The Springs of Knowledge board game

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As society evolves in how information is created and shared, evaluating sources has become essential for students. To support this need, at The University of Bergen Library we have developed “Kildespillet”—The Springs of Knowledge Board Game. This is a board game that promotes information literacy, encourages collaboration, and fosters psychological safety in a low-pressure learning situation. 600 students have played it so far and the 146 evaluations indicate that the game does help the students learnabout sources and to voice their academic perspectives.

GAME MECHANICS

The Springs of Knowledge Board Game is a memory-based board game about information sources with 3-4 players. The cards lay face down on the table and the players are to look for matching pairs. When finding a matching pair, the task is to identify which type of information source the text on the card describes. Players are NOT given additional turns when correct.

Illustrations were created using AI, and made visually distinct form one another, to support the memory function. The game mechanics entail: luck –anyone can win, chance of failing –builds robustness and trust, deliberation and cooperation through discussion – fostering “voice”. Turn taking facilitate academic conversation while balancing group dynamics, encouraging players to be active and not too dominating.

METHODS: PLAYED AND TESTED

The game was played by new students (600+/) at the Humanities faculty, University of Bergen fall 2025, as part of a introductory course about key academic practices, with a focus on reading, writing, new technology, and critical source use.

We conducted an online survey administered via QR-code and received 146 replies. In the survey we use Likert scale questions and suggested words for the students to associate to as well free text option. 36 added free text. Through the survey we wanted to find out: If the game led to learning, was social inclusive, facilitated discussion and critical thinking and if it was easy to play.

METODE: SPILLE OG TESTE

Spillet ble spilt av nye studenter (600+) ved Det humanistiske fakultet, Universitetet i Bergen høsten 2025, som en del av et introduksjonsemne om sentrale akademiske praksiser, med fokus på lesing, skriving, ny teknologi og kritisk kildebruk.

Vi gjennomførte en nettbasert spørreundersøkelse via QR-kode og mottok 146 svar. I undersøkelsen brukte vi Likert-skala-spørsmål, foreslåtte ord studentene kunne assosiere med, samt et fritekstfelt. 36 studenter benyttet fritekstfeltet.

Gjennom undersøkelsen ønsket vi å finne ut om spillet førte til læring, var sosialt inkluderende, la til rette for diskusjon og kritisk tenkning, og om det var lett å spille.

ACADEMIC VOICE

Psychological safety (PT) increases the capacity for learning (Edmondson 1999). In a psychologically safe learning environment, students feel comfortable asking questions, acknowledging gaps in their knowledge, and contributing to the group conversation. The research on PT addresses the phenomenon of voice. We wanted to find out if a structured academic group conversation, using board game mechanics, can help the students finding their academic voice. Survey responses suggest it did. Overall, the students responded that the game was socially inclusive, provided practice in discussion, was educational and fun. A small minority experienced the opposite