Pauline Rooney & Nicola Whitton 
Game-Based Learning and the Power of Play 
Exploring Evidence, Challenges and Future Directions

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the use of games to enhance learning across multiple educational levels, and extensive research has shown that games have considerable potential for enhancing learning, motivation and skills development. However, despite a growing acknowledgement of this potential, challenges remain and the use of games in formal education contexts remains far from mainstream. While some studies identify design and development issues as a key barrier – including associated costs – others highlight organisational and infrastructural difficulties involved in implementing games in the classroom. More recently, increasing recognition of these difficulties has led many to explore how gaming elements (rather than fully fledged games) can be used to engage and enhance student learning – a practice now widely referred to as "gamification".This edited collection of chapters explores the application, potential and challenges of game-based learning and gamification across multiple disciplines and sectors, including psychology, education, business, history, languages and the creative arts. With contributions exploring the use of games across the full educational spectrum – from early childhood education, through to the corporate sector – it provides comprehensive insights into the potential of games and play for facilitating learning and engagement at every life stage.