Learning Finance through Play: Assessing Gamified Environments in Agricultural Board Game Education

This study investigates the effectiveness of gamified and non-gamified physical board games in promoting financial literacy among undergraduate agricultural students at Mae Fah Luang University. Using a quasi-experimental design, 96 participants were randomly assigned to either a gamified board game group, which incorporated points, leaderboards, and badges, or a non-gamified group with identical content but no gamification elements. Financial literacy was assessed through pre- and post-tests, while engagement was measured using the Social Presence in Gaming Questionnaire (SPGQ), and perceptions were collected through open-ended questionnaires. Results demonstrated that both groups achieved significant improvements in financial literacy, confirming the educational potential of board games. However, no significant differences were found in knowledge gains between the groups. In contrast, the gamified version produced higher behavioral engagement and more positive perceptions of motivation, enjoyment, and satisfaction. These findings suggest that board games provide an effective platform for financial literacy education, and gamification elements further enrich the learning experience by enhancing engagement and perceived value. The study contributes to the growing body of research on game-based learning and offers practical implications for integrating gamified strategies into agricultural and financial education.