A Game-Based Approach for Open Data in Education: A Systematic Mapping Review

This systematic mapping review examines the intersection of Open Data, education, and educational games, drawing on 28 studies organized into eight thematic categories. Its central aim is to lay the groundwork for an Open Data Gamified Education Framework that promotes authentic, real-world problem-solving learning. The authors argue that combining these three domains can help students engage with genuine datasets rather than abstract classroom exercises.

The review's findings reveal a notable gap in current research. Studies focused specifically on Open Data in education largely point to a shortage of tools and methods for embedding Open Data into classroom designs. By contrast, research that combines Open Data with gamification shows clear strengths in building data literacy, encouraging civic participation, and constructing realistic narratives. Open Data-based games can make entertainment narratives more believable and engaging, and in educational settings they tie classroom content to local, real-world contexts. Examples include games in which students collect environmental or historical data in real time and compare their findings against published Open Data sources.

The authors conclude that a game-based approach can support authentic problem solving by pairing technical Open Data skills, which are supported by dedicated tools, with soft skills such as collaboration and critical thinking, which are developed through educational games. Student engagement and motivation emerge as recurring benefits across the reviewed literature. Taken together, the review positions game-based learning as a promising, though still underdeveloped, pathway for making Open Data meaningful in classrooms.