This study evaluated the impact of a classroom simulation, The Cartel Challenge, on deepening high school economics students' understanding and application of game theory concepts. In a quasi-experimental design, eighty students were randomly assigned to either a game-based learning (GBL) group, which participated in the simulation, or a control group receiving traditional lecture-based instruction, with both groups completing pre- and post-assessments. Pre-test scores showed no significant differences between groups across all measures, confirming baseline equivalence. The GBL group demonstrated significantly greater gains, achieving a post-test mean of 93.3% on a conceptual knowledge test compared to 82.2% for the control group (t(78)=2.32, p = 0.036; Cohen’s d = 0.93, 95% CI [5.77%, 16.45%]). In applied problem-solving, the GBL group also outperformed the control group with a mean of 88.9% versus 77.8% (t(78)=2.29, p = 0.038; Cohen’s d = 0.76, 95% CI [4.64%, 17.58%]). These quantitative results were corroborated by qualitative data from student surveys and classroom observations, which revealed higher self-reported understanding and more frequent, sophisticated strategic reasoning among GBL participants. The reliability of all instruments was confirmed with good internal consistency (Cronbach’s α ≈ 0.80 for tests and 0.82 for surveys). The findings indicate that a well-structured, theoretically-aligned simulation—incorporating cooperative and competitive sessions with guided reflection—can significantly enhance the learning of abstract economic concepts. This study extends previous GBL research by demonstrating substantial cognitive benefits within the specific context of Chinese secondary-school economics, aligning with systematic reviews that affirm the positive effects of game-based methods on domain knowledge acquisition.

Weijie Liu, Jieyi Liang. The Cartel Challenge: Enhancing Game Theory Understanding and Application through Game-Based Learning in High School Economics. Frontiers in Educational Research (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 5: 134-140. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2026.090518.

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