Gaming science: the "Gamification" of scientific thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Bradley J; Croker, Steve; Zimmerman, Corinne; Gill, Devin; Romig, Connie

2013-09-09

Science is critically important for advancing economics, health, and social well-being in the twenty-first century. A scientifically literate workforce is one that is well-suited to meet the challenges of an information economy. However, scientific thinking skills do not routinely develop and must be scaffolded via educational and cultural tools. In this paper we outline a rationale for why we believe that video games have the potential to be exploited for gain in science education. The premise we entertain is that several classes of video games can be viewed as a type of cultural tool that is capable of supporting three key elements of scientific literacy: content knowledge, process skills, and understanding the nature of science. We argue that there are three classes of mechanisms through which video games can support scientific thinking. First, there are a number of motivational scaffolds, such as feedback, rewards, and flow states that engage students relative to traditional cultural learning tools. Second, there are a number of cognitive scaffolds, such as simulations and embedded reasoning skills that compensate for the limitations of the individual cognitive system. Third, fully developed scientific thinking requires metacognition, and video games provide metacognitive scaffolding in the form of constrained learning and identity adoption. We conclude by outlining a series of recommendations for integrating games and game elements in science education and provide suggestions for evaluating their effectiveness.

MetaBlast! Virtual Cell: A Pedagogical Convergence between Game Design and Science Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anson Call

2007-10-01

Full Text Available Virtual Cell is a game design solution to a specific scientific and educational problem; expressly, how to make advanced, university level plant biology instruction on molecular and anatomical levels an exciting, efficient learning experience. The advanced technologies of 3D modeling and animation, computer programming and game design are united and tempered with strong, scientific guidance for accuracy and art direction for a powerful visual and audio simulation. The additional strength of intense gaming as a powerful tool aiding memory, logic and problem solving has recently become well recognized. Virtual Cell will provide a unique gaming experience, while transparently teaching scientifically accurate facts and concepts about, in this case, a soybean plant's inner workings and dependant mechanisms on multiple scales and levels of complexity. Virtual Cell (from now on referred to as VC in the future may prove to be a reference for other scientific/education endeavors as scientists battle for a more prominent mind share among average citizens. This paper will discuss the difficulties of developing VC, its structure, intended game and educational goals along with additional benefits to both the sciences and gaming industry.

Mobile Gaming and Student Interactions in a Science Center: The Future of Gaming in Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Atwood-Blaine, Dana; Huffman, Douglas

2017-01-01

This article explores the impact of an augmented reality iPad-based mobile game, called The Great STEM Caper, on students' interaction at a science center. An open-source, location-based game platform called ARIS (i.e. Augmented Reality and Interactive Storytelling) was used to create an iPad-based mobile game. The game used QR scan codes and a…

The Impact of a Science Education Game on Students' Learning and Perception of Inhalants as Body Pollutants

Science.gov (United States)

Klisch, Yvonne; Miller, Leslie M.; Wang, Shu; Epstein, Joel

2012-01-01

This study investigated the knowledge gains and attitude shifts attributable to a unique online science education game, "Uncommon Scents." The game was developed to teach middle school students about the biological consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals in an environmental science context, as well as the risks associated with abusing these…

Game-Like Technology Innovation Education

Science.gov (United States)

Magnussen, Rikke

2011-01-01

This paper examines the methodological challenges and perspectives of designing game-like scenarios for the implementation of innovation processes in school science education. This paper presents a design-based research study of a game-like innovation scenario designed for technology education for Danish public school students aged 13-15. Students…

The Impact of Science Education Games on Prescription Drug Abuse Attitudes among Teens: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Klisch, Yvonne; Bowling, Kristi G.; Miller, Leslie M.; Ramos, Miguel A.

2013-01-01

Two online science education games, in which players learn about the risks of prescription drug abuse in the context of investigating crimes, were evaluated to determine shifts of prescription drug abuse attitudes attributable to game exposure. High school students from grades 11 and 12 (n = 179) were assigned to one of the games and participated…

Gaming Science: The Gamification of Scientific Thinking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bradley eMorris

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Science is critically important for advancing economics, health, and social well being in the 21st century. A scientifically literate workforce is one that is well suited to meet the challenges of an information economy. However, scientific thinking skills do not routinely develop and must be scaffolded via educational and cultural tools. In this paper we outline a rationale for why we believe that video games have the potential to be exploited for gain in science education. The premise we entertain is that several classes of video games can be viewed as a type of cultural tool that is capable of supporting three key elements of scientific literacy: content knowledge, process skills, and understanding the nature of science. We argue that there are three classes of mechanisms through which video games can support scientific thinking. First, there are a number of motivational scaffolds, such as feedback, rewards, and flow states that engage students relative to traditional cultural learning tools. Second, there are a number of cognitive scaffolds, such as simulations and embedded reasoning skills that compensate for the limitations of the individual cognitive system. Third, fully developed scientific thinking requires metacognition, and video games provide metacognitive scaffolding in the form of constrained learning and identity adoption. We conclude by outlining a series of recommendations for integrating games and game elements in science education and provide suggestions for evaluating their effectiveness.

Game-like Technology Innovation Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnussen, Rikke

2011-01-01

  The aim of this paper is to discuss the first results and methodological challenges and perspectives of designing game-inspired scenarios for implementation of innovation processes into schools' science education. This paper comprises and report on a case study of a game-inspired innovation...... scenario designed for technology education in grades 7 - 9 in Danish schools. In the paper, methodological challenges of doing design-based research into technology innovation education are discussed. The preliminary results from the first studies of a game-inspired technology innovation camp are also...... presented, along with discussions of the future of development of these educational spaces....

Gaming the System: Developing an Educational Game for Securing Principles of Arterial Blood Gases.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyd, Cory Ann; Warren, Jonah; Glendon, Mary Ann

2016-01-01

This article describes the development process for creating a digital educational mini game prototype designed to provide practice opportunities for learning fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Mini games generally take less than an hour to play and focus on specific subject matter. An interdisciplinary team of faculty from two universities mentored student game developers to design a digital educational mini game prototype. Sixteen accelerated bachelor of science in nursing students collaborated with game development students and playtested the game prototype during the last semester of their senior year in nursing school. Playtesting is a form of feedback that supports an iterative design process that is critical to game development. A 10-question survey was coupled with group discussions addressing five broad themes of an archetypical digital educational mini game to yield feedback on game design, play, and content. Four rounds of playtesting and incorporating feedback supported the iterative process. Accelerated bachelor of science in nursing student playtester feedback suggests that the digital educational mini game prototype has potential for offering an engaging, playful game experience that will support securing the fundamental principles of arterial blood gases. Next steps are to test the digital educational mini game for teaching and learning effectiveness. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Gaming science: the “Gamification” of scientific thinking

Science.gov (United States)

Morris, Bradley J.; Croker, Steve; Zimmerman, Corinne; Gill, Devin; Romig, Connie

2013-01-01

Science is critically important for advancing economics, health, and social well-being in the twenty-first century. A scientifically literate workforce is one that is well-suited to meet the challenges of an information economy. However, scientific thinking skills do not routinely develop and must be scaffolded via educational and cultural tools. In this paper we outline a rationale for why we believe that video games have the potential to be exploited for gain in science education. The premise we entertain is that several classes of video games can be viewed as a type of cultural tool that is capable of supporting three key elements of scientific literacy: content knowledge, process skills, and understanding the nature of science. We argue that there are three classes of mechanisms through which video games can support scientific thinking. First, there are a number of motivational scaffolds, such as feedback, rewards, and flow states that engage students relative to traditional cultural learning tools. Second, there are a number of cognitive scaffolds, such as simulations and embedded reasoning skills that compensate for the limitations of the individual cognitive system. Third, fully developed scientific thinking requires metacognition, and video games provide metacognitive scaffolding in the form of constrained learning and identity adoption. We conclude by outlining a series of recommendations for integrating games and game elements in science education and provide suggestions for evaluating their effectiveness. PMID:24058354

Promoting Science-Policy Education on Global Environmental Issues: The Mercury Game

Science.gov (United States)

Selin, N. E.; Stokes, L. C.; Susskind, L. E.

2011-12-01

We present initial results from a project focusing on teaching science and engineering students about global environmental policy, funded by a NSF CAREER grant. Despite decades of growing global concern about issues such as ozone depletion, climate change, and toxic chemicals, linking science to policy is a continuing challenge, and few science students receive formal training for effective participation in global negotiations. The focus of the educational activity presented here is the development of a freely-available, interactive teaching tool in the form of a role-play simulation, called "The Mercury Game" (http://mit.edu/mercurygame). The simulation requires players to consider scientific information on an emerging global issue, mercury pollution, and collectively decide whether global policy action is appropriate and what the scope of such action might entail. Playing the game helps participants to explore the consequences of representing scientific uncertainty in various ways in a policy context. The game focuses on the credibility of various sources of technical information, strategies for representing risk and uncertainty, and the balance between scientific and political considerations. It also requires the players to grapple with political considerations, particularly the dynamic between the global "North" (the developed world) and the global "South" (the developing world) at the heart of most political conflicts. Simulation outcomes from running the simulation at two scientific conferences and as part of a graduate-level course on global environmental science and policy will be presented.

Learning about the game: designing science games for a generation of gamers

Science.gov (United States)

Chmiel, Marjee

2012-12-01

This paper is a response to "Challenges and Opportunities: Using a science-based video game in secondary school settings" by Rachel Muehrer, Jennifer Jenson, Jeremy Friedberg, and Nicole Husain. The article highlights two critical areas that I argue require more research in the studies of video games in education. The first area focuses on the need to better understand how children interact with non-educational games, outside of the school setting. This includes issues such as "gamer culture" and game play styles. The better we understand these issues, the better educational game designers and implementers can imagine the kinds of behaviors that might be elicited from students when we bring educational games into their classroom. In this focus, the student is the unit of analysis, but it is the student in and out of the classroom: the way the student understands video games when she is at home, playing with friends, and at school. The second area focuses on the study of the classroom as a unit of analysis. As the authors of this study reveal, classroom cultures affect the reception and success of an educational game. This is to ask, how does a game play when students have to play it in pairs or groups for a lack of resources? What is the role of the teacher in the success of video game implementation? How does a game react to multiple server requests in a short period of time? These are issues that are still largely unexplored in the educational game design literature.

BREAKING SPORE: BUILDING INSTRUCTIONAL VALUE IN SCIENCE EDUCATION USING A COMMERCIAL, OFF-THE SHELF GAME

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Schrader

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This investigation explored an alternative method of technology integration and ways to enable educators to judiciously use a wider range of games in their classrooms. Although many games have been created with educational objectives in mind (e.g., Quest Atlantis, Immune Attack, Democracy, proportionally fewer games and simulations are linked to scientific content and standards. More importantly, wildly popular and widely available entertainment-based games with educational components (i.e., edutainment do not necessarily promote scientific understanding. Generally, the purpose of games is entertainment. However, issues may arise if they are marketed as promoting or having a strong basis in content. In this study, we examine the simulation game Spore, which exhibits flawed scientific assumptions and may promote numerous misconceptions if used “as is” with students. We examine how a simple pedagogical adjustment to in a middle school science class may overcome the existing and designed limitations while yielding learning benefits. Specifically, we observe Spore’s influence on students’ conceptual understanding of natural selection when compared to a control group. The findings contribute to a growing body of literature that provides teachers with alternative methods for judicious technology integration, particularly with respect to the affordances of games and simulations like Spore.

The Impact of a Science Education Game on Students' Learning and Perception of Inhalants as Body Pollutants

Science.gov (United States)

Klisch, Yvonne; Miller, Leslie M.; Wang, Shu; Epstein, Joel

2012-04-01

This study investigated the knowledge gains and attitude shifts attributable to a unique online science education game, Uncommon Scents. The game was developed to teach middle school students about the biological consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals in an environmental science context, as well as the risks associated with abusing these chemicals as inhalants. Middle school students (n = 444) grades six through eight participated in the study consisting of a pre-test, three game-play sessions, and a delayed post-test. After playing the game, students demonstrated significant gains in science content knowledge, with game usability ratings emerging as the strongest predictor of post-test content knowledge scores. The intervention also resulted in a shift to more negative attitudes toward inhalants, with the most negative shift occurring among eighth grade students and post-test knowledge gains as the strongest predictor of attitude change across all grade levels. These findings suggest that the environmental science approach used in Uncommon Scents is an efficacious strategy for delivering both basic science content and influencing perceived harm relating to the inhalation of toxic chemicals from common household products.

The Impact of a Science Education Game on Students' Learning and Perception of Inhalants as Body Pollutants.

Science.gov (United States)

Klisch, Yvonne; Miller, Leslie M; Wang, Shu; Epstein, Joel

2012-04-01

This study investigated the knowledge gains and attitude shifts attributable to a unique online science education game, Uncommon Scents. The game was developed to teach middle school students about the biological consequences of exposure to toxic chemicals in an environmental science context, as well as the risks associated with abusing these chemicals as inhalants. Middle school students ( n = 444) grades six through eight participated in the study consisting of a pre-test, three game-play sessions, and a delayed post-test. After playing the game, students demonstrated significant gains in science content knowledge, with game usability ratings emerging as the strongest predictor of post-test content knowledge scores. The intervention also resulted in a shift to more negative attitudes toward inhalants, with the most negative shift occurring among eighth grade students and post-test knowledge gains as the strongest predictor of attitude change across all grade levels. These findings suggest that the environmental science approach used in Uncommon Scents is an efficacious strategy for delivering both basic science content and influencing perceived harm relating to the inhalation of toxic chemicals from common household products.

Are Serious Games a Good Strategy for Pharmacy Education?

Science.gov (United States)

Cain, Jeff; Piascik, Peggy

2015-05-25

Serious gaming is the use of game principles for the purposes of learning, skill acquisition, and training. Higher education is beginning to incorporate serious gaming into curricula, and health professions education is the most common area for serious game use. Advantages of serious gaming in pharmacy education include authentic, situated learning without risk of patient consequences, collaborative learning, ability to challenge students of all performance levels, high student motivation with increased time on task, immediate feedback, ability to learn from mistakes without becoming discouraged, and potential for behavior and attitude change. Development of quality games for pharmacy education requires content expertise as well as expertise in the science and design of gaming. When well done, serious gaming provides a valuable additional tool for pharmacy education.

Fun and Games: using Games and Immersive Exploration to Teach Earth and Space Science

Science.gov (United States)

Reiff, P. H.; Sumners, C.

2011-12-01

We have been using games to teach Earth and Space Science for over 15 years. Our software "TicTacToe" has been used continuously at the Houston Museum of Natural Science since 2002. It is the single piece of educational software in the "Earth Forum" suite that holds the attention of visitors the longest - averaging over 10 minutes compared to 1-2 minutes for the other software kiosks. We now have question sets covering solar system, space weather, and Earth science. In 2010 we introduced a new game technology - that of immersive interactive explorations. In our "Tikal Explorer", visitors use a game pad to navigate a three-dimensional environment of the Classic Maya city of Tikal. Teams of students climb pyramids, look for artifacts, identify plants and animals, and site astronomical alignments that predict the annual return of the rains. We also have a new 3D exploration of the International Space Station, where students can fly around and inside the ISS. These interactive explorations are very natural to the video-game generation, and promise to bring educational objectives to experiences that had previously been used strictly for gaming. If space permits, we will set up our portable Discovery Dome in the poster session for a full immersive demonstration of these game environments.

The Effectiveness of an Educational Game for Teaching Optometry Students Basic and Applied Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Trevino, Richard; Majcher, Carolyn; Rabin, Jeff; Kent, Theresa; Maki, Yutaka; Wingert, Timothy

2016-01-01

To compare the effectiveness of an educational board game with interactive didactic instruction for teaching optometry students elements of the core optometric curriculum. Forty-two optometry students were divided into two GPA-matched groups and assigned to either 12 hours of game play (game group) or 12 hours of interactive didactic instruction (lecture group). The same material from the core optometric curriculum was delivered to both groups. Game play was accomplished via an original board game. Written examinations assessed change in knowledge level. A post-intervention opinion survey assessed student attitudes. There was no significant difference in pre- or post-intervention test scores between the lecture and game groups (Pre-test: p = 0.9; Post-test: p = 0.5). Post-intervention test scores increased significantly from baseline (Game group: 29.3% gain, Didactic group: 31.5% gain; poptometry students basic and applied science. Furthermore, both modes of instruction have the potential to be equally engaging and enjoyable experiences.

Learning about the Game: Designing Science Games for a Generation of Gamers

Science.gov (United States)

Chmiel, Marjee

2012-01-01

This paper is a response to "Challenges and Opportunities: Using a science-based video game in secondary school settings" by Rachel Muehrer, Jennifer Jenson, Jeremy Friedberg, and Nicole Husain. The article highlights two critical areas that I argue require more research in the studies of video games in education. The first area focuses on the…

When Playing Meets Learning: Methodological Framework for Designing Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

Linek, Stephanie B.; Schwarz, Daniel; Bopp, Matthias; Albert, Dietrich

Game-based learning builds upon the idea of using the motivational potential of video games in the educational context. Thus, the design of educational games has to address optimizing enjoyment as well as optimizing learning. Within the EC-project ELEKTRA a methodological framework for the conceptual design of educational games was developed. Thereby state-of-the-art psycho-pedagogical approaches were combined with insights of media-psychology as well as with best-practice game design. This science-based interdisciplinary approach was enriched by enclosed empirical research to answer open questions on educational game-design. Additionally, several evaluation-cycles were implemented to achieve further improvements. The psycho-pedagogical core of the methodology can be summarized by the ELEKTRA's 4Ms: Macroadaptivity, Microadaptivity, Metacognition, and Motivation. The conceptual framework is structured in eight phases which have several interconnections and feedback-cycles that enable a close interdisciplinary collaboration between game design, pedagogy, cognitive science and media psychology.

Virtual Games in Social Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Lopez, Jose M. Cuenca; Caceres, Myriam J. Martin

2010-01-01

The new technologies make the appearance of highly motivating and dynamic games with different levels of interaction possible, in which large amounts of data, information, procedures and values are included which are intimately bound with the social sciences. We set out from the hypothesis that videogames may become interesting resources for their…

Strategic Game Moves Mediate Implicit Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Rowe, Elizabeth; Baker, Ryan S.; Asbell-Clarke, Jodi

2015-01-01

Educational games have the potential to be innovative forms of learning assessment, by allowing us to not just study their knowledge but the process that takes students to that knowledge. This paper examines the mediating role of players' moves in digital games on changes in their pre-post classroom measures of implicit science learning. We…

Learning computer science by watching video games

OpenAIRE

Nagataki, Hiroyuki

2014-01-01

This paper proposes a teaching method that utilizes video games in computer science education. The primary characteristic of this approach is that it utilizes video games as observational materials. The underlying idea is that by observing the computational behavior of a wide variety of video games, learners will easily grasp the fundamental architecture, theory, and technology of computers. The results of a case study conducted indicate that the method enhances the motivation of students for...

Learning the Rules of the Game: The Nature of Game and Classroom Supports When Using a Concept-Integrated Digital Physics Game in the Middle School Science Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Phillip Michael, Jr.

Games in science education is emerging as a popular topic of scholarly inquiry. The National Research Council recently published a report detailing a research agenda for games and science education entitled Learning Science Through Computer Games and Simulations (2011). The report recommends moving beyond typical proof-of-concept studies into more exploratory and theoretically-based work to determine how best to integrate games into K-12 classrooms for learning , as well as how scaffolds from within the game and from outside the game (from peers and teachers) support the learning of applicable science. This study uses a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design with an 8th grade class at an independent school in southern Connecticut to answer the following questions: 1. What is the nature of the supports for science content learning provided by the game, the peer, and the teacher, when the game is used in a classroom setting? 2. How do the learning gains in the peer support condition compare to the solo play condition, both qualitatively and quantitatively? The concept-integrated physics game SURGE (Scaffolding Understanding through Redesigning Games for Education) was selected for this study, as it was developed with an ear towards specific learning theories and prior work on student understandings of impulse, force, and vectors. Stimulated recall interviews and video observations served as the primary sources and major patterns emerged through the triangulation of data sources and qualitative analysis in the software QSR NVivo 9. The first pattern which emerged indicated that scaffolding from within the game and outside the game requires a pause in game action to be effective, unless that scaffolding is directly useful to the player in the moment of action. The second major pattern indicated that both amount and type of prior gaming experience has somewhat complex effects on both the uses of supports and learning outcomes. In general, a high correlation was found

Games As Educational Tools in eARTh Science: MAREOPOLI and THE ENERGY CHALLENGE.

Science.gov (United States)

Garvani, Sara; Locritani, Marina; di Laura, Francesca; Stroobant, Mascha; Merlino, Silvia

2017-04-01

Research and researchers do have an important role in sustainable green and blue economy. It is also clear that outreach activities are fundamental to improve societal perception of Science past and present results and future insights or consequences and that is primary to change people's mentality. This is one of the main goals of the Scientific Dissemination Group (SDG) "La Spezia Gulf of Science", made up by Research Centres, Schools and Cultural associations located in La Spezia (Liguria, Italy). However, communicating scientific results means also improving educational methods: introducing tight relationship with artists (especially graphic designers), can produce unusual approaches and translate concepts in images which everyone can understand also under an emotional point of view. Images have a fundamental role for understanding and learning simple and less simple concepts, for example general public and high School students can be reached by interactive conferences with live speed painting (Locritani et al., 2016), and kids can be involved in interactive games. And games, especially, can reduce learning curves, since playing itself creates a natural forum for exchanging ideas and reflecting on natural phenomena and human impacts outside of class hours. Games, and the entertainment value of play, have the ability to teach and transform (Gobet et al., 2004). In this work we'll present two different games that raised from the collaboration between researchers and artists: MAREOPOLI and THE ENERGY CHALLENGE. MAREOPOLI (The City of Tides) is a simplified adaptation of the famous board game Monopoly, and consist of 36 spaces: 16 important historical and coastal cities having relevant tide phenomena, 8 Unexpected Events spaces (questions are asked on Modern Oceanography), 8 Curious Facts spaces (players receive information on historical records) and 4 corner squares: GO, (Blocked) in Limestone Grotto/Just Visiting, Free Beach Club, and Go to Limestone Grotto

Homo Politicus meets Homo Ludens: Public participation in serious life science games.

Science.gov (United States)

Radchuk, Olga; Kerbe, Wolfgang; Schmidt, Markus

2017-07-01

Public participation in science and gamification of science are two strong contemporary trends, especially in the area of emerging techno-sciences. Involvement of the public in research-related activities is an integral part of public engagement with science and technologies, which can be successfully achieved through a participatory game design. Focusing on the participatory dimension of educational games, we have reviewed a number of existing participation heuristics in light of their suitability to characterize available mobile and browser science games. We analyzed 87 games with respect to their participatory and motivational elements and demonstrated that the majority of mobile games have only basic participative features. This review of the landscape of participative science games in the domain of life sciences highlights a number of major challenges present in the design of such applications. At the same time, it reveals a number of opportunities to enhance public engagement using science games.

Computer-Based Simulation Games in Public Administration Education

OpenAIRE

Kutergina Evgeniia

2017-01-01

Computer simulation, an active learning technique, is now one of the advanced pedagogical technologies. Th e use of simulation games in the educational process allows students to gain a firsthand understanding of the processes of real life. Public- administration, public-policy and political-science courses increasingly adopt simulation games in universities worldwide. Besides person-to-person simulation games, there are computer-based simulations in public-administration education. Currently...

Game Immersion Experience: Its Hierarchical Structure and Impact on Game-Based Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, M.-T.; She, H.-C.; Annetta, L. A.

2015-01-01

Many studies have shown the positive impact of serious educational games (SEGs) on learning outcomes. However, there still exists insufficient research that delves into the impact of immersive experience in the process of gaming on SEG-based science learning. The dual purpose of this study was to further explore this impact. One purpose was to…

Game-Based Learning in Science Education: A Review of Relevant Research

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Ming-Chaun; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to review empirical research articles regarding game-based science learning (GBSL) published from 2000 to 2011. Thirty-one articles were identified through the Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. A qualitative content analysis technique was adopted to analyze the research purposes and designs, game design and…

How MESSENGER Meshes Simulations and Games with Citizen Science

Science.gov (United States)

Hirshon, B.; Chapman, C. R.; Edmonds, J.; Goldstein, J.; Hallau, K. G.; Solomon, S. C.; Vanhala, H.; Weir, H. M.; Messenger Education; Public Outreach (Epo) Team

2010-12-01

How MESSENGER Meshes Simulations and Games with Citizen Science In the film The Last Starfighter, an alien civilization grooms their future champion—a kid on Earth—using a video game. As he gains proficiency in the game, he masters the skills he needs to pilot a starship and save their civilization. The NASA MESSENGER Education and Public Outreach (EPO) Team is using the same tactic to train citizen scientists to help the Science Team explore the planet Mercury. We are building a new series of games that appear to be designed primarily for fun, but that guide players through a knowledge and skill set that they will need for future science missions in support of MESSENGER mission scientists. As players score points, they gain expertise. Once they achieve a sufficiently high score, they will be invited to become participants in Mercury Zoo, a new program being designed by Zooniverse. Zooniverse created Galaxy Zoo and Moon Zoo, programs that allow interested citizens to participate in the exploration and interpretation of galaxy and lunar data. Scientists use the citizen interpretations to further refine their exploration of the same data, thereby narrowing their focus and saving precious time. Mercury Zoo will be designed with input from the MESSENGER Science Team. This project will not only support the MESSENGER mission, but it will also add to the growing cadre of informed members of the public available to help with other citizen science projects—building on the concept that engaged, informed citizens can help scientists make new discoveries. The MESSENGER EPO Team comprises individuals from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS); Carnegie Academy for Science Education (CASE); Center for Educational Resources (CERES) at Montana State University (MSU) - Bozeman; National Center for Earth and Space Science Education (NCESSE); Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL); National Air and Space Museum (NASM); Science

An Educational Tool for Creating Distributed Physical Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lund, Henrik Hautop; Pagliarini, Luigi

2011-01-01

programming for physical games development. This is done by providing an educational tool that allows a change of representation of the problems related to game designing from a virtual to a physical representation. Indeed, MITS seems to be a valuable system for bringing into education a vast number of issues...... (such as parallel programming, distribution, communication protocols, master dependency, connectivity, topology, island modeling software behavioral models, adaptive interactivity, feedback, user and multi-user game interaction, etc.). This can both improve the education-related issues in computer......The development of physical interactive games demands extensive knowledge in engineering, computer science and gaming. In this paper we describe how the Modular Interactive Tiles System (MITS) can be a valuable tool for introducing students to interactive parallel and distributed processing...

