A Game-Based Tool for Cross-Cultural Discussion: Encouraging Cultural Awareness with Board Games

Board games serve as a highly effective pedagogical tool for fostering cross-cultural awareness and facilitating sensitive discussions within educational environments. By utilizing a structured game space, educators can provide a safe framework that encourages participants to reflect on personal and cultural norms without the pressure of adhering to prescriptive behavioral standards. This approach is particularly valuable in language and integration classrooms, where the goal is to promote nuanced dialogue rather than the adoption of singular, correct cultural perspectives.

The effectiveness of this methodology was evaluated through a comparative study involving immigrants in Sweden, contrasting a specialized board game, Hur Skulle Du Säga?, against traditional open-discussion exercises. Quantitative analysis using the Cultural Awareness Scale revealed that while initial gains were comparable across both groups, the game-based participants demonstrated superior long-term retention of cultural awareness over a three-week period. Furthermore, the game format fostered higher levels of classroom inclusion and increased comfort during cross-cultural interactions, suggesting that the structured nature of play mitigates the social anxieties often associated with discussing complex cultural topics.

Despite these positive outcomes, the research highlights critical design considerations for serious games. While the game space successfully promotes engagement, elements such as competitive point-scoring can inadvertently detract from the collaborative nature of the exercise and potentially diminish participant interest over time. Ultimately, the findings suggest that while game-based tools offer a more sustainable and inclusive alternative to traditional discussion methods, developers must carefully balance game mechanics to ensure they support, rather than undermine, the underlying objective of reflective, open-ended cultural exploration.