Exploring Student Self-Efficacy and Agency in Traditional Versus Gamified Pharmacology Tutorials: A Cross-Sectional Survey

OBJECTIVE: Gamification in tertiary education aims to improve engagement and stimulate learning. Traditional pharmacology lessons, often delivered through lectures and tutorials, are sometimes perceived as suboptimal learning experiences. The objective was also to investigate the development of student self-efficacy and agency by comparing student behaviors in traditional versus game-based tutorials. METHODS: A physical board game, modeled on the game "Guess Who?," featured drugs from cardiovascular pharmacology. Students in a second-year pharmacology course played in pairs, asking questions about the drugs to identify their opponent's selected card. To evaluate the game and compare the tutorial formats, students completed a 2-part anonymous survey with a Likert-scale and short-answer questions evaluating how each tutorial type contributed to learning outcomes. RESULTS: Sixty-two students participated in the traditional tutorial survey, and 60 in the gamified tutorial. Gamified tutorials increased motivation, engagement, and active participation. They were also more effective in assisting students to identify knowledge gaps, understand concepts, and retain information. Gamified lessons also facilitated peer collaboration and promoted self-regulated learning more effectively. Traditional tutorials, however, were seen as better for grasping complex concepts and preparing for real-world applications. CONCLUSION: The gamified pharmacology lesson positively influenced learning, engagement, and agency. Gamified tutorials can complement traditional lessons depending on the complexity of the content and learning objectives.