Ice Flows: A Game-based Learning approach to Science Communication

Science.gov (United States)

Le Brocq, Anne

2017-04-01

Game-based learning allows people to become immersed in an environment, and learn how the system functions and responds to change through playing a game. Science and gaming share a similar characteristic: they both involve learning and understanding the rules of the environment you are in, in order to achieve your objective. I will share experiences of developing and using the educational game "Ice Flows" for science communication. The game tasks the player with getting a penguin to its destination, through controlling the size of the ice sheet via ocean temperature and snowfall. Therefore, the game aims to educate the user about the environmental controls on the behaviour of the ice sheet, whilst they are enjoying playing a game with penguins. The game was funded by a NERC Large Grant entitled "Ice shelves in a warming world: Filchner Ice Shelf system, Antarctica", so uses data from the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to generate unique levels. The game will be easily expandable to other regions of Antarctica and beyond, with the ultimate aim of giving a full understanding to the user of different ice flow regimes across the planet.

Developing Science Games for use at Public Events to Better Inform Students and Citizen Scientists

Science.gov (United States)

Lewis, P. M.; Chambers, L. H.; Bethea, K. L.; Crecelius, S.; Ruhlman, K.; Harte, T.

2013-12-01

At NASA's Langley Research Center, the Science Directorate participates in a wide range of public outreach events, from individual small-scale classroom visits, to the large-scale NASA events like Exploration Day at Busch Gardens Williamsburg. Despite the diversity of venues, one thing is certain: the public is hungry for science and ravenous for the materials and activities that NASA produces. However, designing and producing materials and activities to capture the attention of everyone from children to grandparents can be a challenging task. The NASA Langley Science Directorate Outreach and Communications Team has taken on the task to ensure that event participants have a worthwhile science experience through a series of educational tabletop games. This diverse group of educators, scientists, writers and graphic artists has been able to produce many games and activities perfect for public exposure and understanding. These games not only capture the imagination of the citizen scientists that visit the display, but they also allow them to learn the science behind many of the things that happen around them on a daily basis, many of which they take for granted. Teaching the public through games and short activities has proven to be a winning combination of efforts. In the development of any game or activity a great deal of consideration is given to "boiling down" the science concept or educational "take away." This step is where the diverse development group has proven to be invaluable. A final product developed by this team includes a review for science validity by a scientist, words written by a science writer, educational alignment by a science educator and design by a graphic designer. This process ensures that the game will attract the right group of people and have them leave understanding new science content. Games and activities generated in this fashion have been successful in the traditional classroom and informal education venues that this team routinely

Investigating Science Interest in a Game-Based Learning Project

Science.gov (United States)

Annetta, Leonard; Vallett, David; Fusarelli, Bonnie; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu; Holmes, Shawn; Folta, Elizabeth; Thurmond, Brandi

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect Serious Educational Games (SEGs) had on student interest in science in a federally funded game-based learning project. It can be argued that today's students are more likely to engage in video games than they are to interact in live, face-to-face learning environments. With a keen eye on…

Playing for Climate Change: An Educational Alternative Realty Game (ARG) in Second Life

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Sandra Kim

Learner engagement in the learning process is a challenge faced by educators, instructional designers, administrators and policy makers (Barab, Sadler, Heiselt, & Zuiker, 2007b; Van Eck, 2006). One area in which learner engagement is particularly problematic is science education; participation rates in sciences at the post-secondary level are significantly lower than in other disciplines (Fox & Stephan, 2001; Industry Canada, 2007; Kennepohl, 2009). Learners who are enrolled in science programs at postsecondary institutions also have deficits in their scientific illiteracy, specifically in their ability to understand the language of science and evaluate scientific claims in journal articles and reports. This design-based research study represents the first phase of an ongoing project exploring the role that digital educational games designed to support knowledge building within small groups can play in addressing issues of engagement and literacy in science education. A set of game design principles derived from the existing literature was used to inform the development of a prototype of the game. The prototype was evaluated by a group (N=18) of educational technology graduate students at a local university. As this was a first phase of a study in a field (i.e. game-based learning) that is still contested, it is felt that qualitative research methods can provide a representative view of the effectiveness of the game design principles and types of interactions observed between players as well as between players and artefacts in environment. The data collection methods used in this study included participant observation, data player characteristics survey, interviews, and content analysis. The final products of this study are game design principles and a game prototype. Data gathered from this study will be used to inform the design of the next version of the game, and future research in the area of digital game design and implementation (e.g., learning analytics

Game-centric pedagogy and curriculums in higher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgård, Rikke Toft; Murray, John; Morgan, James

2017-01-01

This paper examines some recent trends in game-centric education for STEAM (science, technology,engineering, art and mathematics) fields, especially those that explore and promote collaborationamong multiple disciplines. We discuss various multimodal design research activities that draw uponthe...... applications and usage of popular technical hackathons and game design jams in educationalenvironments. The intent of this work is to guide and inform new approaches to the corecomponents of STEAM curriculums.Game-centric methods appear to be well-suited to a variety of education and trainingcircumstances...... a valuable vehicle for enhancing general education andlong-term life skills.We conclude by describing some opportunities to undertake qualitative and quantitative research on teams of participants in popular game development events, such as the multinational Global GameJam (GGJ) series. This process involves...

Historical Perspectives on Games and Education from the Learning Sciences

Science.gov (United States)

Shelton, Brett E.; Satwicz, Tom; Caswell, Tom

2011-01-01

This paper reviews three classic theorists' writing on games, learning, and development. Piaget, Vygotsky, and Bruner all wrote about games and play as important to thinking and learning. This review attempts to synthesize their perspectives as a means to revisit underused theoretical perspectives on the role of games in education. The views of…

Toward using games to teach fundamental computer science concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Edgington, Jeffrey Michael

Video and computer games have become an important area of study in the field of education. Games have been designed to teach mathematics, physics, raise social awareness, teach history and geography, and train soldiers in the military. Recent work has created computer games for teaching computer programming and understanding basic algorithms. We present an investigation where computer games are used to teach two fundamental computer science concepts: boolean expressions and recursion. The games are intended to teach the concepts and not how to implement them in a programming language. For this investigation, two computer games were created. One is designed to teach basic boolean expressions and operators and the other to teach fundamental concepts of recursion. We describe the design and implementation of both games. We evaluate the effectiveness of these games using before and after surveys. The surveys were designed to ascertain basic understanding, attitudes and beliefs regarding the concepts. The boolean game was evaluated with local high school students and students in a college level introductory computer science course. The recursion game was evaluated with students in a college level introductory computer science course. We present the analysis of the collected survey information for both games. This analysis shows a significant positive change in student attitude towards recursion and modest gains in student learning outcomes for both topics.

Examination of the Effects of Dimensionality on Cognitive Processing in Science: A Computational Modeling Experiment Comparing Online Laboratory Simulations and Serious Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

Lamb, Richard L.

2016-02-01

Within the last 10 years, new tools for assisting in the teaching and learning of academic skills and content within the context of science have arisen. These new tools include multiple types of computer software and hardware to include (video) games. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of computer learning games in the form of three-dimensional serious educational games, two-dimensional online laboratories, and traditional lecture-based instruction in the context of student content learning in science. In particular, this study examines the impact of dimensionality, or the ability to move along the X-, Y-, and Z-axis in the games. Study subjects ( N = 551) were randomly selected using a stratified sampling technique. Independent strata subsamples were developed based upon the conditions of serious educational games, online laboratories, and lecture. The study also computationally models a potential mechanism of action and compares two- and three-dimensional learning environments. F test results suggest a significant difference for the main effect of condition across the factor of content gain score with large effect. Overall, comparisons using computational models suggest that three-dimensional serious educational games increase the level of success in learning as measured with content examinations through greater recruitment and attributional retraining of cognitive systems. The study supports assertions in the literature that the use of games in higher dimensions (i.e., three-dimensional versus two-dimensional) helps to increase student understanding of science concepts.

The Influence of an Educational Computer Game on Children's Cultural Identities

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Hsiang-Ping; Lien, Chi-Jui; Annetta, Len; Lu, Yu-Ling

2010-01-01

This study develops an educational computer game, FORmosaHope (FH), to explore the influences that an educational computer game might have on children's cultural identities. FH is a role-playing game, in which children can actively explore a mini-world to learn about science, technology, and society. One hundred and thirty sixth-graders, about…

Impact of an active educational video game on children’s motivation, science knowledge, and physical activity

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Haichun Sun; Yong Gao

2016-01-01

Background: Active educational video games (AVGs) appear to have a positive effect on elementary school students’ motivation leading to enhanced learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify the effectiveness of an AVG on elementary school students’ science knowledge learning, physical activity (PA) level, and interest-based motivation. Methods: In this randomized controlled study, 53 elementary school students were assigned to an experimental condition or a comparison condition. The experimental condition provided an AVG learning environment, whereas the comparison condition was based on sedentary educational video games. Results: The results of repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) on the knowledge test showed that students in both groups performed better on the post-test than they did on the pre-test (p Conclusion: These results suggest that AVGs benefit children more in terms of PA and motivation than traditional video games by providing an enjoyable learning experience and sufficient PA.

Gamers on Games and Gaming : Implications for Educational Game Design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Staalduinen, J.P.

2012-01-01

In the past two decades, there has been a steadily increasing interest in the use of games for educational purposes. This has led to an increased design, use and study of educational games; games where the players learn through playing. However, experiments with the educational use of games have not

Earthquake: Game-based learning for 21st century STEM education

Science.gov (United States)

Perkins, Abigail Christine

To play is to learn. A lack of empirical research within game-based learning literature, however, has hindered educational stakeholders to make informed decisions about game-based learning for 21st century STEM education. In this study, I modified a research and development (R&D) process to create a collaborative-competitive educational board game illuminating elements of earthquake engineering. I oriented instruction- and game-design principles around 21st century science education to adapt the R&D process to develop the educational game, Earthquake. As part of the R&D, I evaluated Earthquake for empirical evidence to support the claim that game-play results in student gains in critical thinking, scientific argumentation, metacognitive abilities, and earthquake engineering content knowledge. I developed Earthquake with the aid of eight focus groups with varying levels of expertise in science education research, teaching, administration, and game-design. After developing a functional prototype, I pilot-tested Earthquake with teacher-participants (n=14) who engaged in semi-structured interviews after their game-play. I analyzed teacher interviews with constant comparison methodology. I used teachers' comments and feedback from content knowledge experts to integrate game modifications, implementing results to improve Earthquake. I added player roles, simplified phrasing on cards, and produced an introductory video. I then administered the modified Earthquake game to two groups of high school student-participants (n = 6), who played twice. To seek evidence documenting support for my knowledge claim, I analyzed videotapes of students' game-play using a game-based learning checklist. My assessment of learning gains revealed increases in all categories of students' performance: critical thinking, metacognition, scientific argumentation, and earthquake engineering content knowledge acquisition. Players in both student-groups improved mostly in critical thinking, having

Educational Games as a Teaching Tool in Pharmacy Curriculum.

Science.gov (United States)

Aburahma, Mona Hassan; Mohamed, Heba Moustafa

2015-05-25

The shift in the pharmacist's role from simply dispensing medications to effective delivery of pharmaceutical care interventions and drug therapy management has influenced pharmacy education.(1-3) The educational focus has shifted from basic sciences to clinical and integrated courses that require incorporating active-learning strategies to provide pharmacy graduates with higher levels of competencies and specialized skills. As opposed to passive didactic lectures, active-learning strategies address the educational content in an interactive learning environment to develop interpersonal, communication, and problem-solving skills needed by pharmacists to function effectively in their new roles.(4-6) One such strategy is using educational games. The aim of this paper is to review educational games adopted in different pharmacy schools and to aid educators in replicating the successfully implemented games and overcoming deficiencies in educational games. This review also highlights the main pitfalls within this research area.

How commercial and ``violent'' video games can promote culturally sensitive science learning: some questions and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Kwah, Helen

2012-12-01

In their paper, Muñoz and El-Hani propose to bring video games into science classrooms to promote culturally sensitive ethics and citizenship education. Instead of bringing "educational" games, Muñoz and El-Hani take a more creative route and include games such as Fallout 3® precisely because they are popular and they reproduce ideological and violent representations of gender, race, class, nationality, science and technology. However, there are many questions that arise in bringing these commercial video games into science classrooms, including the questions of how students' capacities for critical reflection can be facilitated, whether traditional science teachers can take on the role of using such games in their classrooms, and which video games would be most appropriate to use. In this response, I raise these questions and consider some of the challenges in order to further the possibility of implementing Muñoz and El-Hani's creative proposal for generating culturally sensitive science classrooms.

Experimenting with Educational Games using the Xbox, PC, and iPad

Science.gov (United States)

Rohrlick, D.; Kilb, D. L.; Peach, C. L.; Simms, E.; Yang, A.; Layman, C.; Deutscher, R.

2012-12-01

Daniel Rohrlick, Alan Yang, Eric Simms, Debi Kilb, Cheryl Peach, Charina Layman, Rebecca Deutscher 1. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA 2. Harvard University Center for the Environment, Cambridge, MA, USA 3. Birch Aquarium at Scripps, La Jolla, CA, USA 4. The Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA As videogames continue to grow in popularity, especially with today's youth, it is becoming clear that gaming can be a potent learning tool. But what is the best way to engage a player in learning from a videogame? Based on our five years of developing and testing our own educational games, we experimented with various forms of gaming techniques and player interaction. Our first game, "Deep-sea Extreme Environment Pilot (DEEP)", is an Xbox 360 game where players learn about deep-sea environments while controlling a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV). DEEP is a "traditional" videogame where players interact with a controller and a TV screen. The second game we developed for the PC is called the "Quake Catcher Network (QCN)" game. With the gameplay focused on earth sciences, players must quickly deploy seismic sensors to record aftershocks from a large earthquake. Instead of using a game controller to play the QCN game, we instead incorporate the Microsoft Kinect motion sensor for the game input. Finally, the "Glider Game" is our third and most recent game designed for use on the mobile device platform such as iPods and iPads. In this game players control ocean gliders and must complete missions while battling ocean currents, power consumption, and other unanticipated problems. Here, the gameplay is aimed toward the casual gamer using touch-screen based controls in the hope that players can easily pick up and play this game with little gaming experience. After testing our games numerous times in museums, informal science learning centers, and classrooms we have been able to track qualitatively which educational

Online citizen science games: Opportunities for the biological sciences.

Science.gov (United States)

Curtis, Vickie

2014-12-01

Recent developments in digital technologies and the rise of the Internet have created new opportunities for citizen science. One of these has been the development of online citizen science games where complex research problems have been re-imagined as online multiplayer computer games. Some of the most successful examples of these can be found within the biological sciences, for example, Foldit, Phylo and EteRNA. These games offer scientists the opportunity to crowdsource research problems, and to engage with those outside the research community. Games also enable those without a background in science to make a valid contribution to research, and may also offer opportunities for informal science learning.

Educational games for health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, E A; Sackett, K; Pretorius, R; Erdley, S; Bhoopathi, P S; Mustafa, R; Schünemann, H J

2008-01-23

The use of games as an educational strategy has the potential to improve health professionals' performance (e.g. adherence to standards of care) through improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The objective was to assess the effect of educational games on health professionals' performance, knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction, and on patient outcomes. We used a comprehensive search strategy including an electronic search of the following databases: DARE, EPOC register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, ERIC, and Dissertation Abstracts Online (search date: January 2007). We also screened the reference list of included studies and relevant reviews, contact authors of relevant papers and reviews, and searched ISI Web of Science for papers citing studies included in the review We included randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled clinical trials (CCT), controlled before and after (CBA) and interrupted time-series analysis (ITS). Study participants were qualified health professionals or in postgraduate training. The intervention was an educational game with "a form of competitive activity or sport played according to rules". Using a standardized data form we extracted data on methodological quality, participants, interventions and outcomes of interest that included patient outcomes, professional behaviour (process of care outcomes), and professional's knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction. The search strategy identified 1156 citations. Out of 55 potentially eligible citations, we included one RCT. The methodological quality was fair. The game, used as a reinforcement technique, was based on the television game show "Family Feud" and focused on infection control. The study did not assess any patient or process of care outcomes. The group that was randomized to the game had statistically higher scores on the knowledge test (P = 0.02). The findings of this systematic review do not confirm nor refute the utility of games as a teaching

COMPUTER GAMES AND EDUCATION

OpenAIRE

Sukhov, Anton

2018-01-01

This paper devoted to the research of educational resources and possibilities of modern computer games. The “internal” educational aspects of computer games include educational mechanism (a separate or integrated “tutorial”) and representation of a real or even fantastic educational process within virtual worlds. The “external” dimension represents educational opportunities of computer games for personal and professional development in different genres of computer games (various transport, so...

Use of educational games in the health professions: a mixed-methods study of educators' perspectives in the UK.

Science.gov (United States)

Blakely, Gillian; Skirton, Heather; Cooper, Simon; Allum, Peter; Nelmes, Pam

2010-03-01

Educational games have been shown to be effective in supporting learning, especially to reinforce knowledge, and students are generally positive about the use of games. The aim of this mixed-methods study that was conducted in the UK was to explore educators' views towards the use of educational games in the health sciences. The data were collected via semistructured interviews with 13 health educators and an online survey that was completed by 97 health educators. Three factors influence the use of classroom games: reflective practice, the impact of games on students, and the impact of logistical factors. Educators assess their own performance and the impact of the games on students when planning their use; however, large classes and the need for preparation time have a negative impact on educators' willingness to use games. Similar constraints might restrict the use of active learning strategies, such as simulation, that are crucial for enabling health professionals to develop competence. These issues require consideration when planning educational methods.

Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Using Video Games to Enhance Science Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Marino, Matthew T.; Israel, Maya; Beecher, Constance C.; Basham, James D.

2013-10-01

Science education video game research points toward promising, but inconclusive results in both student learning outcomes and attitudes. However, student-level variables other than gender have been largely absent from this research. This study examined how students' reading ability level and disability status are related to their video game-playing behaviors outside of school and their perceptions about the use of science video games during school. Thirty-four teachers and 876 sixth- through ninth-grade students from 14 states participated in the study. All student groups reported that they would prefer to learn science from a video game rather than from traditional text, laboratory-based, or Internet environments. Chi-square analyses indicated a significant association between reading ability level, disability status, and key areas of interest including students' use of video games outside of school, their perceptions of their scientific abilities, and whether they would pursue a career in the sciences. Implications of these findings and areas for future research are identified.

Science Teachers' Perceptions of the Relationship Between Game Play and Inquiry Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Mezei, Jessica M.

The implementation of inquiry learning in American science classrooms remains a challenge. Teachers' perceptions of inquiry learning are predicated on their past educational experiences, which means outdated methods of learning may influence teachers' instructional approaches. In order to enhance their understanding and ultimately their implementation of inquiry learning, teachers need new and more relevant models. This study takes a preliminary step exploring the potential of game play as a valuable experience for science teachers. It has been proposed that game play and inquiry experiences can embody constructivist processes of learning, however there has been little work done with science teachers to systematically explore the relationship between the two. Game play may be an effective new model for teacher education and it is important to understand if and how teachers relate game playing experience and knowledge to inquiry. This study examined science teachers' game playing experiences and their perceptions of inquiry experiences and evaluated teacher's recognition of learning in both contexts. Data was collected through an online survey (N=246) and a series of follow-up interviews (N=29). Research questions guiding the study were: (1) What is the nature of the relationship between science teachers' game experience and their perceptions of inquiry? (2) How do teachers describe learning in and from game playing as compared with inquiry science learning? and (3) What is the range of similarities and differences teachers articulate between game play and inquiry experiences?. Results showed weak quantitative links between science teachers' game experiences and their perceptions of inquiry, but identified promising game variables such as belief in games as learning tools, game experiences, and playing a diverse set of games for future study. The qualitative data suggests that teachers made broad linkages in terms of parallels of both teaching and learning. Teachers

Educational games for health professionals.

Science.gov (United States)

Akl, Elie A; Kairouz, Victor F; Sackett, Kay M; Erdley, William S; Mustafa, Reem A; Fiander, Michelle; Gabriel, Carolynne; Schünemann, Holger

2013-03-28

The use of games as an educational strategy has the potential to improve health professionals' performance (e.g. adherence to standards of care) through improving their knowledge, skills and attitudes. The objective was to assess the effect of educational games on health professionals' performance, knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction, and on patient outcomes. We searched the following databases in January 2012: MEDLINE, AMED, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Database of Controlled Trials, EMBASE, EPOC Register, ERIC, Proquest Dissertations & Theses Database, and PsycINFO. Related reviews were sought in DARE and the above named databases. Database searches identified 1546 citations. We also screened the reference lists of included studies in relevant reviews, contacted authors of relevant papers and reviews, and searched ISI Web of Science for papers citing studies included in the review. These search methods identified an additional 62 unique citations for a total of 1608 for this update. We included randomized controlled trials (RCT), controlled clinical trials (CCT), controlled before and after (CBA) and interrupted time-series analysis (ITS). Study participants were qualified health professionals or in postgraduate training. The intervention was an educational game with "a form of competitive activity or sport played according to rules". Using a standardized data form we extracted data on methodological quality, participants, interventions and outcomes of interest that included patient outcomes, professional behavior (process of care outcomes), and professional's knowledge, skills, attitude and satisfaction. The search strategy identified a total of 2079 unique citations. Out of 84 potentially eligible citations, we included two RCTs. The game evaluated in the first study used as a reinforcement technique, was based on the television game show "Family Feud" and focused on infection control. The study did not assess any patient or process of care outcomes. The

Designing an Educational Game

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjørner, Thomas; Hansen, Charina Benedikte Søgaard

2010-01-01

When designing games with learning purposes used in a classroom, there often occur problems about the lack of learning content or the lack of game contents. Other disadvantages of existing educational games are the difficulty to provide a continual balance between the challenge and the pupils......’ skill to control and solve the given task. In this paper we suggest three different perspectives that need to be communicated across in order to design a useful educational game: teachers, pupils and game designers. It is our intention with this paper to suggest some design principles for educational...... games, and to integrate teachers, pupils and game designers needs and requirements. To set up these design principles for educational games we have used a holistic perspective. This means that the design principles must be seen in coherence within the social and physical environment. The design...

The kids got game: Computer/video games, gender and learning outcomes in science classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Janice Lyn

In recent years educators have begun to explore how to purposively design computer/video games to support student learning. This interest in video games has arisen in part because educational video games appear to have the potential to improve student motivation and interest in technology, and engage students in learning through the use of a familiar medium (Squire, 2005; Shaffer, 2006; Gee, 2005). The purpose of this dissertation research is to specifically address the issue of student learning through the use of educational computer/video games. Using the Quest Atlantis computer game, this study involved a mixed model research strategy that allowed for both broad understandings of classroom practices and specific analysis of outcomes through the themes that emerged from the case studies of the gendered groups using the game. Specifically, this study examined how fifth-grade students learning about science concepts, such as water quality and ecosystems, unfolds over time as they participate in the Quest Atlantis computer game. Data sources included classroom observations and video, pre- and post-written assessments, pre- and post- student content interviews, student field notebooks, field reports and the field notes of the researcher. To make sense of how students learning unfolded, video was analyzed using a framework of interaction analysis and small group interactions (Jordan & Henderson, 1995; Webb, 1995). These coded units were then examined with respect to student artifacts and assessments and patterns of learning trajectories analyzed. The analysis revealed that overall, student learning outcomes improved from pre- to post-assessments for all students. While there were no observable gendered differences with respect to the test scores and content interviews, there were gendered differences with respect to game play. Implications for game design, use of external scaffolds, games as tools for learning and gendered findings are discussed.

A systematic review of serious games in asthma education.

Science.gov (United States)

Drummond, David; Monnier, Delphine; Tesnière, Antoine; Hadchouel, Alice

2017-05-01

Serious games may be useful tools for asthma education. The objectives of this systematic review were to identify the available articles on serious games designed to educate patients and the general public about asthma and to assess their impact on patient's knowledge, behavior, and clinical outcomes related to asthma. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PsychInfo, and Web of Science were systematically searched from January 1980 to December 2015 for studies investigating serious games in asthma education. Two investigators independently assessed studies against inclusion criteria and rated those included on indicators of quality. Investigators extracted data on serious games' content and learning objectives, and on outcomes following Kirkpatrick classification. A total of 12 articles were found to be relevant, describing a total of 10 serious games. All serious games were directed toward children, with eight games for children with asthma and two for school-based intervention. The average Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument score was 13.9 of 18, which is high. Most of the serious games were associated with high rates of satisfaction and improvement in children's knowledge. Seven studies evaluated the impact of serious games on clinical outcomes and found no significant difference relative to control groups. Although serious games designed for asthma education have evolved with advances in technology, results of their evaluation remained similar across studies, with clear improvements in knowledge but little or no change in behaviors and clinical outcomes. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Games and simulation in higher education

OpenAIRE

Juan, Angel A.; Loch, Birgit; Daradoumis, Thanasis; Ventura, Sebastian

2017-01-01

The evolution of computer technologies, together with the increasing speed of Internet-based communications, has promoted the use of simulation software and serious games in higher education. These technological and methodological tools can significantly enrich the learning experience in almost any knowledge area. In particular, they will have a significant impact on how the learning process is performed in the so called Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. T...

