The role of game-based education in teaching architecture design(Case study: Architecture design 1- B.A.)

Currently, different teaching techniques and methods are used in teaching architectural design. Holding architecture education conferences at the national level shows the attention of experts and researchers to the importance of this issue. In recent years, critical, participatory teaching methods or techniques such as questions and answers to increase student motivation have been considered by researchers and architecture teachers. But holding architectural design courses in a workshop (practical) for many hours, repetition and uniformity of techniques such as one-day sketches, individual and collective corrections, and architectural design training become a tedious task for teachers and students. This becomes a serious challenge for young teachers who do not have enough teaching experience. It seems that game-based teaching method can increase students' motivation and increase their learning rate. In this regard, the purpose of this article is to investigate the effect of game-based education on game learning, participation and students' feelings about the benefits of one (bachelor) architecture design course. Extensive research on architecture education shows the importance of this subject. The main approach of these research studies is student-centered education. Many researchers have emphasized the collaboration between student and teacher. The main goal of these studies is enhancing architecture students’ motivation and learning. Nowadays, there is a support for digital game-based education. Therefore, the goal of this study is investigating the role of game-based education (not only digital games) in enhancing learning, collaboration and the students’ feeling about the usefulness of the subject matter.

Here, the experimental method has been used. Statistical population includes students of architecture design 1-B.A. The sample size is 51 students organized in 3 groups. The game-based method was used in the experimental group. The second group (control group 1) was trained through “project correction with other students as reviewers”. The third group (control group 2) was trained through “individually project correction”. All students were assessed by MBI-SS questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the semester.

The results obtained through comparing the frequency of answers. It was concluded that game-based education through pantomime, verbal games and figural games could have a positive role on enhancing “learning”, “collaboration” and “students’ positive feelings about the architecture education”.

The present study, in line with participatory education and teacher-student interaction, showed the effect of game-based education on promoting student motivation. Although in today's world, teaching architecture through computer games is discussed, this research does not limit learning by games to just computer games. Demonstration, speech, writing and drawing games can be included in architectural design education according to the teacher's creativity and the fit of the game with the subject and stimulate students' interest in architectural design and according to the research literature, cause long-term (long-term) learning.