ABSTRACT COMPILATION - EduGC 2025

39 / 87 ABSTRACT: Given the rapid pace of digital technology, incorporating educational games into physiology teaching seems like a smart move. It helps achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and aligns better with how students prefer to learn in the new era. SDG is all about improving education and making it more accessible, and digital tools can significantly help with that by making learning more engaging and easier to stick with over time. Lectures, though irreplaceable, do not always keep students engaged, especially among Generation Z. This generation has grown up with massive exposure to digital technology, including online games. They are used to clicking, swiping, and getting instant feedback. Sitting and listening to long hours of lectures exposes this generation to boredom and less engagement in their learning journey. It can be challenging to truly understand and remember something like musculoskeletal physiology in that way. For nursing and medical students, simulations and gamified scenarios have enhanced critical thinking, team-based clinical reasoning, and long- term retention (BMC nursing review, nursing students' game ‑ based learning) Digital games are one alternative to improve learning interactivity and student- oriented learning. For first-year medical and nursing students, using games to learn about the musculoskeletal system makes the learning process more hands-on. They can explore 3D anatomy, work through clinical cases, or take adaptive quizzes that adjust to their performance. That kind of content encourages them to think more, stay motivated, and even work together when there is multiplayer or role-play elements. Games are flexible. Students can use them whenever they want and track their progress in real time. If designed correctly, they fit seamlessly into the course and can even enhance traditional teaching methods. While some studies show that educational games may support knowledge retention in medical students, more consistent evidence is needed (Akl et al., 2010). Donkin. R. and colleague (2022) found that an eLearning module was just as effective as face-to-face teaching for nursing students studying human pathophysiology.” However, it supports the idea that digital tools, like eLearning modules or educational games, can be legitimate alternatives to traditional lectures, especially for topics in nursing or medical education. It also shows that students can succeed even when learning is flexible and self-paced, if the content is well-designed. In conclusion, using digital games in medical education is recommended. It aligns with how students learn today and helps them truly grasp the knowledge comprehension, not just to pass the course assessments, but for real-life application later.