Learning about political systems while playing: Testing short-term knowledge retention through a role-play classroom game

Active-learning environments have been slowly but increasingly integrated into the political science curricula. Students and professors fun in active-learning processes. However, we still need evidence to support nexus between learning playing ensure students learn more, or at least same, with methodologies than traditional ones. This article tests effect of game-based on knowledge acquisition about systems. We conduct a quasi-experiment Spanish university second-year major students. Two groups were exposed treatment (role-play), third did not receive intervention lecture. conducted multi-method analysis explore data. Our results confirm that role-plays higher short-term retention systems those who took lectures. The main sociodemographic factor pushing is current GPA Qualitative shows that, through games, perceive reinforcement their skills recognize usefulness role-playing games for teaching electoral formulas, benefits redistribution trade, complexities around decision-making