How Commercial and "Violent" Video Games Can Promote Culturally Sensitive Science Learning: Some Questions and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Kwah, Helen

2012-01-01

In their paper, Munoz and El-Hani propose to bring video games into science classrooms to promote culturally sensitive ethics and citizenship education. Instead of bringing "educational" games, Munoz and El-Hani take a more creative route and include games such as Fallout 3[R] precisely because they are popular and they reproduce ideological and…

Effective Educational Methods In Educational Video Games

OpenAIRE

Van Zyl, Abraham

2014-01-01

This thesis examines the teaching methods used in three successful educational video games with the goal to provide a concise, practical guide for the proper implementation of educational learning into video games. The main source for analysing the teaching methods of educational games in this thesis is James Paul Gee’s book What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning And Literacy (2004). Gee expresses 36 learning principles existing in good games (chapter 4.2). This ideology serves ...

A Case Study of Educational Computer Game Design by Middle School Students

Science.gov (United States)

An, Yun-Jo

2016-01-01

Only a limited number of research studies have investigated how students design educational computer games and its impact on student learning. In addition, most studies on educational game design by students were conducted in the areas of mathematics and science. Using the qualitative case study approach, this study explored how seventh graders…

Dimensions in Educational Game-Design

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Henriksen, Thomas Duus

2006-01-01

Recent developments within learning games have shown that games hold a great potential for meeting current educational needs. These developments have also pointed out a number of challenges to address if games are to play a role in the educational setting. One key issue is the design of learning...... games, another is to implement them into the educational setting. Each of these issues provide a set of challenges, which is to be negotiated in order to create successful game-based learning. In order to meet these issues, eight key dimensions in educational game-design are presented, as well...

Player Transformation of Educational Multiplayer Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnussen, Rikke; Misfeldt, Morten

2004-01-01

transformed the game to accommodate social interaction. With these transformed ways of playing the game, they managed to get to the top of the high score list while avoiding the educational parts of the game. Players transforming educational games to escape learning elements can be a problem when these games...... are used for formal education. In this paper we argue that player transformation of educational games can, however, be the basis of exciting and unconventional learning of valuable things, such as how to transform information technology to better accommodate social interaction.......Children's great interest in multiplayer games has led to attempts to design educational multiplayer games. In this study, we have studied a test of an educational multiplayer game designed for mathematics education for children aged nine to twelve. In our observations, it became clear that pupils...

Hemoaction game: an educational step to improve hemophilia children and nurses self-efficacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

NOOASHIN BEHESHTIPOOR

2016-10-01

Full Text Available As hemophilia is a chronic bleeding disease and can interfere with daily performance of children, these children require continuous training to prevent bleeding and take timely action (1. Since children nurses play an important role in the education of involved children and their Selfefficacy and also due to today’s approach which is using educational computer games, the use of educational games in respect to teach hemophilia children how to have self-efficacy can be effective (2. Hemoaction game is a computerized educational game designed by the World Federation of Hemophilia to educate hemophilia disease and related procedures to the care of children with hemophilia. By the use of this game children with hemophilia (aged 8-12 and also nursing experts were educated how to increase self efficacy. Nursing School of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences has used this game for the first time after its publishing, in the world (3. The results of the mentioned study demonstrates that after the Hemophilia disease and its related procedures were instructed to children with hemophilia and nursing experts in order to know how to increase patients’ self efficacy by modern approaches, self efficacy of hemophilia children and nurses were both improved. This educational method is a novel way to enhance both Hemophilia children and nursing staff, as major participants in routine and lifelong education process, self-efficacy. Due to nurses’ important role in improving children with hemophilia self-efficacy by different instructions and world leading educational approaches towards use of modern technology in education, using Hemoaction educational game, published by World Federation of Hemophilia and used by Nursing and Midwifery College of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences for the first time, can fulfill hemophilia children needs of care.

An Application of a Game Development Framework in Higher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alf Inge Wang

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes how a game development framework was used as a learning aid in a software engineering. Games can be used within higher education in various ways to promote student participation, enable variation in how lectures are taught, and improve student interest. In this paper, we describe a case study at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU where a game development framework was applied to make students learn software architecture by developing a computer game. We provide a model for how game development frameworks can be integrated with a software engineering or computer science course. We describe important requirements to consider when choosing a game development framework for a course and an evaluation of four frameworks based on these requirements. Further, we describe some extensions we made to the existing game development framework to let the students focus more on software architectural issues than the technical implementation issues. Finally, we describe a case study of how a game development framework was integrated in a software architecture course and the experiences from doing so.

Simulation gaming in nursing education.

Science.gov (United States)

Ulione, M S

1983-10-01

Simulation games can be used in nursing education to promote problem solving or to impart information. Most games focus upon one of the two areas: cognitive knowledge or affective knowledge. We call these types of games content games and process games, respectively. Simulation games of both types are used in nursing education. Since simulation gaming in nursing education is a relatively new teaching strategy much of its use has been haphazard. In order for a simulation game to be an effective teaching strategy; there must be a "fit" between the game and the instructional objectives. The game operator should analyze the components of each game used prior to playing the game, so he will be able to use the game appropriately. One disadvantage of gaming is that there is a risk of experiencing untoward reactions in the gaming experience. For this reason, the operator should support all the participants throughout the game. Finally, the game operator should assess the effectiveness of the gaming process through the debriefing session and through research. To extend our knowledge of the effects of simulation games, game operators can research the effect of simulation gaming on student motivation, cognitive learning, and affective learning.

Game-centric pedagogy and curriculums in higher education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nørgård, Rikke Toft; Murray, John; Morgan, James

2017-01-01

This paper examines some recent trends in game-centric education for STEAM (science, technology,engineering, art and mathematics) fields, especially those that explore and promote collaborationamong multiple disciplines. We discuss various multimodal design research activities that draw uponthe a...

Gamification in science education: The relationship of educational games to motivation and achievement

Science.gov (United States)

Rouse, Kelly Elizabeth

Community colleges have become increasingly more important in America's higher education system. Part of this emphasis has been directly due to President Obama's 2010 directive to produce a competitive workforce in the United States by increasing the community college graduation rate by five million over the next decade (Madhani, 2010). Community colleges allow open admission for students which permits marginally prepared students to enter. These students may lack motivation, which contributes to student attrition (Williams, 2010). The focus of this study is to examine methods that may improve student learning and motivation, which could ultimately lead to higher graduation rates. This study investigates the relationship of gamification to motivation and achievement in a community college microbiology class. Gamification is defined as "the process of adding game mechanics to processes, programs, and platforms that would not traditionally use such concepts" (Swan, 2012). The goal of game-based learning is to increase student motivation and learning. The results of this investigation indicate that educational games increase motivation and achievement of students in a community college microbiology class.

The quantum computer game: citizen science

Science.gov (United States)

Damgaard, Sidse; Mølmer, Klaus; Sherson, Jacob

2013-05-01

Progress in the field of quantum computation is hampered by daunting technical challenges. Here we present an alternative approach to solving these by enlisting the aid of computer players around the world. We have previously examined a quantum computation architecture involving ultracold atoms in optical lattices and strongly focused tweezers of light. In The Quantum Computer Game (see http://www.scienceathome.org/), we have encapsulated the time-dependent Schrödinger equation for the problem in a graphical user interface allowing for easy user input. Players can then search the parameter space with real-time graphical feedback in a game context with a global high-score that rewards short gate times and robustness to experimental errors. The game which is still in a demo version has so far been tried by several hundred players. Extensions of the approach to other models such as Gross-Pitaevskii and Bose-Hubbard are currently under development. The game has also been incorporated into science education at high-school and university level as an alternative method for teaching quantum mechanics. Initial quantitative evaluation results are very positive. AU Ideas Center for Community Driven Research, CODER.

Effective intervention or child's play? A review of video games for diabetes education.

Science.gov (United States)

DeShazo, Jonathan; Harris, Lynne; Pratt, Wanda

2010-10-01

The purpose of this study is (1) to identify diabetes education video games and pilot studies in the literature, (2) to review themes in diabetes video game design and evaluation, and (3) to evaluate the potential role of educational video games in diabetes self-management education. Studies were systematically identified for inclusion from Medline, Web of Science, CINAHL, EMBASE, Psychinfo, IEEE Xplore, and ACM Digital Library. Features of each video game intervention were reviewed and coded based on an existing taxonomy of diabetes interventions framework. Nine studies featuring 11 video games for diabetes care were identified. Video games for diabetes have typically targeted children with type 1 diabetes mellitus and used situation problem-solving methods to teach diet, exercise, self-monitored blood glucose, and medication adherence. Evaluations have shown positive outcomes in knowledge, disease management adherence, and clinical outcomes. Video games for diabetes education show potential as effective educational interventions. Yet we found that improvements are needed in expanding the target audience, tailoring the intervention, and using theoretical frameworks. In the future, the reach and effectiveness of educational video games for diabetes education could be improved by expanding the target audience beyond juvenile type 1 diabetes mellitus, the use of tailoring, and increased use of theoretical frameworks.

Digital Games and the US National Research Council's Science Proficiency Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Garza, Mario; Clark, Douglas B.; Nelson, Brian C.

2013-01-01

This review synthesises research on digital games and science learning as it supports the goals for science proficiency outlined in the report by the US National Research Council on science education reform. The review is organised in terms of these research-based goals for science proficiency in light of their alignment with current science…

Designing intervention in educational game research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Birgitte Holm; Magnussen, Rikke

2010-01-01

of game technology in educational settings: the game Global Conflict: Latin America, which is a role-playing game, set in a 3D environment. In the game, students play a freelance journalist who has to investigate particular issues or conflicts in the Latin American region. The game is designed to teach......The international focus on the learning potential of games in recent years has led to a boost in both academic research interest and the development of game formats. Numerous educational computer games are available for today’s teachers, but the implementation of games in everyday teaching is often...... problematic. In this paper, we argue that the focus on designing and implementing game-based learning environments in educational settings implies a need to rethink methodological questions on how to apply and study educational designs. We review the methodological approaches of design-based research...

Designing intervention in educational game research

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnussen, Rikke; Sørensen, Birgitte Holm

2010-01-01

of game technology in educational settings: the game Global Conflict: Latin America, which is a role-playing game, set in a 3D environment. In the game, students play a freelance journalist who has to investigate particular issues or conflicts in the Latin American region. The game is designed to teach......The international focus on the learning potential of games in recent years has led to a boost in both academic research interest and the development of game formats. Numerous educational computer games are available for today's teachers, but the implementation of games in everyday teaching is often...... problematic. In this paper, we argue that the focus on designing and implementing game-based learning environments in educational settings implies a need to rethink methodological questions on how to apply and study educational designs. We review the methodological approaches of design-based research...

Little Botany: A Mobile Game Utilizing Data Integration to Enhance Plant Science Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suphanut Jamonnak

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Mobile devices are rapidly becoming the new medium of educational and social life for young people, and hence mobile educational games have become an important mechanism for learning. To help school-aged children learn about the fascinating world of plants, we present a mobile educational game called Little Botany, where players can create their own virtual gardens in any location on earth. One unique feature of Little Botany is that the game is built upon real-world data by leveraging data integration mechanism. The gardens created in Little Botany are augmented with real-world location data and real-time weather data. More specifically, Little Botany is using real-time weather data for the garden location to simulate how the weather affects plants growth. Little Botany players can learn to select what crops to plant, maintain their own garden, watch crops to grow, tend the crops on a daily basis, and harvest them. With this game, users can also learn plant structure and three chemical reactions.

Educational On-Line Gaming Propensity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sudzina, Frantisek; Razmerita, Liana; Kirchner, Kathrin

2014-01-01

Educational on-line games are promising for new generations of students who are grown up digital. Th e new generations of students are technology savvy and spend lots of time on the web and on social networks. Based on an exploratory study, this article investigates the factors that infl uence...... students’ willingness to participate in serious games for teaching/learning. Th is study investigates the relationship between students’ behavior on Facebook, Facebook games, and their attitude toward educational on-line games. Th e results of the study reveal that the early adopters of educational games...... are likely to be students, who are young, have only a few Facebook connections, who currently play Facebook game(s). Furthermore, the study emphasizes that there may be differences between students coming from various countries....

Contextual Markup and Mining in Digital Games for Science Learning: Connecting Player Behaviors to Learning Goals

Science.gov (United States)

Kinnebrew John S.; Killingsworth, Stephen S.; Clark, Douglas B.; Biswas, Gautam; Sengupta, Pratim; Minstrell, James; Martinez-Garza, Mario; Krinks, Kara

2017-01-01

Digital games can make unique and powerful contributions to K-12 science education, but much of that potential remains unrealized. Research evaluating games for learning still relies primarily on pre- and post-test data, which limits possible insights into more complex interactions between game design features, gameplay, and formal assessment.…

Ludic Educational Game Creation Tool

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vidakis, Nikolaos; Syntychakis, Efthimios; Kalafatis, Konstantinos

2015-01-01

This paper presents initial findings and ongoing work of the game creation tool, a core component of the IOLAOS(IOLAOS in ancient Greece was a divine hero famed for helping with some of Heracles’s labors.) platform, a general open authorable framework for educational and training games. The game...... creation tool features a web editor, where the game narrative can be manipulated, according to specific needs. Moreover, this tool is applied for creating an educational game according to a reference scenario namely teaching schoolers road safety. A ludic approach is used both in game creation and play....... Helping children staying safe and preventing serious injury on the roads is crucial. In this context, this work presents an augmented version of the IOLAOS architecture including an enhanced game creation tool and a new multimodality module. In addition presents a case study for creating educational games...

Examining the Effects of Combining Self-Explanation Principles with an Educational Game on Learning Science Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Chung-Yuan; Tsai, Chin-Chung

2013-01-01

Educational researchers have indicated that although computer games have the potential to promote students' motivation and engagement, the work on how to design effective games that fulfil educational purposes is still in its infancy. This study aimed to examine how integration of self-explanation into a computer game affected primary schoolers'…

Can Video Games Be Educational?

Science.gov (United States)

Criswell, Chad

2009-01-01

One of the biggest debates among music educators today is about whether or not video games are a valid educational tool. As far back as the early 1990s, teachers were using games such as Sid Meier's Civilization to reinforce history and social studies concepts, but until recently games that dealt with areas of music education have been few and far…

RELM: developing a serious game to teach evidence-based medicine in an academic health sciences setting.

Science.gov (United States)

Gleason, Ann Whitney

2015-01-01

Gaming as a means of delivering online education continues to gain in popularity. Online games provide an engaging and enjoyable way of learning. Gaming is especially appropriate for case-based teaching, and provides a conducive environment for adult independent learning. With funding from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region (NN/LM PNR), the University of Washington (UW) Health Sciences Library, and the UW School of Medicine are collaborating to create an interactive, self-paced online game that teaches players to employ the steps in practicing evidence-based medicine. The game encourages life-long learning and literacy skills and could be used for providing continuing medical education.

Design Principles for Serious Video Games in Mathematics Education: From Theory to Practice

OpenAIRE

Konstantinos Chorianopoulos; Michail Giannakos

2014-01-01

There is growing interest in the employment of serious video games in science education, but there are no clear design principles. After surveying previous work in serious video game design, we highlighted the following design principles: 1) engage the students with narrative (hero, story), 2) employ familiar gameplay mechanics from popular video games, 3) engage students into constructive trial and error game-play and 4) situate collaborative learning. As illustrated examples we designed two...

Learning Physics with Digital Game Simulations in Middle School Science

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Janice L.; Barnett, Mike

2013-12-01

The purpose of this work is to share our findings in using video gaming technology to facilitate the understanding of basic electromagnetism with middle school students. To this end, we explored the impact of using a game called Supercharged! on middle school students' understanding of electromagnetic concepts compared to students who conducted a more traditional inquiry-oriented investigation of the same concepts. This study was a part of a larger design experiment examining the pedagogical potential of Supercharged! The control group learned through a series of guided inquiry methods while the experimental group played Supercharged! during the laboratory sections of the science course. There was significant difference, F(2,91) = 3.6, p hands-on activities are integrated, with each activity informing the other, could be a very powerful technique for supporting student scientific understanding. Further, our findings suggest that game designers should embed meta-cognitive activities such as reflective opportunities into educational video games in order to provide scaffolds for students and to reinforce that they are engaged in an educational learning experience.

Teaching to the Next Generation Science Standards with Energy, Climate, and Water Focused Games

Science.gov (United States)

Mayhew, M. A.; Hall, M.; Civjan, N.

2015-12-01

We produced two fun-to-play card games with the theme, The Nexus of Energy, Water, and Climate, that directly support teaching to the NGSS. In the games, players come to understand how demand for energy, water use, and climate change are tightly intertwined. Analysis by scientists from the national laboratories ensured that the games are reflect current data and research. The games have been tested with high school and informal science educators and their students and have received a formal evaluation. The games website http://isenm.org/games-for-learning shows how the games align with the NGSS, the Common Core, and the NRC's Strands of Science Learning. It also contains an extensive collection of accessible articles on the nexus to support use of the games in instruction. Thirst for Power is a challenging resource management game. Players, acting as governors of regions, compete to be the first to meet their citizens' energy needs. A governor can choose from a variety of carbon-based or renewable energy sources, but each source uses water and has an environmental—including climate change—impact. Energy needs must be met using only the water resources allocated to the region and without exceeding the environmental impact limit. "ACTION" cards alter game play and increase competition. Challenge and Persuade is a game of scientific argumentation, using evidence on nexus-related fact cards. Players must evaluate information, develop fact-based arguments, and communicate their findings. One card deck contains a set of adjectives, a second a series of fact cards. Players use their fact cards to make the best argument that aligns with an adjective selected by the "Judge". Players take turns being the "Judge," who determines who made the best argument. The games particularly align with NGSS elements: Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Application of Science. Players come to understand the science and engineering behind many energy sources and their impacts

Relationship between Designing Computer-based Educational Games, and Learning Motivation among Elementary Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zahra Jamebozorg

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Background: Motivation is an important factor in learning. Educational games increase the learning motivation and understanding of students by creating a sense of joy, satisfaction and involvement. However, it is necessary to incorporate learning elements into the games, differently. In this study, the researcher tried to provide a model for designing educational games and determining its relationship with learning motivation. Materials and Methods:  Components of the model for designing educational games were first determined qualitatively. Then, the relationship between the educational games designed and students' learning motivation was determined. A self-made questionnaire, with elements of educational game designing along with another questionnaire was used to determine the learning motivation. The obtained data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and independent t-test. Results: The model, with 4 main components and 26 sub-components, was designed. That set of various elements, including: the rules, objectives, tools, results and feedbacks, accidents, challenges and interactions displayed in the context of the game, along with instructional design component such as analysis, design, development, utilization and evaluation were used. After implementation of the pattern and designing the "States of Matter" lesson in the science book for the third graders, the results showed that there is a significant correlation between the use of designed educational game and components of the students’ learning motivation (r= 0.85 and P=0.01. Conclusion: According to this study given the relationship between the use of educational games and motivation to learn, it can be concluded that the educational games designed according to scientific principles could lead to the improved students’ motivation and learning.

An investigation of the artifacts, outcomes, and processes of constructing computer games about environmental science in a fifth grade science classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Baytak, Ahmet

Among educational researchers and practitioners, there is a growing interest in employing computer games for pedagogical purposes. The present research integrated a technology education class and a science class where 5 th graders learned about environmental issues by designing games that involved environmental concepts. The purposes of this study were to investigate how designing computer games affected the development of students' environmental knowledge, programming knowledge, environmental awareness and interest in computers. It also explored the nature of the artifacts developed and the types of knowledge represented therein. A case study (Yin, 2003) was employed within the context of a 5 th grade elementary science classroom. Fifth graders designed computer games about environmental issues to present to 2nd graders by using Scratch software. The analysis of this study was based on multiple data sources: students' pre- and post-test scores on environmental awareness, their environmental knowledge, their interest in computer science, and their game design. Included in the analyses were also data from students' computer games, participant observations, and structured interviews. The results of the study showed that students were able to successfully design functional games that represented their understanding of environment, even though the gain between pre- and post-environmental knowledge test and environmental awareness survey were minimal. The findings indicate that all students were able to use various game characteristics and programming concepts, but their prior experience with the design software affected their representations. The analyses of the interview transcriptions and games show that students improved their programming skills and that they wanted to do similar projects for other subject areas in the future. Observations showed that game design appeared to lead to knowledge-building, interaction and collaboration among students. This, in turn

Authoring of Adaptive Single-Player Educational Games

OpenAIRE

Mehm, Florian

2013-01-01

Digital Educational Games, as one of the most important application areas of Serious Games, combine positive properties of digital games, such as strong motivation for players and inherent learning processes, with educational methods and technologies. Adaptive algorithms allow such games to be aligned automatically to the needs of different players, thereby increasing the learning efficacy. However, educational games are among the most complex game production endeavors, since they are often f...

Taking Educational Games Seriously: Using the RETAIN Model to Design Endogenous Fantasy into Standalone Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

Gunter, Glenda A.; Kenny, Robert F.; Vick, Erik H.

2008-01-01

We are witnessing a mad rush to pour educational content into games in an ad hoc manner in hopes that player/learners are motivated simply because the content is housed inside a game. A failure to base educational game design on well-established learning and instructional theories increases the risk of the game failing to meet its intended…

Mobile and Web Game Development: Using Videogames as an Educational and Outreach Tool

Science.gov (United States)

Jaime, Fernando I.

2012-01-01

Few tools reach out to capture the imagination and interests of children like video games do. As such, the development of educational applications that foster young minds' interest in science and technology become of the utmost importance. To this end, I spent my summer internship developing outreach and educational applications in conjunction with JPL's Space Place team. This small, but dedicated, team of people manages three NASA websites that focus on presenting science and technology information in such a manner that young children can understand it and develop an interest in the subjects. Besides the websites, with their plethora of educational content presented through hands-on activities, games and informative articles, the team also creates and coordinates the distribution of printed material to museums, astronomy clubs and a huge network of educators.

Educational game models: conceptualization and evaluation ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Educational game models: conceptualization and evaluation. ... The Game Object Model (GOM), that marries educational theory and game design, forms the basis for the development of the Persona Outlining ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Design education with simulation games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Juuti, Tero; Lehtonen, Timo; Hansen, Poul H. Kyvsgård

2008-01-01

" This paper is a report on the use of simulation games in design education. Our objective was to find solution to the question: "How to do design education effectively and efficiently for hundreds of people with minimum resources?" In the paper the learning theories are described in short. Our...... data was gathered from exams and the results were analysed. Especially the learning of low grade exam students was impressive when using simulation game. The data from industry is based on observations while using simulation game. The results were that each of the workshop, game, and simulation...... elements can support the effort if configured and synchronized properly. The simulation games are valuable method for design education with skillful design, scoping and facilitation."...

Video Game Player Profiles: Bridging Industry, Game Studies and Social Science Perspectives

Science.gov (United States)

Frye, Jonathan M.

2013-01-01

For decades, game designers and game studies experts have largely sought to understand video game players through a lens of experience and observation. Meanwhile, social science research has focused on the empirical understanding of video game players using a variety of psychological constructs. This study focuses on the creation and evaluation of…

Collaborative virtual gaming worlds in higher education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicola Whitton

2008-12-01

Full Text Available There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider in scope; it considers the range of collaborative gaming worlds that exist and discusses their potential for learning, with particular reference to higher education. The paper discusses virtual gaming worlds from a theoretical pedagogic perspective, exploring the educational benefits of gaming environments. Then practical considerations associated with the use of virtual gaming worlds in formal settings in higher education are considered. Finally, the paper considers development options that are open to educators, and discusses the potential of Alternate Reality Games (ARGs for learning in higher education. In all, this paper hopes to provide a balanced overview of the range of virtual gaming worlds that exist, to examine some of the practical considerations associated with their use, and to consider their benefits and challenges in learning and teaching in the higher education context.

Game-XP: Action Games as Experimental Paradigms for Cognitive Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Gray, Wayne D

2017-04-01

Why games? How could anyone consider action games an experimental paradigm for Cognitive Science? In 1973, as one of three strategies he proposed for advancing Cognitive Science, Allen Newell exhorted us to "accept a single complex task and do all of it." More specifically, he told us that rather than taking an "experimental psychology as usual approach," we should "focus on a series of experimental and theoretical studies around a single complex task" so as to demonstrate that our theories of human cognition were powerful enough to explain "a genuine slab of human behavior" with the studies fitting into a detailed theoretical picture. Action games represent the type of experimental paradigm that Newell was advocating and the current state of programming expertise and laboratory equipment, along with the emergence of Big Data and naturally occurring datasets, provide the technologies and data needed to realize his vision. Action games enable us to escape from our field's regrettable focus on novice performance to develop theories that account for the full range of expertise through a twin focus on expertise sampling (across individuals) and longitudinal studies (within individuals) of simple and complex tasks. Copyright © 2017 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

Leveraging the Social Aspect of Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

Jiménez, Osvaldo

2015-01-01

With games captivating the minds of many children in the United States, educators may be interested in trying to introduce games into their classrooms. This article offers educators insights into how to understand and incorporate games that are inherently social, promoting effective discourse in their classrooms. Although educational games and…

A Study on the Game Programming Education Based on Educational Game Engine at School

Science.gov (United States)

Jeon, Jongho; Kim, Kwanwoong; Jung, Soonyoung

2012-01-01

It is believed that the game programming education at school should be conducted in consideration of an individual student's ability, an elementary programmer. Language to be used in the programming education also need to be associated with the ones that are actually used in the game industry. Lately, many researches on the educational programming…

A Framework for Structuring Learning Assessment in a Online Educational Game: Experiment Centered Design

Science.gov (United States)

Conrad, Shawn; Clarke-Midura, Jody; Klopfer, Eric

2014-01-01

Educational games offer an opportunity to engage and inspire students to take interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematical (STEM) subjects. Unobtrusive learning assessment techniques coupled with machine learning algorithms can be utilized to record students' in-game actions and formulate a model of the students' knowledge…

Let the Game do the Talking: The influence of explicitness and game behavior on comprehension in an educational computer game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bergervoet, Erwin; van der Sluis, Frans; van Dijk, Elisabeth M.A.G.; Nijholt, Antinus; Gavrilova, M.L.

