The fact that each student has a different way of learning and processing information has long been
recognised by educationalists. In the classroom, the benefits derived from delivering learning content in
ways that match the student's learning style have also been identified. As new modes of delivery of
learning content such as computer-assisted learning systems (e.g. eLearning) have become increasingly
popular, research into these has also identified the benefits of tailoring learning content to learning
styles. However, in games-based learning (GBL), the adaptation based on learning style to enhance the
educational experience has not been well researched. For the purpose of this research, a game with three
game modes has been developed: 1) non-adaptivity mode; 2) a mode that customises the game according
to the student's learning style identified by using a learning style questionnaire; and 3) a mode
that has an in-game adaptive system that dynamically and continuously adapts its content according to
the student's interactions in the game.
This paper discusses the term adaptivity in a GBL context and presents the results of an experimental
study investigating the differences in learning effectiveness of the different game modes compared to a
paper-based learning. The study was performed with 120 Higher Education students learning the
database language SQL (Structured Query Language). The results show that the game developed,
regardless of mode, produced better learning outcomes than those who learned from a textbook while
adaptive GBL was better in terms of allowing learners to complete the tasks faster than the other two
game versions.