Serious games affordances in financial complex scenarios: an activity theory analysis

Abstract

Serious Games in education are designed to foster learning and skills development through structured play, specifically targeting educational outcomes rather than entertainment. This study aims to identify the learning affordances of a Serious Game for enhancing financial literacy among university students within complex financial scenarios. This study aimed to identify the learning affordances of a serious game designed to enhance financial literacy among university students, particularly within complex financial scenarios. Utilizing a qualitative research design, data were collected through a combination of surveys with open-ended questions and learning analytics derived from the game. Activity Theory-based content analysis was conducted on responses from 143 university students at a private institution in Mexico, using QDA Miner 5. The findings from this study reveal: (a) a diversity of perceived learning gains across six financial domains—Budgeting, Savings, Credit and Debt, Retirement, Investments, and Other; (b) a significant emphasis on financial concepts and the management of minor expenses, highlighting the game’s focus on comprehensive money management skills; and (c) key game elements linked to learning gains included savings minigames, ant minigames, quizzes, tasks, and time constraints. These results underscore the potential of serious games in fostering a practical understanding of financial literacy, suggesting important implications for educational communities and decision-makers in designing and implementing more effective educational technologies.