2011-01-01

An endogenous educational game is a game where the educational content is integrated in the game play mechanics themselves. These games rely on a constructivist approach to learning, where the learner constructs knowledge through concrete experiences. Endogenous educational games which are

Research Ethics Education in the STEM Disciplines: The Promises and Challenges of a Gaming Approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Briggle, Adam; Holbrook, J Britt; Oppong, Joseph; Hoffmann, Joesph; Larsen, Elizabeth K; Pluscht, Patrick

2016-02-01

While education in ethics and the responsible conduct of research (RCR) is widely acknowledged as an essential component of graduate education, particularly in the STEM disciplines (science, technology, engineering, and math), little consensus exists on how best to accomplish this goal. Recent years have witnessed a turn toward the use of games in this context. Drawing from two NSF-funded grants (one completed and one on-going), this paper takes a critical look at the use of games in ethics and RCR education. It does so by: (a) setting the development of research and engineering ethics games in wider historical and theoretical contexts, which highlights their promise to solve important pedagogical problems; (b) reporting on some initial results from our own efforts to develop a game; and (c) reflecting on the challenges that arise in using games for ethics education. In our discussion of the challenges, we draw out lessons to improve this nascent approach to ethics education in the STEM disciplines .

Science games and the development of scientific possible selves

Science.gov (United States)

Beier, Margaret E.; Miller, Leslie M.; Wang, Shu

2012-12-01

Serious scientific games, especially those that include a virtual apprenticeship component, provide players with realistic experiences in science. This article discusses how science games can influence learning about science and the development of science-oriented possible selves through repeated practice in professional play and through social influences (e.g., peer groups). We first review the theory of possible selves (Markus and Nurius 1986) and discuss the potential of serious scientific games for influencing the development of scientific possible selves. As part of our review, we present a forensic game that inspired our work. Next we present a measure of scientific possible selves and assess its reliability and validity with a sample of middle-school students ( N = 374). We conclude by discussing the promise of science games and the development of scientific possible selves on both the individual and group levels as a means of inspiring STEM careers among adolescents.

Biotic games and cloud experimentation as novel media for biophysics education

Science.gov (United States)

Riedel-Kruse, Ingmar; Blikstein, Paulo

2014-03-01

First-hand, open-ended experimentation is key for effective formal and informal biophysics education. We developed, tested and assessed multiple new platforms that enable students and children to directly interact with and learn about microscopic biophysical processes: (1) Biotic games that enable local and online play using galvano- and photo-tactic stimulation of micro-swimmers, illustrating concepts such as biased random walks, Low Reynolds number hydrodynamics, and Brownian motion; (2) an undergraduate course where students learn optics, electronics, micro-fluidics, real time image analysis, and instrument control by building biotic games; and (3) a graduate class on the biophysics of multi-cellular systems that contains a cloud experimentation lab enabling students to execute open-ended chemotaxis experiments on slimemolds online, analyze their data, and build biophysical models. Our work aims to generate the equivalent excitement and educational impact for biophysics as robotics and video games have had for mechatronics and computer science, respectively. We also discuss how scaled-up cloud experimentation systems can support MOOCs with true lab components and life-science research in general.

Instructional games in allied health education.

Science.gov (United States)

Meyer, M A

1980-08-01

A theoretical framework and practical suggestions for incorporating games and simulation into allied health instruction are presented. Research findings that support the use of educational simulation/games as a tool for higher cognitive learning are discussed. Examples and step-by-step instructions are given to help allied health educatiors and students write their own simulation games, try them out, evaluate them, and incorporate them into classroom use to stimulate interaction. Advantages of using educational simulation/games in allied health education as well as possible disadvantages of this teaching strategy are discussed. Use of instructional games to enhance teaching effectiveness as measured by student achievement in the allied health fields is emphasized.

The science of memory - and how it should affect design of games for outside education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lieberoth, Andreas

2012-01-01

in education, great memories can now be shaped on the go. And of course we need memory to learn. Modern psychology is ripe with information about how we remember and forget the world around us, but for historical reasons, all this useful knowledge rarely reaches teachers or designers of educational games.......Games are great for learning. They inspire, engage and most importantly of all, they are different from other activities at school. We remember good experiences in unusual settings, and may mentally time-travel back to them again and again. With mobile phones as platforms for games and drama...

Educational Games for Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Noemí, Peña-Miguel; Máximo, Sedano Hoyuelos

2014-01-01

The introduction of new technologies in society has created a need for interactive contents that can make the most of the potential that technological advances offer. Serious games as educational games are such content: they can be defined as video games or interactive applications whose main purpose is to provide not only entertainment but also…

Design Principles for Serious Video Games in Mathematics Education: From Theory to Practice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Konstantinos Chorianopoulos

2014-09-01

Full Text Available There is growing interest in the employment of serious video games in science education, but there are no clear design principles. After surveying previous work in serious video game design, we highlighted the following design principles: 1 engage the students with narrative (hero, story, 2 employ familiar gameplay mechanics from popular video games, 3 engage students into constructive trial and error game-play and 4 situate collaborative learning. As illustrated examples we designed two math video games targeted to primary education students. The gameplay of the math video games embeds addition operations in a seamless way, which has been inspired by that of classic platform games. In this way, the students are adding numbers as part of popular gameplay mechanics and as a means to reach the video game objective, rather than as an end in itself. The employment of well-defined principles in the design of math video games should facilitate the evaluation of learning effectiveness by researchers. Moreover, educators can deploy alternative versions of the games in order to engage students with diverse learning styles. For example, some students might be motived and benefited by narrative, while others by collaboration, because it is unlikely that one type of serious video game might fit all learning styles. The proposed principles are not meant to be an exhaustive list, but a starting point for extending the list and applying them in other cases of serious video games beyond mathematics and learning.

Evaluation of Game-Based Learning in Cybersecurity Education for High School Students

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ge Jin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The increasing demand for global cybersecurity workforce made it a critical mission for universities and colleges to attract and train next generation of cybersecurity professionals. To address this issue, Purdue University Northwest (PNW launched high school summer camps to 181 high school students, with 51.3% underrepresented minority ratio. PNW summer camp activities were delivered in the format of game based learning and hands-on labs. Four cybersecurity education games were developed to teach social engineering, cyber-attack and defense methods, secure online behavior, and cybersecurity principles. Survey result of 154 camp participants indicated that the cybersecurity education games were very effective in cybersecurity awareness training. Further analysis of survey data revealed that the gamification of cybersecurity education to raise students’ interests in computer science and cybersecurity was more effective in male high school students than in female students.

Towards personalized feedback in educational computer games for children

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vasilyeva, E.; Uskov, V.

2007-01-01

Educational games as well as other computer games become an important part of children’s life and modern education. Feedback that is provided during a game to a child plays a significant role in computer games in general. In the context of educational computer games being developed for children game

Movement Patterns in Educational Games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rehm, Matthias; Christensen, Bianca Clavio; Nielsen, Thorsten B.

2018-01-01

Although movement is essential in location-based games to get from one point of interest to the next, it is seldom taken into account for the game design and the selection of locations. Instead, player movement is usually analyzed after the fact, i.e. when the game is ready to play. In this paper......-based educational games....

Students' and Teachers' Perceptions of Using Video Games to Enhance Science Instruction

Science.gov (United States)

Marino, Matthew T.; Israel, Maya; Beecher, Constance C.; Basham, James D.

2013-01-01

Science education video game research points toward promising, but inconclusive results in both student learning outcomes and attitudes. However, student-level variables other than gender have been largely absent from this research. This study examined how students' reading ability level and disability status are related to their video…

The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions

Science.gov (United States)

Ault, Marilyn; Craig-Hare, Jana; Frey, Bruce

2016-01-01

Reason Racer is an online, rate-based, multiplayer game designed to engage middle school students in the knowledge and skills related to scientific argumentation. Several game features are included as design considerations unrelated to science content or argumentation. One specific feature, a competitive racing component that occurs in between…

APPROACHING CARBOHYDRATES AND ITS METABOLISM: AN EXPERIENCE FOR EDUCATIONAL GAMES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandro Henrique Dias Ribeiro

2016-11-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: The study of carbohydrates, its metabolism and many other fields of biochemistry are often understood by students as a junction of chemical structures and reactions of difficult compression. However, Biochemistry should no longer be seen as an abstruse field, but a way to know the human body and its components, including molecular, structural and functional aspects. Therefore, some alternatives are being evaluated in order to assist and improve the dissemination of knowledge among them highlights are the educational games. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this work is the production of two educational games able to include the contents of carbohydrates and its metabolism in higher education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The educational games produced were made from available materials and low cost. The games were tested in courses of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology of the Federal University of Uberlândia and the response of the students towards the activities was analyzed. The application, had the presence of trained students to instruct on the activity and correcting. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS: "What is the Carbohydrate?" and "Mastering the metabolism" are two educational games covering the content of structure and function carbohydrates and basal metabolism, respectively. "What is the Carbohydrate?" consists in unravel amid several options the carbohydrate in the hands of the others players. For this, several questions with two possible answers, “yes” or “not”, are accepted each round, and if the player find difficulty in formulating questions, there are cards tips. “Mastering the metabolism” consists in a combination of cards that simulate pieces of a domino that must be mounted following the metabolic pathway of carbohydrates, and as the game progresses, the main points of regulation of the pathway will be accompanied by surprise questions. The games showed great acceptance by students. CONCLUSION: “What is the Carbohydrate

Bringing your a-game: Educational gaming for student success.

Science.gov (United States)

Strickland, Haley P; Kaylor, Sara K

2016-05-01

The purpose of this article is to describe the theoretical basis for the integration of gaming in nursing education and discuss aspects related to the implementation of "The Race for Nursing Student Success" game. This game was designed for 112 junior-level baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a fundamentals nursing course. Students were divided into groups of 5-8 and rotated through ten specific learning activities that took place in various locations throughout the nursing building. Student and faculty feedback indicated positive responses to this instructional strategy and also promoted a learner-centered teaching environment. This learning activity supports the use of educational gaming as a means to develop learner-centered environments that provide experiential experiences, enhance learning, and stimulate interest, and motivation for students to learn. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Collaborative gaming and competition for CS-STEM education using SPHERES Zero Robotics

Science.gov (United States)

Nag, Sreeja; Katz, Jacob G.; Saenz-Otero, Alvar

2013-02-01

There is widespread investment of resources in the fields of Computer Science, Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics (CS-STEM) education to improve STEM interests and skills. This paper addresses the goal of revolutionizing student education using collaborative gaming and competition, both in virtual simulation environments and on real hardware in space. The concept is demonstrated using the SPHERES Zero Robotics (ZR) Program which is a robotics programming competition. The robots are miniature satellites called SPHERES—an experimental test bed developed by the MIT SSL on the International Space Station (ISS) to test navigation, formation flight and control algorithms in microgravity. The participants compete to win a technically challenging game by programming their strategies into the SPHERES satellites, completely from a web browser. The programs are demonstrated in simulation, on ground hardware and then in a final competition when an astronaut runs the student software aboard the ISS. ZR had a pilot event in 2009 with 10 High School (HS) students, a nationwide pilot tournament in 2010 with over 200 HS students from 19 US states, a summer tournament in 2010 with ˜150 middle school students and an open-registration tournament in 2011 with over 1000 HS students from USA and Europe. The influence of collaboration was investigated by (1) building new web infrastructure and an Integrated Development Environment where intensive inter-participant collaboration is possible, (2) designing and programming a game to solve a relevant formation flight problem, collaborative in nature—and (3) structuring a tournament such that inter-team collaboration is mandated. This paper introduces the ZR web tools, assesses the educational value delivered by the program using space and games and evaluates the utility of collaborative gaming within this framework. There were three types of collaborations as variables—within matches (to achieve game objectives), inter

The Evaluation of CEIT Teacher Candidates in Terms of Computer Games, Educational Use of Computer Games and Game Design Qualifications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hakkı BAĞCI

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Computer games have an important usage potential in the education of today’s digital student profile. Also computer teachers known as technology leaders in schools are the main stakeholders of this potential. In this study, opinions of the computer teachers about computer games are examined from different perspectives. 119 computer teacher candidates participated in this study, and the data were collected by a questionnaire. As a result of this study, computer teacher candidates have a positive thinking about the usage of computer games in education and they see themselves qualified for the analysis and design of educational games. But they partially have negative attitudes about some risks like addiction and lose of time. Also the candidates who attended the educational game courses and play games from their mobile phones have more positive opinions, and they see themselves more qualified than others. Males have more positive opinions about computer games than females, but in terms of educational games and the analysis and design of the computer games, there is no significant difference between males and females.

Making Gameplay Matter: Designing Modern Educational Tabletop Games

Science.gov (United States)

Nicholson, Scott

2011-01-01

One of the great failings in educational game design is a focus on the question-and-answer model of gameplay. This type of educational game has players engage in some sort of time-wasting activity like rolling a die and moving, and then the focus of the game, the activity of answering a question, is triggered. Thousands of educational games use…

Designing Science Learning with Game-Based Approaches

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Min; Rosenblum, Jason A.; Horton, Lucas; Kang, Jina

2014-01-01

Given the growing popularity of digital games as a form of entertainment, educators are interested in exploring using digital games as a tool to facilitate learning. In this study, we examine game-based learning by describing a learning environment that combines game elements, play, and authenticity in the real world for the purpose of engaging…

A rapid review of serious games: From healthcare education to dental education.

Science.gov (United States)

Sipiyaruk, K; Gallagher, J E; Hatzipanagos, S; Reynolds, P A

2018-03-24

Games involving technology have the potential to enhance hand-eye coordination and decision-making skills. As a result, game characteristics have been applied to education and training, where they are known as serious games. There is an increase in the volume of literature on serious games in healthcare education; however, evidence on their impact is still ambiguous. The aims of this study were (i) to identify high-quality evidence (systematic reviews or meta-analyses) regarding impacts of serious games on healthcare education; and (ii) to explore evidence regarding impacts of serious games in dental education. A rapid review of the literature was undertaken to synthesise available evidence and examine serious games in healthcare education (Stage 1) and dental education (Stage 2). Nine systematic reviews were included in Stage 1, four of which were of high, three of moderate and two of low quality. For Stage 2, two randomised control trials with moderate quality were included. The findings demonstrated that serious games are potentially effective learning tools in terms of knowledge and skills improvement, although outcomes of serious games over traditional learning approaches were not consistent. In addition, serious games appeared to be more engaging and satisfying for students, which could be considered as the most important positive impact. Serious games provide an option for healthcare and dental education but remain underutilised and researched. At best, they offer a similar experience to other methods in relation to educational outcome; however, they can provide a supplementary strategy to engage students and improve learner satisfaction. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The Effects of a Serious Digital Game on the Animal Science Competency, Mathematical Competency, Knowledge Transfer Ability, and Motivation of Secondary Agricultural Education Students

Science.gov (United States)

Bunch, James Charles

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to compare the effectiveness of two teaching methods (i.e., lecture/discussion and digital game-based learning) on student achievement in agriculture and mathematics regarding a unit on swine diseases in animal science courses offered through secondary agricultural education programs in Oklahoma; 2) to…

Meta!Blast computer game: a pipeline from science to 3D art to education

Science.gov (United States)

Schneller, William; Campbell, P. J.; Bassham, Diane; Wurtele, Eve Syrkin

2012-03-01

Meta!Blast (http://www.metablast.org) is designed to address the challenges students often encounter in understanding cell and metabolic biology. Developed by faculty and students in biology, biochemistry, computer science, game design, pedagogy, art and story, Meta!Blast is being created using Maya (http://usa.autodesk.com/maya/) and the Unity 3D (http://unity3d.com/) game engine, for Macs and PCs in classrooms; it has also been exhibited in an immersive environment. Here, we describe the pipeline from protein structural data and holographic information to art to the threedimensional (3D) environment to the game engine, by which we provide a publicly-available interactive 3D cellular world that mimics a photosynthetic plant cell.

Development of Mobile Educational Game of Economics

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Indah Rahayu Kurniasari

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Along the rapid development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT, learning media are required to undergo renewal. Innovation of learning media that combines modern technology is needed to improve the effectiveness of learning. The research is a Research and Development (R&D. The product result of this research is mobile educational game of economics. This research aims to determine the feasibility of mobile educational game of economics. Media feasibility was assessed based on the results of media-use response questionnaires that given to experts and students. Expert validation result showed that mobile educational game of economics achieved very good judgment. The assessment questionnaires result from the student also stated that the quality and effectiveness of mobile educational game of economics were very good. So, the research concluded that mobile educational game of economics worthy to be used as a media of economics learning.

Recreational Games for Physical Education

Science.gov (United States)

Hume, Donald

2005-01-01

Recreational games can be incorporated into physical education programs to encourage play and activity among students during their leisure time. Students can play their own games during recess, before or after school, during intramural programs, or in their neighborhood with family and friends. This article describes five such games namely:…

Educational Contribution of RPG Video Games: Modern Media in Modern Education

OpenAIRE

Kratochvíl, Martin

2014-01-01

TITLE OF WORK: The Educational Contribution of RPG Video Games: Modern Media in Modern Education AUTHOR: Martin Kratochvíl KEY WORDS: video games, RPG genre, modern education, critical thinking, language learning, student's motivation DEPARTMENT: Department of English Language and Literature Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Education SUPERVISOR: Mark Robert Farrell ABSTRACT: The subject of this topic is to research the potential contribution of RPG video games in the field of modern e...

Rethinking Game Based Learning: applying pedagogical standards to educational games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schmitz, Birgit; Kelle, Sebastian

2010-01-01

Schmitz, B., & Kelle, S. (2010, 1-6 February). Rethinking Game Based Learning: applying pedagogical standards to educational games. Presentation at JTEL Winter School 2010 on Advanced Learning Technologies, Innsbruck, Austria.

Gaming: a creative strategy for staff education.

Science.gov (United States)

Swartzendruber, D

1994-02-01

Providing staff development in a stimulating, innovative manner is the challenge of all nurse educators. This article discusses gaming, a creative teaching strategy that can help meet these needs. Games designed specifically for the education of dialysis staff will be reviewed. Advantages of the various games will also be examined.

Digital game for education and dissemination of nuclear energy applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legey, Ana Paula; Silva, Marcio H.; Machado, Daniel M.; Santo, Andre Cotelli E.; Lapa, Celso M.F.; Mol, Antonio C.A.

2015-01-01

Students are immersed in a society with many possibilities of interaction, either computer or smart phones. In addition, students demand more innovation, dynamism and interactivity in classrooms. The form of education that can motivate students to engage in the learning process can get them to be interested in the lessons and not prematurely abandon schools. On the other hand, educational materials based on Virtual Reality (VR), as computer games, have been considered an important educational tool for making dynamic, motivating, innovative, in addition to achieving those areas where traditional methods are not reaching its goal. Motivated by the above, and given the competence developed by the Virtual Reality Laboratory of the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear / CNEN and the collaboration of the University Center UniCarioca, was developed a digital game based on virtual reality tools for the teaching of a subject of area of science that needs to be addressed to society more contextualized way: the different applications of nuclear energy. It is expected that this digital game is an important tool for the dissemination, teaching and learning the benefits of nuclear energy. (author)

Digital game for education and dissemination of nuclear energy applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Legey, Ana Paula; Silva, Marcio H.; Machado, Daniel M.; Santo, Andre Cotelli E.; Lapa, Celso M.F.; Mol, Antonio C.A., E-mail: analegey@hotmail.com, E-mail: machado.mol@gmail.com [Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear (IEN/CNEN-RJ), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Realidade Virtual; Lima, Tiago Rocha; Paula, Vanessa M.; Junior, Israel L.; Augusto, Haline F., E-mail: tlrtiago@gmail.com, E-mail: vnspaula@hotmail.com, E-mail: halineffa@hotmail.com, E-mail: israel_plj@hotmail.com [Centro Universitario Carioca (UniCarioca), Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)

2015-07-01

Students are immersed in a society with many possibilities of interaction, either computer or smart phones. In addition, students demand more innovation, dynamism and interactivity in classrooms. The form of education that can motivate students to engage in the learning process can get them to be interested in the lessons and not prematurely abandon schools. On the other hand, educational materials based on Virtual Reality (VR), as computer games, have been considered an important educational tool for making dynamic, motivating, innovative, in addition to achieving those areas where traditional methods are not reaching its goal. Motivated by the above, and given the competence developed by the Virtual Reality Laboratory of the Instituto de Engenharia Nuclear / CNEN and the collaboration of the University Center UniCarioca, was developed a digital game based on virtual reality tools for the teaching of a subject of area of science that needs to be addressed to society more contextualized way: the different applications of nuclear energy. It is expected that this digital game is an important tool for the dissemination, teaching and learning the benefits of nuclear energy. (author)

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement.

Science.gov (United States)

Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-03-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students' game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students' development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students' Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students' Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of the game

Computer-Based Simulation Games in Public Administration Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kutergina Evgeniia

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Computer simulation, an active learning technique, is now one of the advanced pedagogical technologies. Th e use of simulation games in the educational process allows students to gain a firsthand understanding of the processes of real life. Public- administration, public-policy and political-science courses increasingly adopt simulation games in universities worldwide. Besides person-to-person simulation games, there are computer-based simulations in public-administration education. Currently in Russia the use of computer-based simulation games in Master of Public Administration (MPA curricula is quite limited. Th is paper focuses on computer- based simulation games for students of MPA programmes. Our aim was to analyze outcomes of implementing such games in MPA curricula. We have done so by (1 developing three computer-based simulation games about allocating public finances, (2 testing the games in the learning process, and (3 conducting a posttest examination to evaluate the effect of simulation games on students’ knowledge of municipal finances. Th is study was conducted in the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE and in the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA during the period of September to December 2015, in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Two groups of students were randomly selected in each university and then randomly allocated either to the experimental or the control group. In control groups (n=12 in HSE, n=13 in RANEPA students had traditional lectures. In experimental groups (n=12 in HSE, n=13 in RANEPA students played three simulation games apart from traditional lectures. Th is exploratory research shows that the use of computer-based simulation games in MPA curricula can improve students’ outcomes by 38 %. In general, the experimental groups had better performances on the post-test examination (Figure 2. Students in the HSE experimental group had 27.5 % better

The educational game design on relation and functionmaterials

Science.gov (United States)

Pramuditya, S. A.; Noto, M. S.; Syaefullah, D.

2018-05-01

Information technology development is certainly very helpful and important for life, especially for education. Media is always associated with technology. Media is considered important because as a tool in the learning process both inside and outside the classroom and can also be used in the framework of communication and interaction with teachers and students in the learning process. Smartphone technology is currently growing very rapidly, especially for Android platform. Game is one of the entertainment media that becomes an option to eliminate boring or just to spend a time. Educational games specifically designed to teach users a particular learning, developing concepts and understanding and guiding them in training their abilities and motivating them to play it. Game of mathematics education is a game inserted by mathematics learning content. This article discusses development research of designing educational game. The purpose of this research was to produce educational games on relation and function, which should be valid and practical. This research adapts the development model of ADDIE, restricted by analysis, design, and development. Data were collected from validation and practical sheets then were analysed descriptively. Based on the results of data analysis, our educational game was valid and practical.

Three dimensions of effective educational game design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Degens, Nick; Bril, Ivo; Braad, Eelco

2015-01-01

For over thirty years, there has been a discussion about the effectiveness of educational games in comparison to traditional learning materials. To help further this discussion, we aim to understand ‘how educational games work’ by formalising (and visualising) the educational and motivational

Are Serious Games a Good Strategy for Pharmacy Education?

OpenAIRE

Cain, Jeff; Piascik, Peggy

2015-01-01

Serious gaming is the use of game principles for the purposes of learning, skill acquisition, and training. Higher education is beginning to incorporate serious gaming into curricula, and health professions education is the most common area for serious game use. Advantages of serious gaming in pharmacy education include authentic, situated learning without risk of patient consequences, collaborative learning, ability to challenge students of all performance levels, high student motivation wit...

Playing interprofessional games: reflections on using the Interprofessional Education Game (iPEG).

Science.gov (United States)

Joseph, Sundari; Diack, Lesley

2015-05-01

This report explores the relevance of gaming in IPE curriculum design with the use of the Interprofessional Education Game (iPEG) as an activity aimed to achieve positive interprofessional learning outcomes for students. It was designed to enable the understanding of professional roles and responsibilities in patient/client care settings. We provide a description of its implementation and evaluation with first year student cohorts (900+ per cohort) over a 3-year period within an established interprofessional education (IPE) programme. The game encapsulates fun and memorable learning styles to explore professional stereotypes and team approaches to care delivery. It can be a valuable teaching tool for those designing IPE curriculum. Evaluation data from students and staff were mainly positive. We discuss the use of the game and its potential to be adapted in flexible and creative ways to assist educators in consider incorporating gaming within their own IPE programmes.

