What Prevents Teachers From Using Games and Gamification Tools in Nordic Schools? Eva Brooks 1 , Salvör Gissurardottir 2 , Bjarki Thor Jonsson 3 , Skulina Kjartansdottir 2 , Robin Isfold Munkvold 4 , Hugo Nordseth 4 and Helga Isfold Sigurdardottir 4 1 Aalborg University, Kroghstraede 3, 9220 Aalborg, Denmark 2 University of Iceland, Saemundargata 2, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland 3 The Comprehensive College at Armuli, Armuli 12, Iceland 4 Nord University, Kongens Gate 42, 7713 Steinkjaer, Norway eb@learning.aau.dk; salvor@hi.is; bjarki@fa.is; shk@hi.is; robin.munkvold@nord.no; hugo.nordseth@nord.so; helga.d.sigurdardottir@nord.no Abstract. This study is based on a survey study distributed in the fall of 2017 in Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. The study was designed by a group of research- ers from the Nordplus Horizontal project: Digital Computer Games for Learning in the Nordic Countries, to uncover teachers’ perceived obstacle in regard to us- ing digital game-based learning in teaching situations. The results indicate that the teachers included in this study did not have enough information and knowledge about games and gamification tools to be used in teaching. The find- ings show that technical obstacles are the most experienced hurdle among the respondents in all three countries when it comes to applying games or gamifica- tion tools in teaching activities. There are not many differences to be observed gender wise. A common difference that is worth noticing, is the difference be- tween women and men regarding their reporting on the obstacle ‘knowledge / skills’, where more women claim this to be an obstacle. From these results, the paper proposes three types of digital game-based learning guidelines, namely (1) rhetoric framing of usability and learnability, (2) engagement and (3) creating a guidance area – building a DGBL infrastructure. In conclusion, the paper calls for further empirical studies on the actual situation presented in this paper, to reach an informed discussion about questions that are of real concern for many parties, including teachers, school leaders, children and researchers. Keywords: Nordic Countries, Computer Games, Digital Game-Based Learning, Educational Games, Obstacles of Using Games in Schools. 1 Introduction This paper addresses the current limitation of research studies on digital game-based teaching and learning, in particular focusing on obstacles that still prevent teachers in the Nordic countries from using computer games in school settings. From a perspective of educational history, digital game-based learning (DGBL) has only been around for