Game-Based Support for Vocational Teachers' Competence Reflection in Professional Development Search

This study examines whether a game-based entry point within the ELMeKS.digital web portal can help vocational teachers find professional development opportunities while prompting reflection on their digital competences, as framed by the DigCompEdu framework. Its core aim is to reduce orientation problems in professional development search by embedding mini-games that connect discovery with competence reflection. The work is positioned as an early-stage, exploratory investigation rather than a test of effectiveness, grounded in serious games, gamification, flow theory, and teacher digital competence research.

The evaluation is a qualitative usability study using a Human-Centred Design approach, involving think-aloud tests and short interviews with nine vocational school teachers. Only one of the 22 planned mini-games was implemented in the working prototype, and the recommendations participants saw were simulated placeholders rather than outputs of a functioning algorithm. Given these constraints, the findings are best understood as preliminary impressions to guide iterative development.

The principal findings suggest that the narrative, mission-based design can increase motivation and prompt reflection on competences, particularly when tasks mirror participants' everyday professional practice. These benefits, however, were frequently undermined by navigation difficulties, unclear interface elements, and insufficient guidance, which pulled attention away from reflection and toward resolving usability problems. The authors conclude that motivational and reflective outcomes depend on the interplay between usability and perceived professional relevance.

The geographic scope is not specified beyond the vocational school context, and the time frame reflects a single prototype evaluation phase. The industry focus is vocational teacher education and professional development, situated within digital learning portals rather than commercial game markets. The authors explicitly caution that conclusions about effectiveness cannot be drawn given the prototype stage and small sample size.