Serious Video Games for Health How Behavioral Science Guided the Development of a Serious Video Game.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Debbe; Baranowski, Tom; Buday, Richard; Baranowski, Janice; Thompson, Victoria; Jago, Russell; Griffith, Melissa Juliano

2010-08-01

Serious video games for health are designed to entertain players while attempting to modify some aspect of their health behavior. Behavior is a complex process influenced by multiple factors, often making it difficult to change. Behavioral science provides insight into factors that influence specific actions that can be used to guide key game design decisions. This article reports how behavioral science guided the design of a serious video game to prevent Type 2 diabetes and obesity among youth, two health problems increasing in prevalence. It demonstrates how video game designers and behavioral scientists can combine their unique talents to create a highly focused serious video game that entertains while promoting behavior change.

Video Game Discourses and Implications for Game-Based Education

Science.gov (United States)

Whitton, Nicola; Maclure, Maggie

2017-01-01

Increasingly prevalent educational discourses promote the use of video games in schools and universities. At the same time, populist discourses persist, particularly in print media, which condemn video games because of putative negative effects on behaviour and socialisation. These contested discourses, we suggest, influence the acceptability of…

Engagement states and learning from educational games.

Science.gov (United States)

Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Chang, Mido; Evans, Michael E

2013-01-01

Children's and adolescents' cognitive, affective, and behavioral states of engagement enhance or impede enjoyment of, and performance with, educational games. We propose a comprehensive model of engagement states and apply it to research on educational game development and research on the role of various aspects of engagement on game play and learning. Emphasis is placed on individual differences in attention, memory, motor speed and control, persistence, and positive and negative affect (approach/avoidance), and how these pertain to social cognitions regarding mathematics achievement. Our challenge is to develop educational games that are effective for a wide variety of student engagement states. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Sport Education as a Curriculum Approach to Student Learning of Invasion Games: Effects on Game Performance and Game Involvement

Science.gov (United States)

Farias, Cláudio; Valério, Carla; Mesquita, Isabel

2018-01-01

The teaching and learning of games and sport-based activities has historically been the dominant form of the physical education curricula. With an interest in providing to students meaningful and culturally situated sporting experiences, Sport Education is probably the most implemented and researched pedagogical model worldwide. However, although there is considerable evidence that the model as a curriculum approach can benefit the development of social goals and healthy sport behaviors, not a single study as to date examined students’ game-play development beyond participation in single and isolated teaching units. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine students’ development of Game Performance and Game Involvement during participation in three consecutive Sport Education seasons of invasion games. The participants were an experienced physical education teacher and one seventh-grade class totaling 26 students (10 girls and 16 boys). Using the Game Performance Assessment Instrument (Oslin et al., 1998), pre-test to post-tests measures of students’ Game Performance and Game Involvement were collected during their participation in basketball (20 lessons), handball (16 lessons), and football (18 lessons) units. Inter-group differences and pre-test to post-test improvements within each season were analyzed through 2 (time) x group (sport) repeated measures ANOVA tests. There were found significant pre-test to post-test improvements in Game Performance and Game Involvement in the second (handball) and third (football) seasons, but not in the first season (basketball). Students’ Game Performance and Involvement scores of handball and football were significantly higher than their scores while playing basketball. The opportunity for an extended engagement in game-play activities and prolonged membership of students in the same teams throughout three consecutive seasons of Sport Education were key to the outcomes found. The specific configurations of

Is it all in the game? : learner support in an educational knowledge management simulation game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leemkuil, Hendrik Hermanus

2006-01-01

This thesis is about the educational use of computer games. The fast growth of the use of digital games (on game consoles, personal computers and the Internet) in the last two decades has led to renewed attention to the role of game play in education (see for example Dawes and Dumbleton, 2001,

Serious Video Games for Health How Behavioral Science Guided the Development of a Serious Video Game

OpenAIRE

Thompson, Debbe; Baranowski, Tom; Buday, Richard; Baranowski, Janice; Thompson, Victoria; Jago, Russell; Griffith, Melissa Juliano

2010-01-01

Serious video games for health are designed to entertain players while attempting to modify some aspect of their health behavior. Behavior is a complex process influenced by multiple factors, often making it difficult to change. Behavioral science provides insight into factors that influence specific actions that can be used to guide key game design decisions. This article reports how behavioral science guided the design of a serious video game to prevent Type 2 diabetes and obesity among you...

Passion Play: Will Wright and Games for Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ching, Dixie

2012-01-01

Researchers and instructional designers are exploring the possibilities of using video games to support STEM education in the U.S., not only because they are a popular media form among youth, but also because well-designed games often leverage the best features of inquiry learning. Those interested in using games in an educational capacity may…

Designing an Electronic Educational Game to Facilitate Immersion and Flow

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yuxin; Williams, Doug; Prejean, Louise

2014-01-01

Advocates of electronic educational games often cite the work on motivation to support the use of games in education. However, motivation alone is inadequate to facilitate learning. Many of the educational games that focused their game design solely on the motivational effect failed to be either educational or entertaining. Theory and research is…

"We don't need no education": Video game preferences, video game motivations, and aggressiveness among adolescent boys of different educational ability levels.

Science.gov (United States)

Nije Bijvank, Marije; Konijn, Elly A; Bushman, Brad J

2012-02-01

This research focuses on low educational ability as a risk factor for aggression and violent game play. We propose that boys of lower educational ability are more attracted to violent video games than other boys are, and that they are also higher in trait aggressiveness and sensation seeking. Participants were Dutch boys in public schools (N = 830, age-range 11-17). In the Netherlands, standardized tests are used to place students into lower, medium, and higher educational ability groups. Results showed that boys in the lower educational ability group preferred to play violent, stand-alone games, identified more with video game characters, and perceived video games to be more realistic than other boys did. Lower levels of education were also related to higher levels of aggressiveness and sensation seeking. Higher educational ability boys preferred social, multiplayer games. Within a risk and resilience model, boys with lower educational ability are at greater risk for aggression. Copyright © 2011 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. All rights reserved.

GAMES FOR LEARNING IN ACCOUNTANCY EDUCATION:A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veruschka Pelser-Carstens

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background:Games for learning (educational gamesareviewedas instructionalstrategiesrequiringstudentstoengageincompetitive activitieswithpredeterminedrulesand conditions.Various studiesproposebeneficial effects ofgamesfor learningandpredicttheirincreased future use.Theelementsof gamesfor learning contribute towardsmakingthem pedagogically soundandteachersand higher educationlecturershaveincreasingly become interested in usingthemto enhancetraditional teaching and learningenvironments.Aim:This paper documents asystematicreview of empirical and theoreticalarticles on the use of gamesfor learningin teaching and learningin order todeterminehow games for learning could contribute towards AccountancyEducation.Method:Articleslistedindigitalacademic databasesweresystematicallyreviewed according to:(i the timespan as2011-2017; (ii the document typeasjournalarticles; (iii the keywordsas“educational games AND student curiosity;”“educational games AND engagement;” “educational gamesAND skills” and“educational games AND active learning.”Although the authors prefer the use ofthe construct ofgames for learninginstead ofeducational games, the literaturestill related to educational games.Conclusions:The study concludeson:(ihowenjoyabledostudents experiencegamesfor learning;(iihowgamesinfluence, shape,andenrichlearning;(iiihow studentsgain,processandassimilateinformationfrom games for learning; (ivthelimitedavailability ofinformationon how games for learningstimulate students’curiosityfor learning; (vhowstudents engage with one another todevelop skillswhile engaging with games for learning;and (vi the need forfurtherresearchtoassess the effectiveness of gamesfor learning.Recommendations:(iThe decision to use gamesfor learningin teaching andlearning should be based onawell-groundedtheoryof learning, as well asontheskills required for the learning area;and (ii gamesfor learningshould beemployedaslearningtools, andnot as stand-alone instruction.

Computer-games for gravitational wave science outreach: Black Hole Pong and Space Time Quest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carbone, L; Bond, C; Brown, D; Brückner, F; Grover, K; Lodhia, D; Mingarelli, C M F; Fulda, P; Smith, R J E; Unwin, R; Vecchio, A; Wang, M; Whalley, L; Freise, A

2012-01-01

We have established a program aimed at developing computer applications and web applets to be used for educational purposes as well as gravitational wave outreach activities. These applications and applets teach gravitational wave physics and technology. The computer programs are generated in collaboration with undergraduates and summer students as part of our teaching activities, and are freely distributed on a dedicated website. As part of this program, we have developed two computer-games related to gravitational wave science: 'Black Hole Pong' and 'Space Time Quest'. In this article we present an overview of our computer related outreach activities and discuss the games and their educational aspects, and report on some positive feedback received.

A Model-driven Framework for Educational Game Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bill Roungas

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Educational games are a class of serious games whose main purpose is to teach some subject to their players. Despite the many existing design frameworks, these games are too often created in an ad-hoc manner, and typically without the use of a game design document (GDD. We argue that a reason for this phenomenon is that current ways to structure, create and update GDDs do not increase the value of the artifact in the design and development process. As a solution, we propose a model-driven, web-based knowledge management environment that supports game designers in the creation of a GDD that accounts for and relates educational and entertainment game elements. The foundation of our approach is our devised conceptual model for educational games, which also defines the structure of the design environment. We present promising results from an evaluation of our environment with eight experts in serious games.

SunDial: embodied informal science education using GPS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Megan K. Halpern

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Science centers serve a number of goals for visitors, ideally providing experiences that are educational, social, and meaningful. This paper describes SunDial, a handheld application developed for families to use at a science center. Inspired by the idea of geocaching, the high-tech treasure hunting game that utilizes GPS technologies, SunDial asks families to use a single handheld device to locate and participate in a series of learning modules around the museum. Observations of 10 families suggest that it supports rich informal science education experiences, provides insights about families’ interaction patterns around and with single handheld devices, and demonstrates the value of navigation as an educational experience. Further, using recently released guidelines for Informal Science Education (ISE experiences to inform the design process proved valuable, tying features of the technology to educational and social goals, and giving evidence that explicit reference to these guidelines can improve ISE experiences and technologies.

The Stag Hunt Game: An Example of an Excel-Based Probabilistic Game

Science.gov (United States)

Bridge, Dave

2016-01-01

With so many role-playing simulations already in the political science education literature, the recent repeated calls for new games is both timely and appropriate. This article answers and extends those calls by advocating the creation of probabilistic games using Microsoft Excel. I introduce the example of the Stag Hunt Game--a short, effective,…

In the Zone--Bringing Science to the Olympic Games for Students in 2012

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Leah; Atkinson, Melissa; Schofield, Jonathan

2012-01-01

The Wellcome Trust is running a national engagement and education initiative inspired by the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. "In the Zone" involves sending practical science kits to every UK school and college. Here, we discuss the development of the school activities and how the feedback from pilot schools helped to shape the…

Gamification in Science Education: Gamifying Learning of Microscopic Processes in the Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

Fleischmann, Katja; Ariel, Ellen

2016-01-01

Understanding and trouble-shooting microscopic processes involved in laboratory tests are often challenging for students in science education because of the inability to visualize the different steps and the various errors that may influence test outcome. The effectiveness of gamification or the use of game design elements and game-mechanics were…

AN IMPLEMENTATION OF PACMAN GAME USING ROBOTS

OpenAIRE

Madhav. Rao

2011-01-01

As the field of robotics are advancing, robotics education needs to consider technological advances and societal level of interest. Realizing computer games in robotic platforms is one such technological advance for educating students in robotics science. Realizing computer games in robotics environment is still a challenge due to high investment factor in developing robot models. However the effort can lead to the enhanced interest in robotics education and further involvement in science and...

Serious simulation game development for energy transition education using integrated framework game design

Science.gov (United States)

Destyanto, A. R.; Putri, O. A.; Hidayatno, A.

2017-11-01

Due to the advantages that serious simulation game offered, many areas of studies, including energy, have used serious simulation games as their instruments. However, serious simulation games in the field of energy transition still have few attentions. In this study, serious simulation game is developed and tested as the activity of public education about energy transition which is a conversion from oil to natural gas program. The aim of the game development is to create understanding and awareness about the importance of energy transition for society in accelerating the process of energy transition in Indonesia since 1987 the energy transition program has not achieved the conversion target yet due to the lack of education about energy transition for society. Developed as a digital serious simulation game following the framework of integrated game design, the Transergy game has been tested to 15 users and then analysed. The result of verification and validation of the game shows that Transergy gives significance to the users for understanding and triggering the needs of oil to natural gas conversion.

Game Theory and Educational Policy: Private Education Legislation in China

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Wing-Wah; Pan, Su-Yan

2009-01-01

This article presents a game theory analysis of legislating private education in China, based on set of primary and secondary documents related to this issue. The article argues that shaping educational legislation is a dynamic, repeated game of negotiation, cooperation, and/or competition on multiple occasions among various interested actors,…

Education (gaming simulation: characteristic of software). Kyoiku (gaming simulation: software no tokucho)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Baba, N [Osaka Kyoiku University, Osaka (Japan)

1992-12-10

This paper explains history and classification of gaming simulations briefly, and then introduces some instances actually applied to education and training. First, an environmental game by personal computer network gaming system is introduced, which was recently developed. Each player is required to decide on his own investment for products and environmental protection in consideration of the present state of the environment and the managerial situation of his company. If his decision making is not correct, he fails to continue his management due to the aggravation of the environment. In addition, a gaming simulation for the acid rain problem is described, which is being developed in the same way of thinking. Second, an instance of an educational gaming called Sweden Game is introduced, where students learning the mathematical programming carried out the simulation of a pipe-line plan covering six regions of Sweden. Finally, the state of training is explained, in which several kinds of management games are utilized to bring up mainstay leaders in business organizations. 15 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Problem-Based Educational Game Becomes Student-Centered Learning Environment

Science.gov (United States)

Rodkroh, Pornpimon; Suwannatthachote, Praweenya; Kaemkate, Wannee

2013-01-01

Problem-based educational games are able to provide a fun and motivating environment for teaching and learning of certain subjects. However, most educational game models do not address the learning elements of problem-based educational games. This study aims to synthesize and to propose the important elements to facilitate the learning process and…

Passion play: Will Wright and games for science learning

Science.gov (United States)

Ching, Dixie

2012-12-01

Researchers and instructional designers are exploring the possibilities of using video games to support STEM education in the U.S., not only because they are a popular media form among youth, but also because well-designed games often leverage the best features of inquiry learning. Those interested in using games in an educational capacity may benefit from an examination of the work of video game designer Will Wright. Wright designs through a constructivist lens and his open-ended, sandbox games ( SimCity, The Sims, Spore) present wide "possibility spaces" that allow players to exercise their critical thinking and problem solving skills. His games invoke a delight in discovery that inspire creative acts and interest-driven learning both during and outside of the game. Finally, he reminds us that failure-based learning is a viable strategy for building expertise and understanding.

CLICHE: Education Games for Climate Change Countermeasures

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fajar As'ari

2017-10-01

In this paper will discuss about education games: CLICHE. Game which explain concisely the cause and some action to minimizing climate change cause through digital game play that will has impact to lessening the climate change effects.

New directions in cognitive educational game design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bril, Ivo; Degens, Nick; Braad, Eelco; Allison, Colin; Morgado, Leonel; Pirker, Johanna; Beck, Dennis; Richter, Jonathon; Gütl, Christian

2016-01-01

What makes an educational game good? This paper describes three research directions that could provide insight in the underlying principles of effective educational games. These aspects are 1) The importance of distinguishing between types of to-be-learned knowledge, 2) the need to understand the

Computer simulation games in population and education.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreland, R S

1988-01-01

Computer-based simulation games are effective training tools that have several advantages. They enable players to learn in a nonthreatening manner and develop strategies to achieve goals in a dynamic environment. They also provide visual feedback on the effects of players' decisions, encourage players to explore and experiment with options before making final decisions, and develop players' skills in analysis, decision making, and cooperation. 2 games have been developed by the Research Triangle Institute for public-sector planning agencies interested in or dealing with developing countries. The UN Population and Development Game teaches players about the interaction between population variables and the national economy and how population policies complement other national policies, such as education. The BRIDGES Education Planning Game focuses on the effects education has on national policies. In both games, the computer simulates the reactions of a fictional country's socioeconomic system to players' decisions. Players can change decisions after seeing their effects on a computer screen and thus can improve their performance in achieving goals.

Revisiting the Wittgensteinian Legacy: Perspectives on Representational and Non-Representational Language-Games for Educational History and Theory

Science.gov (United States)

Smeyers, Paul; Fendler, Lynn

2015-01-01

Debates in science seem to depend on referential language-games, but in other senses they do not. Language works in more complex ways, even in work that purports to be purely scientific. This article investigates the scope and limitations of language-games in educational history and theory. The study addresses concepts and pictures as examples of…

Planning start-up: digital educational game solutions provider

OpenAIRE

Paschalis, Antreas; Ibironke, Fakinkunmi; Essa, Lubna; Alsatrawi, Ali Jawad

2015-01-01

Game-based learning is a growing field that provides education with a new perspective of teaching through games. Game based learning is still considered an emerging field due to problems that have been identified in its real applications in official education in classes. The research conducted shows a very attractive market ahead for game based learning around the world. However the businesses success in this domain lie in providing value proposition that addresses the real barriers faced tod...

Fidelity and game-based technology in management education

OpenAIRE

Cornacchione Jr.,Edgard B.

2012-01-01

This study explores educational technology and management education by analyzing fidelity in game-based management education interventions. A sample of 31 MBA students was selected to help answer the research question: To what extent do MBA students tend to recognize specific game-based academic experiences, in terms of fidelity, as relevant to their managerial performance? Two distinct game-based interventions (BG1 and BG2) with key differences in fidelity levels were explored: BG1 presented...

Students Designing Video Games about Immunology: Insights for Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Khalili, Neda; Sheridan, Kimberly; Williams, Asia; Clark, Kevin; Stegman, Melanie

2011-01-01

Exposing American K-12 students to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) content is a national initiative. Game Design Through Mentoring and Collaboration targets students from underserved communities and uses their interest in video games as a way to introduce science, technology, engineering, and math topics. This article describes a…

Towards Architecture for Pedagogical and Game Scenarios Adaptation in Serious Games

Science.gov (United States)

Debabi, Wassila; Champagnat, Ronan

2017-01-01

Serious games seem to be a promising alternative to traditional practices for learning. Recently, their use in computer science education and learning programming became more widespread. Actually, many students in programming courses have difficulties to master all required competencies and skills especially at introductory level and games have…

Resolving Conflicts in Educational Game Design through Playtesting

Science.gov (United States)

Winn, Brian; Heeter, Carrie

2007-01-01

Educational game designs must balance the often conflicting values of game designers, instructional designers, and content experts. In order to reach this balance, however, colleagues should adopt development strategies that already inform the design of commercial computer games. Commercial game designers recognize that great games are not created…

Model for Educational Game Using Natural User Interface

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Azrulhizam Shapi’i

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Natural User Interface (NUI is a new approach that has become increasingly popular in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI. The use of this technology is widely used in almost all sectors, including the field of education. In recent years, there are a lot of educational games using NUI technology in the market such as Kinect game. Kinect is a sensor that can recognize body movements, postures, and voices in three dimensions. It enables users to control and interact with game without the need of using game controller. However, the contents of most existing Kinect games do not follow the standard curriculum in classroom, thus making it do not fully achieve the learning objectives. Hence, this research proposes a design model as a guideline in designing educational game using NUI. A prototype has been developed as one of the objectives in this study. The prototype is based on proposed model to ensure and assess the effectiveness of the model. The outcomes of this study conclude that the proposed model contributed to the design method for the development of the educational game using NUI. Furthermore, evaluation results of the prototype show a good response from participant and in line with the standard curriculum.

Mobile Game Development for Multiple Devices in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Baltasar Fernández-Manjón

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Mobile learning and educational gaming are two trends that are rapidly having an increasing impact in Technology-Enhanced Learning. However, both approaches present significant technological challenges. Mobile technologies are very diverse and the market pressure pushes the continuous development of new technologies and features. On the other hand, game-based learning needs to deal with enormous development costs and the problem of allowing instructors and experts to actively participate in the game development process. Moreover, there are numerous situations where bringing both approaches together could be very useful, but this combination magnifies the technological barriers previously described. In this work we present , an authoring environment for educational adventure games that supports the production of both desktop and mobile games. This framework provides a graphical environment that allows instructors to create their own educational games with a low cost. Then, the games can be exported to multiple formats, including support for diverse types of mobile platforms. This is achieved through a modular semi-automated exportation process, which is based on mobile device profiles.

Grandma's Games Project: Bridging Tradition and Technology Mediated Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Vasileva

2014-02-01

Full Text Available This article presents a project entitled "Grandma’s games", following a research idea to enrich the educational process of K9 students by introducing the traditional children games of our ancestors in the learning environment, revived and adapted for modern students with the aid of information and communication technology. While creating a strong connection between our heritage and the modern educational trends, the project’s intention goes beyond mere fulfilment of educational goals, striving to increase the interest and motivation of primary education students to develop their creativity and originality while learning, with respect of their own personal preferences and cultural heritage. The "Grandma’s games" research project engaged twelve traditional games in the educational activities at primary schools from both rural and non-rural environments in Republic of Macedonia. Descriptive statistics was applied on the data set sampled from the extensive survey conducted among teachers in these schools, to illustrate the benefits from the application of the Grandma’s games in educational process.

Constructible Authentic Representations: Designing Video Games That Enable Players to Utilize Knowledge Developed In-Game to Reason about Science

Science.gov (United States)

Holbert, Nathan R.; Wilensky, Uri

2014-01-01

While video games have become a source of excitement for educational designers, creating informal game experiences that players can draw on when thinking and reasoning in non-game contexts has proved challenging. In this paper we present a design principle for creating educational video games that enables players to draw on knowledge resources…

New Digital Energy Game, the Use of Games to Influence Attitudes, Interests, and Student Achievement in Science

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, Venita

2012-01-01

Purpose: To assess how the use of games contributes to students' science learning, interests, and attitudes about science. Methodology: The study sample was middle and high-school students in a large urban school district in 2012. A total of 1191 students participated in the game. The majority of students were Hispanic females of low…

Students @ play: serious games for learning in higher education.

OpenAIRE

Rooney, Pauline

2007-01-01

The rise of digital games over recent years has been exponential. While many are used for entertainment, digital games have also begun to permeate education — which has lead to the coining of the term ―serious games‖ [1]. Proponents of serious games argue that they hold enormous potential for learning [2], by embodying a range of pedagogical strategies. While some have adopted commercial games for use in the classroom, others have designed games specifically for educational purposes. Howev...

Are Games Effective Learning Tools? A Review of Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

de Freitas, Sara

2018-01-01

The literature around the use, efficacy and design of educational games and game-based learning approaches has been building up gradually and in phases, across different disciplines and in an ad hoc way. This has been problematic in a number of ways and resulted in fragmented literature and inconsistent referencing patterns between different…

Investigating the effectiveness of an educational card game for learning how human immunology is regulated.

Science.gov (United States)

Su, TzuFen; Cheng, Meng-Tzu; Lin, Shu-Hua

2014-01-01

This study was conducted in an attempt to investigate the effectiveness of an educational card game we developed for learning human immunology. Two semesters of evaluation were included to examine the impact of the game on students' understanding and perceptions of the game-based instruction. Ninety-nine senior high school students (11th graders) were recruited for the first evaluation, and the second-semester group consisted of 72 students (also 11th graders). The results obtained indicate that students did learn from the educational card game. Moreover, students who learned from playing the game significantly outperformed their counterparts in terms of their understanding of the processes and connections among different lines of immunological defense (first semester: t = 2.92, p traditional didactic lectures (first semester: t = 2.79, p < 0.01; second semester: t = 2.41, p < 0.05). This finding is evidence that the educational card game has potential to facilitate students' learning of how the immune system works. The implications and suggestions for future work are further discussed. © 2014 T. Su et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

Game Theory .net.

Science.gov (United States)

Shor, Mikhael

2003-01-01

States making game theory relevant and accessible to students is challenging. Describes the primary goal of GameTheory.net is to provide interactive teaching tools. Indicates the site strives to unite educators from economics, political and computer science, and ecology by providing a repository of lecture notes and tests for courses using…

Using Video Games to Enhance Motivation States in Online Education: Protocol for a Team-Based Digital Game.

Science.gov (United States)

Janssen, Anna; Shaw, Tim; Goodyear, Peter

2015-09-28

Video and computer games for education have been of interest to researchers for several decades. Over the last half decade, researchers in the health sector have also begun exploring the value of this medium. However, there are still many gaps in the literature regarding the effective use of video and computer games in medical education, particularly in relation to how learners interact with the platform, and how the games can be used to enhance collaboration. The objective of the study is to evaluate a team-based digital game as an educational tool for engaging learners and supporting knowledge consolidation in postgraduate medical education. A mixed methodology will be used in order to establish efficacy and level of motivation provided by a team-based digital game. Second-year medical students will be recruited as participants to complete 3 matches of the game at spaced intervals, in 2 evenly distributed teams. Prior to playing the game, participants will complete an Internet survey to establish baseline data. After playing the game, participants will voluntarily complete a semistructured interview to establish motivation and player engagement. Additionally, metrics collected from the game platform will be analyzed to determine efficacy. The research is in the preliminary stages, but thus far a total of 54 participants have been recruited into the study. Additionally, a content development group has been convened to develop appropriate content for the platform. Video and computer games have been demonstrated to have value for educational purposes. Significantly less research has addressed how the medium can be effectively utilized in the health sector. Preliminary data from this study would suggest there is an interest in games for learning in the medical student body. As such, it is beneficial to undertake further research into how these games teach and engage learners in order to evaluate their role in tertiary and postgraduate medical education in the future.

