GAME-BASED LEARNING IN VET SCHOOLS: A LEARNING ARCHITECTURE FOR EDUCATORS IN VOCATIONAL EDUCATION Maik Arnold 1 , Bettina North 2 , Helge Fischer 3 , Josefin Müller 4 , Madeleine Diab 5 1 University of Applied Sciences Dresden (Germany) 2,5 Akademie für berufliche Bildung (Germany) 3,4 University of Applied Sciences Dresden (Germany) The purpose of this paper is to explore the ways in which VET teachers can be supported to successfully integrate game-based learning into vocational education and training. After the presentation of the findings from a systematic analysis of research literature, a unique learning architecture for VET educators is introduced as a conceptual basis for the implementation of the GATE:VET project, representing a practical use case to systematically develop VET teachers’ skills and competencies. Keywords: game-based learning, learning architecture, research project, VET schools, vocational education and training 1 INTRODUCTION Games are an integral part of human culture from the early days of our life [1], encouraging people to interact with each other and with their surroundings to discover new perspectives, to enhance their personality, and to reflect on one’s own strengths and weaknesses. A game opens up a surreal context and reality that is more or less protected from negative consequences in real life. As components in educational contexts, games have been proven effective in supporting, for example, problem-based learning in formal education at different levels [2], [3]. Furthermore, current meta- studies on the effectiveness of game-based learning (GBL) show significant effects on learning through integrating games in the classroom [4], [5]. Game-based learning has a beneficial impact on the motivation to learn, can generate flow and counteract negative learning experiences [6], [7]. Failure while playing as part of the learning process is accepted as "part of the game", provides motivation for new attempts and does not necessarily lead to frustration. At the cognitive level, games can prevent overload and promote transfer between theory and practice through the situational and narrative embedding of information or support different learning styles and learning paths through adaptivity [4], [8]. Through targeted emotional control, GBL extends the scope of cognitive resources and increases the engagement of learners in the learning process [9], [10]. On the socio-cultural level, GBL promotes the social inclusion of learners and collaborative learning processes, including in informal contexts, such as Communities of Practice [11]. GBL goes beyond the learning of specific skills to the learning of transversal skills, also referred to as 21st-century skills [12]. In the vocational education and training (VET) sector, individual and collaborative game scenarios can be used to simulate situations and tasks of everyday work life or typical professional situations. While the beneficial effects of GBL have been extensively studied, teachers and trainers often remain reluctant to implement GBL approaches in formal educational settings for technical, institutional and organisational reasons, such as difficulties in finding suitable games for teaching or the lack of guidelines on how to use games for teaching [13]. These findings are consistent with the results of the needs analysis conducted at the beginning of the authors’ current project GATE:VET – GAmification in TEaching at VET schools, which is presented in this paper and focuses on the question of how teachers can be qualified to successfully integrate GBL in vocational educational. After the presentation of findings from a systematic analysis of research literature, the development of a learning architecture for VET educators will be described. This architecture provides a conceptual basis for the implementation of the GATE:VET project as a practical use case to systematically develop VET teachers’ skills and competencies in the field of GBL. The insights gleaned from the literature review and the experiences gained in the project confirm the importance of implementing GBL in VET in a broader and institutionalised learning environment.