Interactive learning for impact: game-based learning in social work education

This article will present a case study on how game-based learning (GBL) – a live quiz specifically, was used to support the teaching and learning in a social work practice educator program at a university in London. A GBL platform was used to create a live online quiz which was used as a tool to assess 50 trainee practice educators’ (TPEs) knowledge of social work theories. This study employed a qualitative research design using a semi-structured focus group immediately at the end of the quiz, to gather feedback on the TPEs’ experiences of using a live quiz as a formative assessment tool. It was found that the TPEs were not only encouraged to be more creative about how they supported their student’s learning in the placement setting but became more interested in improving their own knowledge of social work theories which lead to a significant increase in the usage statistics for the program’s virtual learning environment (VLE). Wider, initially unintended benefits to placement settings were also identified around the use of GBL in supervision and potentially with service users. The author makes the case that the concept of GBL could have an important place in social work practice education.

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