Abstract

In this article, the authors propose the use of trivia games as a tool to support the teaching-learning process in engineering, and present results of the use of trivia games in the Chilean university context. Specifically, we describe a web system called Edutrivias (https://edutrivias.cl) which allows the interaction between teacher and engineering students through game-based learning. Edutrivias allows teachers to create trivia games that can be played by students, as many times as they want, within determined goals and a period of time defined by the teacher. Every time a student plays a trivia, he/she receives information regarding his/her level of progress. At the same time, the teacher can verify the participation of the students, as well as the level of the group and individual advancement. From a pedagogical point of view, teachers deliver knowledge through the trivia games, while the students "play" trivia games to acquire, increase and apply their knowledge through an intermittent reinforcement learning program. The main goals of this article are: (1) to present the foundations of the use of game-based learning in the competence development of engineering students, (2) to describe the main components and functionalities of Edutrivias, and (3) to present the results of an exploratory case study of Edutrivias with information of Chilean students of an engineering school at the University of Talca.