Questions as a tool for bridging science and everyday language games

Science.gov (United States)

Lundin, Mattias

2007-01-01

Research has shown how students can shift between different ways of communicating about natural phenomena. The point of departure in this text is that school science comprises science ways to communicate as well as everyday ways to communicate. In school science activities transitions, from for example everyday ways to explain to science ways to explain, occur and the purpose of this paper is to show what role questions play in these transitions. Data consists of video observations of a group of 24 students, 15 years of age, doing their ordinary school science work without my interference in their planning. Relevant conversations including questions were transcribed. The analysis was made by examining the establishment of relations between utterances in the transcribed conversations. Relations that bridge science and everyday language games are described in the results. Questions that were formulated in an everyday language game illustrate the difficulties of making transitions to a science language game. Without teacher guidance, students' questions are potential promoters for making the topic drift and to develop into something totally different from the topic as planned by the teacher. However, questions promote transitions to an everyday language game. These can be used by teachers for example to adjust an everyday explanation and guide students in making science knowledge useful in daily life.

Digital game-based learning in secondary education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huizenga, J.C.

2017-01-01

This PhD thesis presents research on digital game-based learning in secondary education. The main research question is: How do digital games contribute to learning, engagement and motivation to learn? The thesis contains seven chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to digital game-based learning

Using Android-Based Educational Game for Learning Colloid Material

Science.gov (United States)

Sari, S.; Anjani, R.; Farida, I.; Ramdhani, M. A.

2017-09-01

This research is based on the importance of the development of student’s chemical literacy on Colloid material using Android-based educational game media. Educational game products are developed through research and development design. In the analysis phase, material analysis is performed to generate concept maps, determine chemical literacy indicators, game strategies and set game paths. In the design phase, product packaging is carried out, then validation and feasibility test are performed. Research produces educational game based on Android that has the characteristics that is: Colloid material presented in 12 levels of game in the form of questions and challenges, presents visualization of discourse, images and animation contextually to develop the process of thinking and attitude. Based on the analysis of validation and trial results, the product is considered feasible to use.

Using Games to Creatively Enhance the Counselor Education Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Swank, Jacqueline M.

2012-01-01

Utilizing games within the classroom may assist counselor educators with enhancing learning. Counselor educators may integrate games within the curriculum to assist students in learning and developing self-awareness and to assess knowledge and skills. This article describes the utilization of games within experiential-learning theory and presents…

Bacon Brains: Video Games for Teaching the Science of Addiction.

Science.gov (United States)

Epstein, Joel; Noel, Jeffrey; Finnegan, Megan; Watkins, Kate

2016-01-01

Researchers have developed many different computerized interventions designed to teach students about the dangers of substance use. Following in this tradition, we produced a series of video games called Bacon Brains . However, unlike many other programs, ours focused on the "Science of Addiction," providing lessons on how alcohol and other drugs affect the brain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of our games in teaching students our science-based curriculum. We enrolled over 200 students and randomly assigned them to play our games or a different series of NIDA-produced games. Of the students in the Bacon Brains conditions, half were instructed to play collaboratively and the other half was told to play competitively. Results indicate significantly greater knowledge gains among students in Bacon Brains compared to the existing games (5.01 mean knowledge score difference; [F(1,242)=9.588, p=.002]). Girls demonstrated knowledge gains in both collaborative and competitive conditions, but boys demonstrated similar gains only in the competitive condition. Based on our outcomes, we conclude that video games can serve as an effective method of science instruction. We further discuss the importance of considering gender differences in light of differential response to collaborative vs. competitive learning environments.

Exploring the Learning Mechanism in Educational Games

OpenAIRE

Kiili, Kristian; Ketamo, Harri

2007-01-01

The main aim of this paper is to evaluate the problem based gaming model that tries to explain the learning process in educational games. The model was studied through Geometry game aimed for pre-school children (N = 24). The game relays on learning by teaching approach and involves AI-engine modeling the human concept learning structures. The qualitative analyses were used to explore participants learning processes and gaming strategies. The results indicated that the model well describes th...

Integrating indigenous games and knowledge into Physical Education

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Integrating indigenous games and knowledge into Physical Education: Implications for ... The aim of this study was to analyse indigenous Zulu games towards integrating indigenous game skill and knowledge ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Gaming in Nursing Education: A Literature Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pront, Leeanne; Müller, Amanda; Koschade, Adam; Hutton, Alison

The aim of this research was to investigate videogame-based learning in nursing education and establish how videogames are currently employed and how they link to the development of decision-making, motivation, and other benefits. Although digital game-based learning potentially offers a safe and convenient environment that can support nursing students developing essential skills, nurse educators are typically slow to adopt such resources. A comprehensive search of electronic databases was conducted, followed by a thematic analysis of the literature. Evaluations of identified games found generally positive results regarding usability and effectiveness of videogames in nursing education. Analysis of advantages of videogames in nursing education identified potential benefits for decision-making, motivation, repeated exposure, logistical, and financial value. Despite the paucity of games available and the methodological limitations identified, findings provide evidence to support the potential effectiveness of videogames as a learning resource in nursing education.

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 4; Issue 7. Organic Chemistry: The Name Game – Modern Coined Terms and their Origins. Uday Maitra. Book Review Volume 4 Issue 7 July 1999 pp 83-84. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

The Educational Efficacy of Distinct Information Delivery Systems in Modified Video Games

Science.gov (United States)

Moshirnia, Andrew; Israel, Maya

2010-01-01

Despite the increasing popularity of many commercial video games, this popularity is not shared by educational video games. Modified video games, however, can bridge the gap in quality between commercial and education video games by embedding educational content into popular commercial video games. This study examined how different information…

TEACHING BIOCHEMISTRY USING EDUCATIONAL GAMES AND GAMIFICATION STRATEGIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuri Rafael de Oliveira Silva

2016-11-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Biotechnology is a new bachelor degree in UFPA, and has been stablished with excellency in the state of Pará. However, there is the need to promote comprehension and learning in Biochemistry, as well as interdisciplinarity, that is an essential part of biotechnology. OBJECTIVES:  To increase learning and interdisciplinarity, educational games were used as tools. The students were instigated to develop educational games in different topics of energy metabolism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The games were developed to be used in any teaching environment, since they were made with low-cost and accessible materials. This strategy was applied in three semesters in different Biochemistry classes, between 2012 and 2014. The best games in each class were used in following semesters. DISCUSSION AND RESULTS: Since the first semester, the failing rates dropped 15% compared to the previous semester, in which educational games were not used. An increase in learning (by observation could be noticed, including comprehension of metabolic pathways and their conections. Twenty games were developed in three semesters, and four of them are still being improved and used in other classes. The participant students answered a questionnaire, in which 47% defined the games as “Relaxing and Instigating”, 33% said the games “Accomplished their didactic and educational role” and 54% said they would recommend the use of these games as a reviewing activity. At the moment, another approach is being used to teach Biochemistry – Gamification, which uses elements found in games, as conflict, cooperation, rules and fun, to improve students’ motivation and engagement. CONCLUSION: As a partial result, there was greater in-class interest and engagement, better comprehension of the course content and the activities gave the students the opportunity to work in groups, to think critically about the themes and to develop opinions based on interdisciplinar and formal

D.E.E.P. Learning: Promoting Informal STEM Learning through Ocean Research Simulation Games

Science.gov (United States)

Simms, E.; Rohrlick, D.; Layman, C.; Peach, C. L.; Orcutt, J. A.; Keen, C. S.; Matthews, J.; Nsf Ooi-Ci Education; Public Engagement Team

2010-12-01

It is generally recognized that interactive digital games have the potential to promote the development of valuable learning and life skills, including data processing, decision-making, critical thinking, planning, communication and collaboration (Kirriemuir and MacFarlane, 2006). But the research and development of educational games, and the study of the educational value of interactive games in general, have lagged far behind the same efforts for games created for the purpose of entertainment. Our group is attempting to capitalize on the facts that games are now played in 67% of American households (ESA, 2010), and across a broad range of ages, by developing effective and engaging simulation games that promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) literacy in informal science education institutions (ISEIs; e.g., aquariums, museums, science centers). In particular, we are developing games based on the popular Microsoft Xbox360 gaming platform and the free Microsoft XNA game development kit, which engage ISEI visitors in the exploration and understanding of the deep-sea environment. Known as Deep-sea Extreme Environment Pilot (D.E.E.P.), the games place players in the role of piloting a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) to complete science-based objectives associated with the exploration of ocean observing systems and hydrothermal vent environments. In addition to creating a unique educational product, our efforts are intended to identify 1) the key elements of a successful STEM-based simulation game experience in an informal science education institution, and 2) which aspects of game design (e.g., challenge, curiosity, fantasy, personal recognition) are most effective at maximizing both learning and enjoyment. We will share our progress to date, including formative assessment results from testing the game prototypes at Birch Aquarium at Scripps, and discuss the potential benefits and challenges to interactive gaming as a tool to support STEM

Serious games for health: three steps forwards.

Science.gov (United States)

Drummond, David; Hadchouel, Alice; Tesnière, Antoine

2017-01-01

Serious games are educational tools which are more and more used in patient and health professional education. In this article, we discuss three main points that developers and educators need to address during the development of a serious game for health. We first explain how to develop motivating serious games by finding a point where the intrinsic and extrinsic motivations of end users can converge. Then, we propose to identify the features of serious games which enhance their learning effectiveness on the basis of a framework derived from cognitive science and called "the four pillars of learning." Finally, we discuss issues and solutions related to the evaluation of serious games.

A conceptual framework of game-informed principles for health professions education.

Science.gov (United States)

Ellaway, Rachel H

2016-01-01

Games have been used for training purposes for many years, but their use remains somewhat underdeveloped and under-theorized in health professional education. This paper considers the basis for using serious games (games that have an explicit educational purpose) in health professional education in terms of their underlying concepts and design principles. These principles can be understood as a series of game facets: competition and conflict, chance and luck, experience and performance, simulation and make-believe, tactics and strategies, media, symbols and actions, and complexity and difficulty. Games are distinct and bound in ways that other health professional education activities are not. The differences between games and simulation can be understood in terms of the interconnected concepts of isomorphism (convergence with real-world practice) and anisomorphism (divergence from real-world practice). Gaming facets can extend the instructional design repertoire in health professional education.

Development of a Memory Game to Improve Knowledge Retention in Preparation for Broad Scope Exams in an Introductory Earth Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, H. M.; Bilsley, N. A.

2015-12-01

As the demand for introductory earth science classes rises at educational institutions, large class sizes place strain on the educator's time and ability to offer extensive project-based assignments. As a result, exams covering a broad spectrum of material are more heavily weighted in students' grades. Students often struggle on the first exam, as they attempt to retain a large amount of information from several different topics, while having no exposure to the type of questions that will be asked. This frequently leads to a large dropout rate early in the academic term, or at least a sense of discouragement and stress among struggling students. To better prepare students for a broad scope exam, a review activity modelled after the traditional Milton Bradley "Memory" game was developed to remind students of what would be covered on the exam, prepare them for the style of questions that may be asked, as well as provide a fun, interactive, and educational activity. The Earth Science Memory Game was developed to have interchangeable sets to cover a broad range of topics and thus also be reusable for the duration of the course. Example games sets presented include, but are not limited to, the scientific method, minerals, rocks, topographic maps, tectonics, geologic structures, volcanoes, and weather. The Earth Science Memory Game not only provides an effective review tool to improve success rates on broad scope exams, but is also customizable by the instructor, reusable, and easily constructed by common office supplies.

Mineral Supertrumps: A New Card Game to Assist Learning of Mineralogy

Science.gov (United States)

Spandler, Carl

2016-01-01

Mineralogy is an essential component of Earth Science education, yet many students struggle to obtain adequate comprehension and knowledge of mineralogy during tertiary (postsecondary) degree programs. The use of educational games can be an effective strategy for science teaching as games provide an active learning environment that enhances…

Using games to provide interactive perioperative education.

Science.gov (United States)

Carifa, Linda; Janiszewski Goodin, Heather

2011-10-01

Perioperative nurses must use critical thinking and sound clinical judgment to meet their patients' needs safely and effectively. This requires the integration and continual updating of large amounts of detailed clinical information. Innovative education strategies are designed to make teaching and learning more interesting and interactive, especially for the presentation of complex subject material. One interactive educational strategy is the use of games. Educational games can foster collaboration and critical thinking among peers and associates. An example of this was the Perioperative QuizBowl: Evidence-Based Practice presented at the annual AORN Congress from 2003 to 2010, which was used to teach and reinforce evidence-based practice in a fun, competitive way. Although AORN no longer presents this offering, the QuizBowl format demonstrates how educational games can support clinical practice. Copyright © 2011 AORN, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mentoring and Argumentation in a Game-Infused Science Curriculum

Science.gov (United States)

Gould, Deena L.; Parekh, Priyanka

2018-04-01

Engaging in argumentation from evidence is challenging for most middle school students. We report the design of a media-based mentoring system to support middle school students in engaging in argumentation in the context of a game-infused science curriculum. Our design emphasizes learners apprenticing with college student mentors around the socio-scientific inquiry of a designed video game. We report the results of a mixed-methods study examining the use of this media-based mentoring system with students ages 11 through 14. We observed that the discourse of groups of students that engaged with the game-infused science curriculum while interacting with college student mentors via a social media platform demonstrated statistically significant higher ratings of cognitive, epistemic, and social aspects of argumentation than groups of students that engaged with the social media platform and game-infused science curriculum without mentors. We further explored the differences between the Discourses of the mentored and non-mentored groups. This analysis showed that students in the mentored groups were invited, guided, and socialized into roles of greater agency than students in the non-mentored groups. This increased agency might explain why mentored groups demonstrated higher levels of scientific argumentation than non-mentored groups. Based on our analyses, we argue that media-based mentoring may be designed around a video game to support middle school students in engaging in argumentation from evidence.

A three-dimensional model for educational game analysis & design

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Degens, Nick; Bril, Ivo; Braad, Eelco

2015-01-01

For over thirty years, there has been a discussion about the effectiveness of educational games in comparison to traditional learning materials. To help further this discussion, we aim to understand ‘how educational games work’ by formalising (and visualising) the educational and motivational

Computer Game Theories for Designing Motivating Educational Software: A Survey Study

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Ang, Chee Siang; Rao, G. S. V. Radha Krishna

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate computer game theories for educational software. We propose a framework for designing engaging educational games based on contemporary game studies which includes ludology and narratology. Ludology focuses on the study of computer games as play and game activities, while narratology revolves around the…

An online spaced-education game for global continuing medical education: a randomized trial.

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Kerfoot, B Price; Baker, Harley

2012-07-01

To assess the efficacy of a "spaced-education" game as a method of continuing medical education (CME) among physicians across the globe. The efficacy of educational games for the CME has yet to be established. We created a novel online educational game by incorporating game mechanics into "spaced education" (SE), an evidence-based method of online CME. This 34-week randomized trial enrolled practicing urologists across the globe. The SE game consisted of 40 validated multiple-choice questions and explanations on urology clinical guidelines. Enrollees were randomized to 2 cohorts: cohort A physicians were sent 2 questions via an automated e-mail system every 2 days, and cohort B physicians were sent 4 questions every 4 days. Adaptive game mechanics re-sent the questions in 12 or 24 days if answered incorrectly and correctly, respectively. Questions expired if not answered on time (appointment dynamic). Physicians retired questions by answering each correctly twice-in-a-row (progression dynamic). Competition was fostered by posting relative performance among physicians. Main outcome measures were baseline scores (percentage of questions answered correctly upon initial presentation) and completion scores (percentage of questions retired). A total of 1470 physicians from 63 countries enrolled. Median baseline score was 48% (interquartile range [IQR] 17) and, in multivariate analyses, was found to vary significantly by region (Cohen dmax = 0.31, P = 0.001) and age (dmax = 0.41, P games. An online SE game can substantially improve guidelines knowledge and is a well-accepted method of global CME delivery.

Collaborative Virtual Gaming Worlds in Higher Education

Science.gov (United States)

Whitton, Nicola; Hollins, Paul

2008-01-01

There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider…

Teaching science through video games

Science.gov (United States)

Smaldone, Ronald A.; Thompson, Christina M.; Evans, Monica; Voit, Walter

2017-02-01

Imagine a class without lessons, tests and homework, but with missions, quests and teamwork. Video games offer an attractive educational platform because they are designed to be fun and engaging, as opposed to traditional approaches to teaching through lectures and assignments.

An educational video game for nutrition of young people: Theory and design.

Science.gov (United States)

Ledoux, Tracey; Griffith, Melissa; Thompson, Debbe; Nguyen, Nga; Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Janice; Buday, Richard; Abdelsamad, Dina; Baranowski, Tom

2016-08-01

Playing Escape from DIAB (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO) , epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance. 95-100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition. This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games. A secondary purpose was to explore the experience of children while playing the games. The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition, PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games. Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging. Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach. Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes.

An educational video game for nutrition of young people: Theory and design

Science.gov (United States)

Ledoux, Tracey; Griffith, Melissa; Thompson, Debbe; Nguyen, Nga; Watson, Kathy; Baranowski, Janice; Buday, Richard; Abdelsamad, Dina; Baranowski, Tom

2016-01-01

Background Playing Escape from DIAB (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO), epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10–12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted knowledge acquisition regarding diet, physical activity and energy balance. 95–100% of participants demonstrated mastery of these mini-games suggesting knowledge acquisition. Aim This article describes the process of designing and developing the educational mini-games. A secondary purpose was to explore the experience of children while playing the games. Method The educational games were based on Social Cognitive and Mastery Learning Theories. A multidisciplinary team of behavioral nutrition, PA, and video game experts designed, developed, and tested the mini-games. Results Alpha testing revealed children generally liked the mini-games and found them to be reasonably challenging. Process evaluation data from pilot testing revealed almost all participants completed nearly all educational mini-games in a reasonable amount of time suggesting feasibility of this approach. Conclusions Future research should continue to explore the use of video games in educating children to achieve healthy behavior changes. PMID:27547019

Digital Games as Educational Technology: Promise and Challenges in the Use of Games to Teach

Science.gov (United States)

Tobias, Sigmund; Fletcher, J. Dexter; Chen, Fei

2015-01-01

Digital games were reviewed as an emerging tool in educational technology. Factors such as instructional effectiveness, time on task, relationship to curricula, student socio-economic status, violence in games, and game mechanics were considered. Despite considerable variability among studies, larger overall effect sizes for the impact of games on…

Digital games in medical education: Key terms, concepts, and definitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bigdeli, Shoaleh; Kaufman, David

2017-01-01

Introduction: Game-based education is fast becoming a key instrument in medical education. Method: In this study, papers related to games were filtered and limited to full-text peer-reviewed published in English. Results: To the best of researchers' knowledge, the concepts used in the literature are varied and distinct, and the literature is not conclusive on the definition of educational games for medical education. Conclusion: This paper attempts to classify terms, concepts and definitions common to gamification in medical education.

Game on, science - how video game technology may help biologists tackle visualization challenges.

Science.gov (United States)

Lv, Zhihan; Tek, Alex; Da Silva, Franck; Empereur-mot, Charly; Chavent, Matthieu; Baaden, Marc

2013-01-01

The video games industry develops ever more advanced technologies to improve rendering, image quality, ergonomics and user experience of their creations providing very simple to use tools to design new games. In the molecular sciences, only a small number of experts with specialized know-how are able to design interactive visualization applications, typically static computer programs that cannot easily be modified. Are there lessons to be learned from video games? Could their technology help us explore new molecular graphics ideas and render graphics developments accessible to non-specialists? This approach points to an extension of open computer programs, not only providing access to the source code, but also delivering an easily modifiable and extensible scientific research tool. In this work, we will explore these questions using the Unity3D game engine to develop and prototype a biological network and molecular visualization application for subsequent use in research or education. We have compared several routines to represent spheres and links between them, using either built-in Unity3D features or our own implementation. These developments resulted in a stand-alone viewer capable of displaying molecular structures, surfaces, animated electrostatic field lines and biological networks with powerful, artistic and illustrative rendering methods. We consider this work as a proof of principle demonstrating that the functionalities of classical viewers and more advanced novel features could be implemented in substantially less time and with less development effort. Our prototype is easily modifiable and extensible and may serve others as starting point and platform for their developments. A webserver example, standalone versions for MacOS X, Linux and Windows, source code, screen shots, videos and documentation are available at the address: http://unitymol.sourceforge.net/.

Game on, science - how video game technology may help biologists tackle visualization challenges.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhihan Lv

Full Text Available The video games industry develops ever more advanced technologies to improve rendering, image quality, ergonomics and user experience of their creations providing very simple to use tools to design new games. In the molecular sciences, only a small number of experts with specialized know-how are able to design interactive visualization applications, typically static computer programs that cannot easily be modified. Are there lessons to be learned from video games? Could their technology help us explore new molecular graphics ideas and render graphics developments accessible to non-specialists? This approach points to an extension of open computer programs, not only providing access to the source code, but also delivering an easily modifiable and extensible scientific research tool. In this work, we will explore these questions using the Unity3D game engine to develop and prototype a biological network and molecular visualization application for subsequent use in research or education. We have compared several routines to represent spheres and links between them, using either built-in Unity3D features or our own implementation. These developments resulted in a stand-alone viewer capable of displaying molecular structures, surfaces, animated electrostatic field lines and biological networks with powerful, artistic and illustrative rendering methods. We consider this work as a proof of principle demonstrating that the functionalities of classical viewers and more advanced novel features could be implemented in substantially less time and with less development effort. Our prototype is easily modifiable and extensible and may serve others as starting point and platform for their developments. A webserver example, standalone versions for MacOS X, Linux and Windows, source code, screen shots, videos and documentation are available at the address: http://unitymol.sourceforge.net/.

Knowledge of the educational implications of computer games by ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper reports an expost facto research carried out to find out from 153 Computer Education Students (from Colleges of Education) their knowledge of Computer games. The researcher specifically set out to investigate, if those Computer Education Students thought pupils could actually learn form Computer games.

Learning vocabulary through a serious game in Primary Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Heitink, Maaike Christine; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke; McBride, Ron; Searson, Michael

2013-01-01

This study explored the effect of a serious game on the vocabulary of students in primary education. 206 students and 10 teachers used the game during vocabulary lessons in three conditions: (a)online game and vocabulary instruction, (b)online game only, and (c)paper game and vocabulary instruction.

Programming Video Games and Simulations in Science Education: Exploring Computational Thinking through Code Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Garneli, Varvara; Chorianopoulos, Konstantinos

2018-01-01

Various aspects of computational thinking (CT) could be supported by educational contexts such as simulations and video-games construction. In this field study, potential differences in student motivation and learning were empirically examined through students' code. For this purpose, we performed a teaching intervention that took place over five…

The effect of playing a science center-based mobile game: Affective outcomes and gender differences

Science.gov (United States)

Atwood-Blaine, Dana

Situated in a hands-on science center, The Great STEM Caper was a collaborative mobile game built on the ARIS platform that was designed to engage 5th-9th grade players in NGSS science and engineering practices while they interacted with various exhibits. Same gender partners sharing one iPad would search for QR codes placed at specific exhibits; scanning a code within the game would launch a challenge for that exhibit. The primary hypothesis was that in- game victories would be equivalent to "mastery experiences" as described by Bandura (1997) and would result in increased science self-efficacy. Gender differences in gameplay behaviors and perceptions were also studied. The study included two groups, one that played the game during their visit and one that explored the science center in the traditional way. The Motivation to Learn Science Questionnaire was administered to participants in both groups both before and after their visit to the science center. Participants wore head-mounted GoPro cameras to record their interactions within the physical and social environment. No differences in affective outcomes were found between the game and comparison groups or between boys and girls in the game group. The MLSQ was unable to measure any significant change in science self-efficacy, interest and enjoyment of science, or overall motivation to learn science in either group. However, girls outperformed boys on every measure of game achievement. Lazzaro's (2004) four types of fun were found to be a good fit for describing the gender differences in game perceptions and behaviors. Girls tended to enjoy hard fun and collaborative people fun while boys enjoyed easy fun and competitive people fun. While boys associated game achievement with enjoyment and victory, girls perceived their game achievement as difficult, rather than enjoyable or victorious.

Exploring the Educational Effectiveness of Culturally-enhanced Serious Game in Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohd Ariffin Mazeyanti

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The main objective of this study is to explore the efficiency of utilizing a culturally - enhanced serious game in education particularly in Information Technology course. To attain this objective, the academic achievement of 61 participants was measured by using quantitative Quasi- Experimental research design approach. Sets of pre- and post-test questions were administered to all participants, where descriptive analysis and hypothesis evaluation were performed to the collected data. The finding revealed that there were significant increase on the mean values of participants who played culturally-enhanced serious game as compared to those who played contemporary serious game (M = 3.00. Therefore, the study suggested that culturally-enhanced serious game has potential to support education particularly in Information Technology course.

Game-like Technology Innovation Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Magnussen, Rikke

2011-01-01

scenario designed for technology education in grades 7 - 9 in Danish schools. In the paper, methodological challenges of doing design-based research into technology innovation education are discussed. The preliminary results from the first studies of a game-inspired technology innovation camp are also...

Toward Using Games to Teach Fundamental Computer Science Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Edgington, Jeffrey Michael

2010-01-01

Video and computer games have become an important area of study in the field of education. Games have been designed to teach mathematics, physics, raise social awareness, teach history and geography, and train soldiers in the military. Recent work has created computer games for teaching computer programming and understanding basic algorithms. …

Collaborative virtual gaming worlds in higher education

OpenAIRE

Whitton, Nicola; Hollins, Paul

2008-01-01

There is growing interest in the use of virtual gaming worlds in education, supported by the increased use of multi-user virtual environments (MUVEs) and massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) for collaborative learning. However, this paper argues that collaborative gaming worlds have been in use much longer and are much wider in scope; it considers the range of collaborative gaming worlds that exist and discusses their potential for learning, with particular reference to h...

