Towards a Framework for Serious Game-Based Learning in Project Management Higher Education: Thematic Insights and Future Directions

Abstract

Game-Based Learning (GBL) has emerged as an effective pedagogical approach for enhancing motivation, engagement, and experiential learning within higher education. Nonetheless, the adoption suffer from stagnant rate in Project Management (PM) education, with limited evidence on how research methodology, game design, and learner context collectively shape educational outcomes. This study conducts a thematic synthesis of existing literature on PM-GBL and categorizes them into three dimensions, including research methodology, serious game design, and target audience. The analysis demonstrates that most studies employ short-term, small-scale explorations, predominantly in construction management, while applications in business and software project management are comparatively underexplored. To address this fragmentation, this paper developed a bubble diagram that demonstrates methodological rigor, design diversity, and audience characteristics interaction to influence learning effectiveness. The framework offers a structured overview of the current research landscape and serves as a foundation for advancing the systematic incorporation of GBL in PM higher education. This study contributes to the evolving discourse on experiential learning by clarifying the thematic relationships shaping PM-GBL integration and identifying key areas of imbalance that require scholarly attention.