Gamification in physiotherapy and rehabilitation education: a narrative review

Abstract

For learning activities that commence and continue with the effect of motivation, novel and entertaining learning methods are developed by considering needs. As a result of the student-centered learning approach gaining importance, gamification has emerged that transfer game components to subjects. Gamification in education health professions improves students’ knowledge levels and clinical skills. Therefore, gamification techniques are integrated into physiotherapy education. This review aims to examine the effects of gamification techniques in physiotherapy and rehabilitation education. Educational escape rooms reinforce academic achievement by enabling students to use their problem-solving skills in subjects; it provides the evaluation of practical skills by reducing anxiety and stress levels of physiotherapy students in exams. Educational board games motivate physiotherapy students, facilitate recall of information, and increase academic achievement. Online quizzes encourage physiotherapy students to study day to day in their subjects, increasing their achievement and participation in subjects. Gamified websites and gamified physiotherapy case studies motivate students, while virtual reality-based games used in practice subjects facilitate the learning process. Educational escape rooms, board games, and online quizzes are commonly used within the context of gamification in physiotherapy education. With the contribution of gamification, physiotherapy students learn their subjects with fun and improve their clinical skills and academic achievement. In the future, there is a need for interventions revealing the potential and long-term effects of gamification, and comparing it with traditional education.