From boring to scoring - a collaborative serious game for learning and practicing mathematical logic for computer science education

Science.gov (United States)

Schäfer, Andreas; Holz, Jan; Leonhardt, Thiemo; Schroeder, Ulrik; Brauner, Philipp; Ziefle, Martina

2013-06-01

In this study, we address the problem of low retention and high dropout rates of computer science university students in early semesters of the studies. Complex and high abstract mathematical learning materials have been identified as one reason for the dropout rate. In order to support the understanding and practicing of core mathematical concepts, we developed a game-based multitouch learning environment in which the need for a suitable learning environment for mathematical logic was combined with the ability to train cooperation and collaboration in a learning scenario. As application domain, the field of mathematical logic had been chosen. The development process was accomplished along three steps: First, ethnographic interviews were run with 12 students of computer science revealing typical problems with mathematical logic. Second, a multitouch learning environment was developed. The game consists of multiple learning and playing modes in which teams of students can collaborate or compete against each other. Finally, a twofold evaluation of the environment was carried out (user study and cognitive walk-through). Overall, the evaluation showed that the game environment was easy to use and rated as helpful: The chosen approach of a multiplayer game supporting competition, collaboration, and cooperation is perceived as motivating and "fun."

The san san game as didatic resource of support in the discussions about regulatory nutrients in elementary education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bárbara Della Antonia

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Leisure activities are used in the learning teaching process of the different areas of knowledge, to promote learning spontaneously and fun. For the area of Agrarian Sciences, which is a multidisciplinary area of study that can be approached from basic education to higher education, it is necessary to study the elaboration of didactic resources. Thus, this study aimed at the development of a didactic game in the field of agricultural sciences aimed at elementary education, whose strategy is to help in the understanding of contents related to the chemical composition of foods, focusing on regulatory nutrients. The game SAN SAN was applied and evaluated with elementary school students of a public school, bringing to the end of the process, positive results in the sense of motivation to study the subject, involvement of students in classes and contribution with an effective didactic resource.

Aligning Game Activity with Educational Goals: Following a Constrained Design Approach to Instructional Computer Games

Science.gov (United States)

Shelton, Brett E.; Scoresby, Jon

2011-01-01

We discuss the design, creation and implementation of an instructional game for use in a high school poetry class following a commitment to an educational game design principle of "alignment". We studied groups of instructional designers and an interactive fiction computer game they built. The game was implemented in a 9th grade English classroom…

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 9; Issue 3. Introduction to Game Theory. S Ramasubramanian. Book Review Volume 9 Issue 3 March 2004 pp 81-81. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/009/03/0081-0081. Author Affiliations.

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 3; Issue 8. Game Theory - Conventions and Knowledge. P G Babu. General Article Volume 3 Issue 8 August 1998 pp 46-55. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/003/08/0046-0055 ...

Resonance – Journal of Science Education | Indian Academy of ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 14; Issue 2. George Andrews' Game. Jerold Mathews. General Article Volume 14 Issue 2 February 2009 pp 172-178. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/014/02/0172-0178. Keywords. Fibonacci ...

The design of Eco Board Games as an umbrella approach to sustainable product design education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boks, Casper; McAloone, Tim C.

2009-01-01

The multidisciplinarity and quickly broadening scope of sustainable product design education provide incentives for experimentation with different pedagogical techniques. One of these, involving the development of eco board games, has been used at both the Technical University Denmark and the Nor......The multidisciplinarity and quickly broadening scope of sustainable product design education provide incentives for experimentation with different pedagogical techniques. One of these, involving the development of eco board games, has been used at both the Technical University Denmark...... and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. This paper aims to reflect on the experiences, in terms of ratonales, learning goals, possible variations of the exercise, delivered course work, and future ambitions....

D.E.E.P. Learning: Promoting Informal STEM Learning through a Popular Gaming Platform

Science.gov (United States)

Simms, E.; Rohrlick, D.; Layman, C.; Peach, C. L.; Orcutt, J. A.

2011-12-01

The research and development of educational games, and the study of the educational value of interactive games in general, have lagged far behind efforts for games created for the purpose of entertainment. But evidence suggests that digital simulations and games have the "potential to advance multiple science learning goals, including motivation to learn science, conceptual understanding, science process skills, understanding of the nature of science, scientific discourse and argumentation, and identification with science and science learning." (NRC, 2011). It is also generally recognized that interactive digital games have the potential to promote the development of valuable learning and life skills, including data processing, decision-making, critical thinking, planning, communication and collaboration (Kirriemuir and MacFarlane, 2006). Video games are now played in 67% of American households (ESA, 2010), and across a broad range of ages, making them a potentially valuable tool for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) learning among the diverse audiences associated with informal science education institutions (ISEIs; e.g., aquariums, museums, science centers). We are attempting to capitalize on this potential by developing games based on the popular Microsoft Xbox360 gaming platform and the free Microsoft XNA game development kit. The games, collectively known as Deep-sea Extreme Environment Pilot (D.E.E.P.), engage ISEI visitors in the exploration and understanding of the otherwise remote deep-sea environment. Players assume the role of piloting a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) to explore ocean observing systems and hydrothermal vent environments, and are challenged to complete science-based objectives in order to earn points under timed conditions. The current games are intended to be relatively brief visitor experiences (on the order of several minutes) that support complementary exhibits and programming, and promote interactive visitor

Agriscience Teachers' Implementation of Digital Game-based Learning in an Introductory Animal Science Course

Science.gov (United States)

Webb, Angela W.; Bunch, J. C.; Wallace, Maria F. G.

2015-12-01

In today's technological age, visions for technology integration in the classroom continue to be explored and examined. Digital game-based learning is one way to purposefully integrate technology while maintaining a focus on learning objectives. This case study sought to understand agriscience teachers' experiences implementing digital game-based learning in an introductory animal science course. From interviews with agriscience teachers on their experiences with the game, three themes emerged: (1) the constraints of inadequate and inappropriate technologies, and time to game implementation; (2) the shift in teacher and student roles necessitated by implementing the game; and (3) the inherent competitive nature of learning through the game. Based on these findings, we recommend that pre-service and in-service professional development opportunities be developed for teachers to learn how to implement digital game-based learning effectively. Additionally, with the potential for simulations that address cross-cutting concepts in the next generation science standards, digital game-based learning should be explored in various science teaching and learning contexts.

[Applying Game-Based Learning in Nursing Education: Empathy Board Game Learning].

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Chueh-Fen; Wu, Shu-Mei; Shu, Ying-Mei; Yeh, Mei-Yu

2018-02-01

Attending lectures and reading are two common approaches to acquiring knowledge, while repetitive practice is a common approach to acquiring skills. Nurturing proper attitudes in students is one of the greatest challenges for educators. Health professionals must incorporate empathy into their practice. Creative teaching strategies may offer a feasible approach to enhancing empathy-related competence. The present article focuses on analyzing current, empathy-related curriculums in nursing education in Taiwan, exploring the concepts of empathy and game-based learning, presenting the development of an empathy board game as a teaching aid, and, finally, evaluating the developed education application. Based on the learner-centered principle, this aid was designed with peer learning, allowing learners to influence the learning process, to simulate the various roles of clients, and to develop diverse interpersonal dialogues. The continuous learning loops were formed using the gamification mechanism and transformation, enabling students to connect and practice the three elements of empathy ability: emotion, cognition and expression. Via the game elements of competition, interaction, storytelling, real-time responses, concretizing feedback, integrated peer learning, and equality between teachers and students, students who play patient roles are able to perceive different levels of comfort, which encourages the development of insight into the meaning of empathy. Thereby, the goals of the empathy lesson is achievable within a creative game-based learning environment.

It’s All Fun and Games until Someone Learns Something: Assessing the Learning Outcomes of Two Educational Games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven Wise

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Objective – To determine whether educational games can be designed that are both fun and effective in improving information seeking skills. Methods – Two skills that are known to be particularly difficult for students taking a required information literacy test were identified. These skills are the ability to identify citations and the ability to search databases with keywords. Educational games were designed to address these two skills. The first game, Citation Tic Tac Toe, placed commonly used bibliographic citations into a tick tac toe style grid. Students were required to play the Tic Tac Toe game and subsequently given citation identification exercises. The second game arranged key concepts related to search phrases in a Magnetic Keyword interface. Students were observed searching databases before and after playing the Magnetic Keyword game and their pre‐ and post‐play searches were analyzed.Results – Students who played the Tic Tac Toe game improved more from pretest to posttest than students who only took an online tutorial. In addition, students who played the Magnetic Keyword game demonstrated quicker database searching for their topics and expressed increased satisfaction with their results. Conclusions – Games can be created which have measurable educational outcomes and are fun. It is important, however, to establish the educational objective prior to beginning game design.

An evaluation of Global Zakat Game (GZG) as edutainment board game in enhancing Zakat education in Malaysia

Science.gov (United States)

Rahman, Azman Ab.; Sahrir, Muhammad Sabri; Zainuddin, Nurkhamimi; Khafidz, Hasanah Abd.

2018-01-01

Board games have become one of the useful tools in teaching and learning. Many instructors and educators have chosen to use board games to enhance the way of delivering course contents. A board game will help students understand the education concept quickly and get involved in experiential learning, where students can manage and solve problems in…

Childhood education student teachers responses to a simulation game on food security

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nadine Felicity Petersen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This paper provides an account of student teachers responses to a simulation game about food scarcity and how the game served as a conversation starter about the influence of food scarcity on educational provisioning. The simulation game was utilised as part of a suite of activities during an educational excursion for first years in primary school teacher education. In this investigation data were generated via video recordings of the simulation game itself, summary notes of the key points of the discussion session during the game, and students’ learning portfolios. Analysis of the various data sets indicate that student-teachers’ engaged with the game both viscerally and cerebrally, with the game providing a powerful concrete introduction to the issues of food scarcity and unequal distribution of resources. Most student teachers were able to relate the lessons learned from the game to the classroom and educational situation. In addition, I found that the simulation game as method can assist students in their activity of learning to look at education as an equity and justice issue.

Climate change games as tools for education and engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Jason S.; Lee, Joey J.

2015-05-01

Scientists, educators and policymakers continue to face challenges when it comes to finding effective strategies to engage the public on climate change. We argue that games on the subject of climate change are well-suited to address these challenges because they can serve as effective tools for education and engagement. Recently, there has been a dramatic increase in the development of such games, many featuring innovative designs that blur traditional boundaries (for example, those that involve social media, alternative reality games, or those that involve direct action upon the real world). Here, we present an overview of the types of climate change game currently available, the benefits and trade-offs of their use, and reasons why they hold such promise for education and engagement regarding climate change.

Reimagining Game Design: Exploring the Design of Constructible Authentic Representations for Science Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Holbert, Nathan Ryan

2013-01-01

Video games have recently become a popular space for educational design due to their interactive and engaging nature and the ubiquity of the gaming experience among youth. Though many researchers argue video games can provide opportunities for learning, educational game design has focused on the classroom rather than the informal settings where…

Serious Games for education and training

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alessandro De Gloria

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Serious Games (SGs are gaining an ever increasing interest for education and traning. Exploiting the latest simulation and visualization technologies, SGs are able to contextualize the player’s experience in challenging, realistic environments, supporting situated cognition. However, we still miss methods and tools for effectively and deeply infusing pedagogy and instruction inside digital games. After presenting an overview of the state of the art of the SG taxonomies, the paper introduces the pedagogical theories and models most relevant to SGs and their implications on SG design.  We also present a schema for a proper integration of games in education, supporting different goals in different steps of a formal education process. By analyzing a set of well-established SGs and formats, the paper presents the main mechanics and models that are being used in SG designs, with a particular focus on assessment, feedback and learning analytics. An overview of tools and models for SG design is also presented. Finally, based on the performed analysis, indications for future research in the field are provided.

The bounds of reason game theory and the unification of the behavioral sciences

CERN Document Server

Gintis, Herbert

2014-01-01

Game theory is central to understanding human behavior and relevant to all of the behavioral sciences-from biology and economics, to anthropology and political science. However, as The Bounds of Reason demonstrates, game theory alone cannot fully explain human behavior and should instead complement other key concepts championed by the behavioral disciplines. Herbert Gintis shows that just as game theory without broader social theory is merely technical bravado, so social theory without game theory is a handicapped enterprise. This edition has been thoroughly revised and updated. Reinvigorati

Video games as a multifaceted medium: a review of quantitative social science research on video games and a typology of video game research approaches

OpenAIRE

Ivory, James D.

2013-01-01

Although there is a vast and useful body of quantitative social science research dealing with the social role and impact of video games, it is difficult to compare studies dealing with various dimensions of video games because they are informed by different perspectives and assumptions, employ different methodologies, and address different problems. Studies focusing on different social dimensions of video games can produce varied findings about games' social function that are often difficult...

Educational games for brain health: revealing their unexplored potential through a neurocognitive approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrick eFissler

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Educational games link the motivational nature of games with learning of knowledge and skills. Here, we go beyond effects on these learning outcomes. We review two lines of evidence which indicate the currently unexplored potential of educational games to promote brain health: First, gaming with specific neurocognitive demands (e.g., executive control, and second, educational learning experiences (e.g., studying foreign languages improve brain health markers. These markers include cognitive ability, brain function, and brain structure. As educational games allow the combination of specific neurocognitive demands with educational learning experiences, they seem to be optimally suited for promoting brain health. We propose a neurocognitive approach to reveal this unexplored potential of educational games in future research.

'We don’t need no education': video game preferences, video game motivations, and aggressiveness among adolescent boys of different educational ability levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nije Bijvank, M.; Konijn, E.A.; Bushman, B.J.

2012-01-01

This research focuses on low educational ability as a risk factor for aggression and violent game play. We propose that boys of lower educational ability are more attracted to violent video games than other boys are, and that they are also higher in trait aggressiveness and sensation seeking.

Design Principles of Next-Generation Digital Gaming for Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Squire, Kurt; Jenkins, Henry; Holland, Walter; Miller, Heather; O'Driscoll, Alice; Tan, Katie Philip; Todd, Katie.

2003-01-01

Discusses the rapid growth of digital games, describes research at MIT that is exploring the potential of digital games for supporting learning, and offers hypotheses about the design of next-generation educational video and computer games. Highlights include simulations and games; and design principles, including context and using information to…

Educational games for mental health professionals: a Cochrane review.

Science.gov (United States)

Bhoopathi, P S; Sheoran, R; Adams, C E

2007-05-01

Learning in general can be been a passive process. This review is aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of educational games as a teaching strategy in mental health professionals. We searched for all relevant randomised control trials (RCT) that compared educational games as teaching strategies with other methods of learning using electronic and reference searching, and by contacting trial authors. Data were extracted from selected trials and, individual person data was analysed using fixed effect Peto Odds Ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence intervals (CI). If appropriate, the number needed to treat (NNT) or number needed to harm (NNH) was estimated. For continuous data, we calculated weighted mean differences. We identified one trial (n = 34) of an educational game for mental health nursing students which followed up participants only over a few hours. For an outcome we arbitrarily defined ('no academically important improvement [a 10% improvement in scores]'), those allocated to educational games fared considerably better than students in the standard education techniques group (OR 0.06 CI 0.01 to 0.27, NNT 3 CI 2 to 4). On average those in the games group scored six more points than the control students on a test of questions relevant to psychosis set to the standard of the mental health nursing curriculum of the day (WMD 6 CI 2.63 to 9.37). Current limited evidence suggests educational games could help mental health students gain more points in their tests; however this interesting study should be refined and repeated.

Science Literacy Project, August 2006 - August 2008

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nasseh, Bizhan [Ball State Univ., Muncie, IN (United States)

2008-08-01

Ball State University (BSU) was the recipient of a U.S. Department of Energy award to develop educational games teaching science and math. The Science Media Program will merge Ball State University’s nationally recognized capabilities in education, technology, and communication to develop new, interactive, game-based media for the teaching and learning of science and scientific principles for K-12 students. BSU established a team of educators, researchers, scientists, animators, designers, technology specialists, and hired a professional media developer company (Outside Source Design) from Indianapolis. After six months discussions and assessments the project team selected the following 8 games in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, 2 from each discipline. The assembled teams were innovative and unique. This new model of development and production included a process that integrated all needed knowledge and expertise for the development of high quality science and math games for K-12 students. This new model has potential to be used by others for the development of the educational games. The uniqueness of the model is to integrate domain experts’ knowledge with researchers/quality control group, and combine a professional development team from the game development company with the academic game development team from Computer Science and Art departments at Ball State University. The developed games went through feasibility tests with selected students for improvement before use in the research activities.

SIMULATIONS AND GAMES IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION: TOWARDS A MULTI-DIMENSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Paulo Sequeira

2013-06-01

Full Text Available Games and simulations have been used in the field of education for many years, particularly in the areas of business, training staff in financial and economic skills, combat training and war gaming. Internet-based games are also commonly used in the areas of education, business and policy to provide a safe but realistic experience of the real world. This paper explores some of the rationale that a team of lecturers at the Lisbon School of Accounting and Administration (ISCAL think should underpin simulation and game usage in an educational context, specifically in management education. Our aim with this work is about promoting learning and knowledge building through one of the latest evolved socio-cultural artifact: online simulations and games.

Audio Visual Media Components in Educational Game for Elementary Students

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Meilani Hartono

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this research was to review and implement interactive audio visual media used in an educational game to improve elementary students’ interest in learning mathematics. The game was developed for desktop platform. The art of the game was set as 2D cartoon art with animation and audio in order to make students more interest. There were four mini games developed based on the researches on mathematics study. Development method used was Multimedia Development Life Cycle (MDLC that consists of requirement, design, development, testing, and implementation phase. Data collection methods used are questionnaire, literature study, and interview. The conclusion is elementary students interest with educational game that has fun and active (moving objects, with fast tempo of music, and carefree color like blue. This educational game is hoped to be an alternative teaching tool combined with conventional teaching method.

Game-based dynamic simulations supporting technical education and training

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Tore Bjølseth

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Educational games may improve learning by taking advantage of the new knowledge and skills of today’s students obtained from extensive use of interactive games. This paper describes how interactive dynamic simulators of advanced technical systems and phenomena can be shaped and adapted as games and competitions supporting technical education and training. Some selected examples at different educational levels are shown, from vocational training to university level courses. The potential benefit and perceived learning effect of this approach is also described and underpinned from comprehensive user feedback.

Serious games for global education digital game-based learning in the english as a foreign language (EFL) classroom

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Müller, Claudia

2017-01-01

The author of this book conducted different studies to investigate the potential of serious games for global education when used in EFL classrooms. The results show a clear contribution of serious games to global education when used with EFL learners, leading to a reference model of digital game-based learning in the EFL classroom.

Mobile game-based learning in secondary education: engagement, motivation and learning in a mobile city game

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huizenga, J.; Admiraal, W.; Akkerman, S.; ten Dam, G.

2009-01-01

Using mobile games in education combines situated and active learning with fun in a potentially excellent manner. The effects of a mobile city game called Frequency 1550, which was developed by The Waag Society to help pupils in their first year of secondary education playfully acquire historical

Computer Games in Pre-School Settings: Didactical Challenges when Commercial Educational Computer Games Are Implemented in Kindergartens

Science.gov (United States)

Vangsnes, Vigdis; Gram Okland, Nils Tore; Krumsvik, Rune

2012-01-01

This article focuses on the didactical implications when commercial educational computer games are used in Norwegian kindergartens by analysing the dramaturgy and the didactics of one particular game and the game in use in a pedagogical context. Our justification for analysing the game by using dramaturgic theory is that we consider the game to be…

Is Immersion of Any Value? Whether, and to What Extent, Game Immersion Experience during Serious Gaming Affects Science Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Meng-Tzu; Lin, Yu-Wen; She, Hsiao-Ching; Kuo, Po-Chih

2017-01-01

Many studies have shown the positive impact of serious gaming on learning outcomes, but few have explored the relationships between game immersion and science learning. Accordingly, this study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of learning by playing, as well as the dynamic process of game immersion experiences, and to further identify…

Diabetic Mario: Designing and Evaluating Mobile Games for Diabetes Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Baghaei, Nilufar; Nandigam, David; Casey, John; Direito, Artur; Maddison, Ralph

2016-08-01

Traditionally, diabetes education has relied on written materials, with limited resources available for children with diabetes. Mobile games can be effective and motivating tools for the promotion of children's health. In our earlier work, we proposed a novel approach for designing computer games aimed at educating children with diabetes. In this article, we apply our game design to a mobile Android game (Mario Brothers). We also introduce four heuristics that are specifically designed for evaluating the mobile game, by adapting traditional usability heuristics. Results of a pilot study (n = 12) to evaluate gameplay over 1-week showed that the children found the game engaging and improved their knowledge of healthy diet and lifestyle.

The implementation and evaluation of teacher training in gaming instruction for secondary science: An action research project

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, Veronica

This study implemented and evaluated gaming instruction as a professional development for science teachers at a Georgia high school. It was guided by four research questions that (a) assessed the impact of training in gaming instruction and evaluation of that training on science teachers' ability to use games; (b) examined evidence showing that science teachers used games; (c) assessed the impact of the implementation and subsequent evaluation of games-based training on how science teachers instruct their students; and (d) explored the use of change management principles to help teachers transition from traditional to gaming instruction. The study included a purposive sampling of 10 volunteer science teachers who received the professional development of training in gaming instruction and were observed as they used games to instruct their students. Quantitative data were collected from interviews, observations, and reviews of student assignments and teacher plans, and were statistically analyzed to answer the research questions. These same methods were used to obtain qualitative data, which were also analyzed to answer the research questions as well as to understand the meaning, beliefs and experience behind the numbers. Ultimately, data analysis revealed that the science teachers not only used gaming instruction but also that the training helped them to use gaming instruction and that they considered gaming instruction a viable instruction methodology. Finally, data analysis revealed that change management was successfully used in the study.

Making Decisions about an Educational Game, Simulation or Workshop: A 'Game Theory' Perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Cryer, Patricia

1988-01-01

Uses game theory to help practitioners make decisions about educational games, simulations, or workshops whose outcomes depend to some extent on chance. Highlights include principles for making decisions involving risk; elementary laws of probability; utility theory; and principles for making decisions involving uncertainty. (eight references)…

[Health education for puerperal women in neonatal rooming-in: knowledge acquisition with an educational game].

Science.gov (United States)

Fonseca, Luciana Mara Monti; Scochi, Carmen Gracinda Silvan; de Mello, Débora Falleiros

2002-01-01

The study aims at verifying knowledge acquisition through health education activities mediated by the use of an educational game on breast-feeding and basic care provided to the newborn, in rooming-in. Study accomplished at a philanthropic maternity of Ribeirão Preto-SP. Educational activities were accomplished in group, coordinated by the nurse, using board game. Through structured interview guided by a route before and after-game, the authors verified the knowledge acquisition, classifying the answers in insufficient (0-4), regular (5-9), good (10-14) and excellent (15-20). Of the mothers' previous knowledge, 16.7% of answers were excellent increasing for 77.8% after participation in the educational activity. They concluded that the game constituted in appropriate strategy to facilitate change of experiences between puerperas and the development of the health education through ludic-pedagogical activities.

Toward an Analysis of Video Games for Mathematics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Offenholley, Kathleen

2011-01-01

Video games have tremendous potential in mathematics education, yet there is a push to simply add mathematics to a video game without regard to whether the game structure suits the mathematics, and without regard to the level of mathematical thought being learned in the game. Are students practicing facts, or are they problem-solving? This paper…

Collecting, Organizing, and Managing Resources for Teaching Educational Games the Wiki Way

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Shelley Henson; Shelton, Brett; Wiley, David

2008-01-01

Recognizing the pedagogical value of gaming, academics along with game designers and educational content developers have begun producing resources to improve educational game design and make instructional games more accessible to teachers wanting to incorporate them into their classes. However, the rapid growth of such resources has made it…

Creating Effective Educational Computer Games for Undergraduate Classroom Learning: A Conceptual Model

Science.gov (United States)

Rapeepisarn, Kowit; Wong, Kok Wai; Fung, Chun Che; Khine, Myint Swe

2008-01-01

When designing Educational Computer Games, designers usually consider target age, interactivity, interface and other related issues. They rarely explore the genres which should employ into one type of educational game. Recently, some digital game-based researchers made attempt to combine game genre with learning theory. Different researchers use…

Inquiry Coaching: Scientists & Science Educators Energizing the Next Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Shope, R. E.; Alcantara Valverde, L.

2007-05-01

A recent National Academy of Sciences report recommends that science educators focus strategically on teaching the practice of science. To accomplish this, we have devised and implemented the Science Performance Laboratory, a collaborative research, education, and workforce model that brings scientists and science educators together to conduct scientific inquiry. In this session, we demonstrate how to form active inquiry teams around Arctica Science Research content areas related to the International Polar Year. We use the term "Arctica Science Research" to refer to the entire scope of exploration and discovery relating to: polar science and its global connections; Arctic and Antarctic research and climate sciences; ice and cryospheric studies on Earth; polar regions of the Moon, Mars, and Mercury; icy worlds throughout the Solar System, such as Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Pluto and the Comets; cryovolcanism; ice in interstellar space, and beyond. We apply the notion of teaching the practice science by enacting three effective strategies: 1) The Inquiry Wheel Game, in which we develop an expanded understanding of what has been traditionally taught as "the scientific method"; 2) Acting Out the Science Story, in which we develop a physicalized expression of our conceptual understanding; and 3) Selecting Success Criteria for Inquiry Coaching, in which we reframe how we evaluate science learning as we teach the practice of science.

