Integrating the Steam Gaming Platform into Electrical and Electronic Engineering Education: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis

DOI

10.2991/978-94-6239-766-8_3How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Game-based learning; Electrical and electronic engineering education; Steam platform; Learning efficiency; Normalized gain; Effect size; Practice ability cultivation; Student participation level

Abstract

This paper conducts a secondary quantitative meta-analysis (based on existing empirical data) on integrating the Steam game platform into Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) undergraduate education, filling the research gap of game-based learning (GBL) evaluation in technical disciplines. From a computer engineering perspective, the Steam platform can be regarded as a digital learning environment integrating simulation computing, real-time interaction, human–computer interaction, and algorithm-driven feedback mechanisms. Therefore, this study evaluates not only educational outcomes but also the effectiveness of computer-assisted learning systems in engineering education. Secondary quantitative analysis was performed on 32 peer-reviewed studies (2015–2024) involving 4,820 EEE undergraduates from 17 institutions across North America, Europe, and Asia, using normalized gain analysis, task efficiency ratio, and Cohen’s d effect size. Results show Steam gamification significantly improves exam scores by 12–20% (mean 16.3%), practical task efficiency by 18–35% (mean 26.7%), and core participation indicators by ~30% (mean 29.4%), with medium-to-large effect sizes (Cohen’s d=0.55–0.82, mean 0.68). Subgroup analysis identifies student prior knowledge, game type, and integration duration as moderating factors: intermediate-level learners benefit most, simulation games outperform puzzle games, and a 10–16 week intervention yields optimal results. The findings further indicate that learning environments supported by simulation software systems and interactive computing technologies can effectively enhance engineering learning efficiency, highlighting the potential of computer-assisted learning technologies in professional engineering education. This meta-analysis summarizes existing evidence for Steam’s application in EEE education, offering actionable suggestions for educators and confirming Steam educational games as a scalable, cost-effectiveness to be verified supplementary tool for traditional EEE courses when aligned with course objectives, though the observed benefits may be influenced by student self-selection bias, as these are commercial entertainment products rather than purpose-built educational tools.

Copyright

© 2026 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Zelin Yu
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/04
TI  - Integrating the Steam Gaming Platform into Electrical and Electronic Engineering Education: A Quantitative Meta-Analysis
BT  - Proceedings of the 2026 6th International Conference on Education, Information Management and Service Science  (EIMSS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 13
EP  - 26
SN  - 2589-4900
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-766-8_3
DO  - 10.2991/978-94-6239-766-8_3
ID  - Yu2026
ER  -