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving. Serious games have proven to be an essential tool in developing these skills. This article discusses the effects of an educational platform, a serious game, and other educational resources in developing self-directed learning, critical thinking, complex thinking, and other learning skills. To measure the changes occurring in students throughout the course, surveys related to self-directed learning and game enjoyment were administered. Additionally, statistics on key academic indicators were gathered, and, finally, students were requested to reflect on their learning during the course. The information collected from students at the beginning and at the end of the semester reveals that significant differences in their perception of self-management skills, openness to new ideas, critical thinking, and enjoyment of learning are enhanced through this type of pedagogical design. Furthermore, a significant improvement in the academic indicators of the course where this innovation was implemented was evidenced, as well as increased intrinsic motivation and student engagement.