EPIC: A Framework for Using Video Games in Ethics Education

Science.gov (United States)

Schrier, Karen

2015-01-01

Ethics education can potentially be supplemented through the use of video games. This article proposes a novel framework (Ethics Practice and Implementation Categorization [EPIC] Framework), which helps educators choose games to be used for ethics education purposes. The EPIC Framework is derived from a number of classic moral development,…

The Use of Active Video Games in Physical Education and Sport

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Natalia Chukhlantseva

2017-02-01

Full Text Available ICT cause and accelerate the processes of getting and developing knowledge, facilitate the process of modernization of education. Active video games, which involve physical movement of the player’s body, are used to increase the efficiency of perception of the educational material connected with motor activity and to raise the level of motor activity of young people Active video games which require the display of strength, coordination and flexibility are included into the curriculum of physical education, combining physical education with a game. These games use the player’s body movements as a controller, thus providing an alternative to static games and helping to preserve health. The study is the analysis of publications on the use of ICT, namely active video games (exergames in the field of physical culture and sports. The study has found that the use of active video games in educational and training process promotes physical qualities, improves cognitive functions, improves socialization and motivation to exercise. It has been proved that the use of exergames motivation increases motor activity of students and adults. Specially selected exergames help to familiarize students with various types of sports activities, such as those that are difficult to practice in the gym. Rational use of active video games in the classroom optimizes the educational process. Modern mobile exergames on one platform include several sports and can be used outside sports facilities, encouraging more people to exercise. Exergames personalize elements of the game, the level of difficulty, type of physical activity, have a system of evaluation of changes in the user’s preparedness, increase motivation to exercise.

"We Don't Need No Education": Video Game Preferences, Video Game Motivations, and Aggressiveness among Adolescent Boys of Different Educational Ability Levels

Science.gov (United States)

Bijvank, Marije Nije; Konijn, Elly A.; Bushman, Brad J.

2012-01-01

This research focuses on low educational ability as a risk factor for aggression and violent game play. We propose that boys of lower educational ability are more attracted to violent video games than other boys are, and that they are also higher in trait aggressiveness and sensation seeking. Participants were Dutch boys in public schools (N =…

Games and gamification: an alternative for distance education models

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Eliane Schlemmer

2016-06-01

Full Text Available This article presents research about how the games and gamification can contribute to the creation of new drawings in distance education. The goal was to understand the contribution of games and gamification, thought from "Games for Change" movement in view of Hybrids, Multimodal and Pervasive Coexistence Spaces configuration for learning, an approach between initial training and basic education. The research is exploratory and qualitative, inspired by the cartographic method of intervention research. It uses participant observation, the logbook and text records, audio, photo and digital video. The data are interpreted from the theoretical framework. In conclusion, the results show that the games and gamification enabled the development of teaching and learning situations that are configured as Hybrid, Multimodal and Pervasive Coexistence Space, a process of co-creation, from the critical reading of the everyday basic education, which sought to identify problems and how games and gamification could contribute to changes in the school. There was a greater engagement of the subjects of learning and reframing of lived experience in the initial training for primary education, from the critical reading of the school routine. The discussion arises about the need for reconfiguration of the teaching and curriculum practices, and how to organize them in time and space, starting from everyday problems, enabling the construction of learning pathways to contribute to an emancipatory education and citizen.

Video Games as a Multifaceted Medium: A Review of Quantitative Social Science Research on Video Games and a Typology of Video Game Research Approaches

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James D. Ivory

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Although there is a vast and useful body of quantitative social science research dealing with the social role and impact of video games, it is difficult to compare studies dealing with various dimensions of video games because they are informed by different perspectives and assumptions, employ different methodologies, and address different problems. Studies focusing on different social dimensions of video games can produce varied findings about games’ social function that are often difficult to reconcile— or even contradictory. Research is also often categorized by topic area, rendering a comprehensive view of video games’ social role across topic areas difficult. This interpretive review presents a novel typology of four identified approaches that categorize much of the quantitative social science video game research conducted to date: “video games as stimulus,” “video games as avocation,” “video games as skill,” and “video games as social environment.” This typology is useful because it provides an organizational structure within which the large and growing number of studies on video games can be categorized, guiding comparisons between studies on different research topics and aiding a more comprehensive understanding of video games’ social role. Categorizing the different approaches to video game research provides a useful heuristic for those critiquing and expanding that research, as well as an understandable entry point for scholars new to video game research. Further, and perhaps more importantly, the typology indicates when topics should be explored using different approaches than usual to shed new light on the topic areas. Lastly, the typology exposes the conceptual disconnects between the different approaches to video game research, allowing researchers to consider new ways to bridge gaps between the different approaches’ strengths and limitations with novel methods.

Learning vocabulary through a serious game in Primary Education

OpenAIRE

Heitink, Maaike Christine; Fisser, Petra; Voogt, Joke; McBride, Ron; Searson, Michael

2013-01-01

This study explored the effect of a serious game on the vocabulary of students in primary education. 206 students and 10 teachers used the game during vocabulary lessons in three conditions: (a)online game and vocabulary instruction, (b)online game only, and (c)paper game and vocabulary instruction. Both immediate learning and retention effects were examined. Additionally a student questionnaire and teacher interview regarding their experiences has been employed. Results show a significant le...

The Science of Serious Gaming: Exploring the Benefits of Science-Based Games in the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Kurtz, N.

2016-02-01

Finding ways to connect scientists with the classroom is an important part of sharing enthusiasm for science with the public. Utilizing the visual arts and serious gaming techniques has benefits for all participants including the engagement of multiple learning sectors and the involvement of whole-brain teaching methods. The activities in this presentation draw from real-world events that require higher level thinking strategies to discover and differential naturally occurring patterns.

Digital Game-Based Learning for K-12 Mathematics Education: A Meta-Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Byun, JaeHwan; Joung, Eunmi

2018-01-01

Digital games (e.g., video games or computer games) have been reported as an effective educational method that can improve students' motivation and performance in mathematics education. This meta-analysis study (a) investigates the current trend of digital game-based learning (DGBL) by reviewing the research studies on the use of DGBL for…

Breaking with fun, educational and realistic learning games

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duus Henriksen, Thomas

2009-01-01

are commonly conceived as means for staging learning processes, and that thinking learning games so has an inhibiting effect in regard to creating learning processes. The paper draws upon a qualitative study of participants' experiences with ‘the EIS Simulation', which is a computer-based learning game......This paper addresses the game conceptions and values that learning games inherit from regular gaming, as well as how they affect the use and development of learning games. Its key points concern the issues of thinking learning games as fun, educative and realistic, which is how learning games...... for teaching change management and change implementation. The EIS is played in groups, who share the game on a computer, and played by making change decisions in order to implement an IT system in an organisation. In this study, alternative participatory incentives, means for creating learning processes...

"Discovering the Cell": An Educational Game about Cell and Molecular Biology

Science.gov (United States)

Spiegel, Carolina N.; Alves, Gutemberg G.; Cardona, Tania da S.; Melim, Leandra M. C.; Luz, Mauricio R. M. P.; Araujo-Jorge, Tania C.; Henriques-Pons, Andrea

2008-01-01

The role of games within education becomes clearer as students become more active and are able to take decisions, solve problems and react to the results of those decisions. The educational board game "Discovering the Cell" ("Celula Adentro"), is based on problem-solving learning. This investigative game attempts to stimulate…

Fidelity and Game-based Technology in Management Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edgard B. Cornacchione Jr.

2012-04-01

Full Text Available This study explores educational technology and management education by analyzing fidelity in game-basedmanagement education interventions. A sample of 31 MBA students was selected to help answer the researchquestion: To what extent do MBA students tend to recognize specific game-based academic experiences, interms of fidelity, as relevant to their managerial performance? Two distinct game-based interventions (BG1 andBG2 with key differences in fidelity levels were explored: BG1 presented higher physical and functional fidelitylevels and lower psychological fidelity levels. Hypotheses were tested with data from the participants, collectedshortly after their experiences, related to the overall perceived quality of game-based interventions. The findingsreveal a higher overall perception of quality towards BG1: (a better for testing strategies, (b offering betterbusiness and market models, (c based on a pace that better stimulates learning, and (d presenting a fidelity levelthat better supports real world performance. This study fosters the conclusion that MBA students tend torecognize, to a large extent, that specific game-based academic experiences are relevant and meaningful to theirmanagerial development, mostly with heightened fidelity levels of adopted artifacts. Agents must be ready andmotivated to explore the new, to try and err, and to learn collaboratively in order to perform.

Memories of GAMES: Exploring the Long-Term Impacts of After-School Museum Programming on Girls' Attitudes Towards Science

Science.gov (United States)

Snow, Sarah Elizabeth

The purpose of this study is to investigate any lasting impacts of the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History's Girls at the Museum Exploring Science (GAMES) Program. Using assessment document analysis, student focus groups, and adult interviews, this study examined whether students' positive associations with science continue after completion of the program and whether the program affects the academic and career choices of past participants. Results from the analysis suggest that GAMES has a generally positive impact on participant attitudes towards science in both the short- and long-term. These results also support existing research in identifying key factors in the success of the program including hands-on activities, exposure to diverse careers and female role models, and the incorporation of authentic objects and experiences. These factors of success can contribute to the evidence base about the role of informal education programs in increasing science participation among women, as well as ways in which schools and universities can collaborate to effectively serve populations that are traditionally underrepresented in the sciences.

Childhood education student teachers responses to a simulation game on food security

OpenAIRE

Nadine Felicity Petersen

2014-01-01

This paper provides an account of student teachers responses to a simulation game about food scarcity and how the game served as a conversation starter about the influence of food scarcity on educational provisioning. The simulation game was utilised as part of a suite of activities during an educational excursion for first years in primary school teacher education. In this investigation data were generated via video recordings of the simulation game itself, summary notes of the key points of...

Love Games that Insects Play

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 3; Issue 1. Love Games that Insects Play - The Evolution of Sexual Behaviours in Insects ... Author Affiliations. K N Ganeshaiah1. Department of Genetics & Plant Breeding University of Agricultural Sciences, GKVK Bangalore 560 065, India ...

Combining collaboration and competition with prevocational game-based math education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Vrugte, Judith; de Jong, Ton; Vandercruysse, Sylke; Wouters, Pieter; van Oostendorp, Herre; Elen, Jan

2015-01-01

The present study addressed the effectiveness of an educational math game for improving proportional reasoning in prevocational education, and examined the added value of face-to-face collaboration and competition. The study compared four conditions: the game with collaboration, with collaboration

The Effect of Problem-Solving Video Games on the Science Reasoning Skills of College Students

Science.gov (United States)

Fanetti, Tina M.

As the world continues to rapidly change, students are faced with the need to develop flexible skills, such as science reasoning that will help them thrive in the new knowledge economy. Prensky (2001), Gee (2003), and Van Eck (2007) have all suggested that the way to engage learners and teach them the necessary skills is through digital games, but empirical studies focusing on popular games are scant. One way digital games, especially video games, could potentially be useful if there were a flexible and inexpensive method a student could use at their convenience to improve selected science reasoning skills. Problem-solving video games, which require the use of reasoning and problem solving to answer a variety of cognitive challenges could be a promising method to improve selected science reasoning skills. Using think-aloud protocols and interviews, a qualitative study was carried out with a small sample of college students to examine what impact two popular video games, Professor Layton and the Curious Village and Professor Layton and the Diabolical Box, had on specific science reasoning skills. The subject classified as an expert in both gaming and reasoning tended to use more higher order thinking and reasoning skills than the novice reasoners. Based on the assessments, the science reasoning of college students did not improve during the course of game play. Similar to earlier studies, students tended to use trial and error as their primary method of solving the various puzzles in the game and additionally did not recognize when to use the appropriate reasoning skill to solve a puzzle, such as proportional reasoning.

Role Playing Game (RPG on nursing undergraduate course: educational potentials

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Nathale Soares

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of a Role Playing Game as an educational strategy in Undergraduate Nursing course, emphasizing its subjective implications in understanding aspects of the profession. This is a qualitative study, conducted through an evaluative research, of deployment analysis type. Nursing students of the 3rd period participated. The instrument to collection was Memories of Game, reports prepared by students after game sessions. The game is a non-traditional educational strategy that enabled approach to students through professional practice, active participation, self-reflection and reflection on professional practice. This strategy favored individualization processes, allowing students to experience situations similar to the nursing practice and exercise skills such as teamwork and creativity. The expansion of studies that address the subjective processes in higher education, through simulation games, can contribute to better design of health development processes.

Gaming, simulations and society research scope and perspective

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Shiratori, R; Kato, F

2014-01-01

This book presents a current research scope and perspective of Simulation and Gaming.Theoretical problems of Simulation and Gaming will be examined with a view to improving the social sciences through the introduction of the techniques and concepts of Simulation and Gaming.The fields of economics, political science, psychology and business management can all be radically improved by introducing such techniques of Simulation and Gaming as the Agent-Based Modelling.Other important topics are the analysis of philosophical foundations in Simulation and Gaming as an academic discipline.The ever growing and massive popularity of PC and arcade games cannot be ignored.Their potential as agents of education and their essentially violent nature raise many ethical and moral problems that need to be addressed.

Towards a Serious Game to Help Students Learn Computer Programming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mathieu Muratet

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Video games are part of our culture like TV, movies, and books. We believe that this kind of software can be used to increase students' interest in computer science. Video games with other goals than entertainment, serious games, are present, today, in several fields such as education, government, health, defence, industry, civil security, and science. This paper presents a study around a serious game dedicated to strengthening programming skills. Real-Time Strategy, which is a popular game genre, seems to be the most suitable kind of game to support such a serious game. From programming teaching features to video game characteristics, we define a teaching organisation to experiment if a serious game can be adapted to learn programming.

Agent-Based Personalisation and User Modeling for Personalised Educational Games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peeters, M.M.; Bosch, K. van den; Meyer, J.J.C.; Neerincx, M.A

2016-01-01

Personalisation can increase the learning efficacy of educational games by tailoring their content to the needs of the individual learner. This paper presents the Personalised Educational Game Architecture (PEGA). It uses a multi-agent organisation and an ontology to offer learners personalised

Science and mathematics teaching through local games in preschools of Botswana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kabita Bose

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This article presents a study regarding preschool teachers’ skills and competencies in teaching science and mathematics. The aim of the project was twofold; one to find out the preschool teachers’ knowledge about mathematics and science concepts and then to develop support material to empower them with skills and competencies to teach these concepts in preschools. A qualitative approach was adopted, and a case study method was used. Data were collected through two workshops and focus group discussions with preschool teachers. The study revealed that the preschool teachers had content knowledge, but lacked pedagogical knowledge that is crucial in teaching of preschool children, and they provided science and mathematics experiences in preschools scarcely. A resource book of 33 local games and rhymes thus was developed as a support material to empower the teachers with skills and competencies to use play to teach science and mathematics in preschools. The resource book developed consists of 33 local games/rhymes and is packaged with the games’ illustrations, steps and rules followed in the games, science and mathematics concepts and competencies that could be taught to children, along with probing questions that would help in teaching of science and mathematics concepts to children.

Science Teacher Efficacy and Extrinsic Factors Toward Professional Development Using Video Games in a Design-Based Research Model: The Next Generation of STEM Learning

Science.gov (United States)

Annetta, Leonard A.; Frazier, Wendy M.; Folta, Elizabeth; Holmes, Shawn; Lamb, Richard; Cheng, Meng-Tzu

2013-02-01

Designed-based research principles guided the study of 51 secondary-science teachers in the second year of a 3-year professional development project. The project entailed the creation of student-centered, inquiry-based, science, video games. A professional development model appropriate for infusing innovative technologies into standards-based curricula was employed to determine how science teacher's attitudes and efficacy where impacted while designing science-based video games. The study's mixed-method design ascertained teacher efficacy on five factors (General computer use, Science Learning, Inquiry Teaching and Learning, Synchronous chat/text, and Playing Video Games) related to technology and gaming using a web-based survey). Qualitative data in the form of online blog posts was gathered during the project to assist in the triangulation and assessment of teacher efficacy. Data analyses consisted of an Analysis of Variance and serial coding of teacher reflective responses. Results indicated participants who used computers daily have higher efficacy while using inquiry-based teaching methods and science teaching and learning. Additional emergent findings revealed possible motivating factors for efficacy. This professional development project was focused on inquiry as a pedagogical strategy, standard-based science learning as means to develop content knowledge, and creating video games as technological knowledge. The project was consistent with the Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPCK) framework where overlapping circles of the three components indicates development of an integrated understanding of the suggested relationships. Findings provide suggestions for development of standards-based science education software, its integration into the curriculum and, strategies for implementing technology into teaching practices.

Quality Evaluation of Mobile Game: Miftah Alfasaha

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ghada Alhuhud

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Due to evolution of digital games towards mobile platforms, a large exposure to mobile games is nowadays recorded. This is because of the availability of the cell phone with individuals anytime anywhere. Hence, a vital role of game quality assessment is raised. This is for the purpose of serving as a guide for developing healthy games. Accordingly, the mobile games would help in boosting the educational entertainment, healthy diets control, and behavioral sciences studies and research. This paper presents quality assurance and quality models for ISO based educational game. In this paper, an ISO quality model is presented and quality application behavioral impact measures are justified to evaluate the development quality of Miftah Alfasaha game. The quality model and proposed quality assessment plan are tested through a CodePro Analytix tool and six sigma evaluations.

Novel Tools for Climate Change Learning and Responding in Earth Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Sparrow, Elena; Brunacini, Jessica; Pfirman, Stephanie

2015-04-01

Several innovative, polar focused activities and tools including a polar hub website (http://thepolarhub.org) have been developed for use in formal and informal earth science or STEM education by the Polar Learning and Responding (PoLAR) Climate Change Education Partnership (consisting of climate scientists, experts in the learning sciences and education practitioners). In seeking to inform understanding of and response to climate change, these tools and activities range from increasing awareness to informing decisions about climate change, from being used in classrooms (by undergraduate students as well as by pre-college students or by teachers taking online climate graduate courses) to being used in the public arena (by stakeholders, community members and the general public), and from using low technology (card games such as EcoChains- Arctic Crisis, a food web game or SMARTIC - Strategic Management of Resources in Times of Change, an Arctic marine spatial planning game) to high technology (Greenify Network - a mobile real world action game that fosters sustainability and allows players to meaningfully address climate change in their daily lives, or the Polar Explorer Data Visualization Tablet App that allows individuals to explore data collected by scientists and presented for the everyday user through interactive maps and visualizations, to ask questions and go on an individualized tour of polar regions and their connections to the rest of the world). Games are useful tools in integrative and applied learning, in gaining practical and intellectual skills, and in systems thinking. Also, as part of the PoLAR Partnership, a Signs of the Land Climate Change Camp was collaboratively developed and conducted, that can be used as a model for engaging and representing indigenous communities in the co-production of climate change knowledge, communication tools and solutions building. Future camps are planned with Alaska Native Elders, educators including classroom

Deliberate Practice of Creativity Game Series - A Creativity Training Material for Education

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Byrge, Christian

2018-01-01

The publication consists of two board games and one card game that enhances creative abilities. They are called "Ide kreativitetsbrætspil", "Skitsespillet" og "Mixspil". They are designed for educational purposes.......The publication consists of two board games and one card game that enhances creative abilities. They are called "Ide kreativitetsbrætspil", "Skitsespillet" og "Mixspil". They are designed for educational purposes....

Transferring an educational board game to a multi-user mobile learning game to increase shared situational awareness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klemke, Roland; Kurapati, Shalini; Kolfschoten, Gwendolyn

2013-01-01

Klemke, R., Kurapati, S., & Kolfschoten, G. (2013, 6 June). Transferring an educational board game to a multi-user mobile learning game to increase shared situational awareness. Presentation at the 3rd Irish Symposium on Game Based Learning, Dublin, Ireland. Please see also

Socio-educational assessment of electronic games

OpenAIRE

Gulbinas, Rokas; Rapkauskaitė, Gintarė

2015-01-01

This article presents social pedagogic opportunities of electronic games played by middle to high school students. Survey of 5th to 12th class students reveals electronical game properties and their correlations with student emotional state, social activity, ability to create and maintain social relations, delinquent traits and academic diffculties. Results and observations of this study are important for social pedagogues and the rest of educational process organizators, for parents trying t...

Online, game-based education for melanoma recognition: A pilot study.

Science.gov (United States)

Maganty, Nishita; Ilyas, Muneeb; Zhang, Nan; Sharma, Amit

2018-04-01

To evaluate the effectiveness of a game-based learning (GBL) intervention, Tapamole, in improving recognition of the features of melanoma (MM) compared to a written education intervention. Tapamole, an online education intervention, was developed using GBL. Participants were voluntarily recruited from the Dermatology waiting room and randomized to three groups: game, pamphlet, and no intervention. Participants completed a pre-intervention survey, post-intervention survey, and test on MM recognition. Clustered binary data equations were used to calculate sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for each group and GEE model with log link was used to compare measures between groups. Sixty participants were recruited. The sensitivity for MM recognition in the game group was 100% compared to 95% for the pamphlet group. The specificity (40.8% vs 53.3%) and accuracy (60.6% vs 67.2%) of the game and pamphlet groups were similar. Participants in the game group reported higher enjoyment than those in the pamphlet group. GBL was as effective as the written intervention in identifying features of MM. With increasing use of the Internet for health information, it is critical to have effective online education interventions. GBL education tools are effective, enjoyable, and should be used to improve MM patient education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Innovative Educational Scenarios in Game Based Teaching and Learning

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ion Smeureanu

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The didactical game can be considered part of an educational scenario in teaching and learning. This article aims to show how fundamental concepts from the economicmathematical modeling area can be visualized, how to organize knowledge in coherent scenarios, presented in an educational game manner, to gain the attention and influence students' spirit of competition. At the same time, benefitting from the 3D visualizations, the graphical interfaces for navigating in multidimensional spaces or projections are defined and thus imagination used for mental models construction is stimulated and human intuition is capitalized in the process of knowledge discovery, assisted by computer with analytic algorithms type. Exploration becomes a game feature and can be pursued both numerically and visually. 3D environments give realism to visualizations that are found in games, facilitating realimaginary relationship throughout the game and enhancing learning motivation. The innovative character of teaching is given by the method in which the teacher creates his own educational scenario by considering specific learning objectives, age particularities of students, time and space-related resources, the technical requirements of the game and the evaluation method. The paper makes several references to such projects, developed by the authors and implemented in working with students. Game based on demonstration (using simulation, modelling or visualization coordinates users to obtain relevant information; the multiple representations of knowledge are so used and compared through a multitude of examples.

The game as an educative pretext: educate and educate oneself in a health formation program

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cleidilene Ramos Magalhães

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This article is focused on a game-based educative experience, developed with students of the 1st year of the Medicine program of a federal public educational institution. The game was used as a privileged strategy to approach the students' communication, spontaneity and sensitiveness in the health education process. Through this game, it was possible to approach the theme "the students' mental health", where they could express their feelings as freshman students in the Medicine program. Such experience triggered learning opportunities for students and teachers, what, from Freire's perspective, is seen as a dialogic process of mutual formation with students. Its development favored the rethinking about the teaching practice in health, as well as subsidized the reorientation of the process of preventing and promoting mental health by means of proposals and supporting programs to students enrolled at the institution.

Serious games for Geophysics

Science.gov (United States)

Lombardo, Valerio; Rubbia, Giuliana

2015-04-01

Childhood stage is indispensable in the education of human beings and especially critical to arise scientific interest in children. We discuss the participatory design of a didactic videogame, i.e. a "serious" game to teach geophysics and Earth sciences to high and low-school students. Geophysics is the application of the laws and techniques of physics to uncover knowledge about the earth's dynamic processes and subsurface structure. It explores phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis to improve our understanding of the earth's physical processes and our ability to predict reoccurrences. Effective mitigation of risks from catastrophic geologic hazards requires knowledge and understanding of local geology and geologic processes. Scientific outreach can be defined as discourse activity, whose main objective is to communicate some knowledge previously produced in scientific contexts to a non-expert massive audience. One of the difficulties science educators need to overcome is to explain specific concepts from a given discipline in a language simple and understandable for their audience. Digital games today play a large role in young people's lives. Games are directly connected to the life of today's adolescents. Therefore, digital games should be included and broached as a subject in the classroom. The ardor and enthusiasm that digital games evoke in teenagers has indeed brought many researchers, school leaders and teachers to the question "how video games" can be used to engage young people and support their learning inside the classroom. Additionally, studies have shown that digital games can enhance various skills such as the ability to concentrate, stamina, tactical aptness, anticipatory thinking, orientation in virtual spaces, and deductive reasoning. Thus, videogames become an effective didactic mechanism and should have a place in the classroom. The project aims to explore the potentials of entertainment technologies in educational processes

Advancing Pre-college Science and Mathematics Education

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Rick [General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)

2015-05-06

With support from the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Fusion Energy Sciences, and General Atomics, an educational and outreach program primarily for grades G6-G13 was developed using the basic science of plasma and fusion as the content foundation. The program period was 1994 - 2015 and provided many students and teachers unique experiences such as a visit to the DIII-D National Fusion Facility to tour the nation’s premiere tokamak facility or to interact with interesting and informative demonstration equipment and have the opportunity to increase their understanding of a wide range of scientific content, including states of matter, the electromagnetic spectrum, radiation & radioactivity, and much more. Engaging activities were developed for classroom-size audiences, many made by teachers in Build-it Day workshops. Scientist and engineer team members visited classrooms, participated in science expositions, held workshops, produced informational handouts in paper, video, online, and gaming-CD format. Participants could interact with team members from different institutions and countries and gain a wider view of the world of science and engineering educational and career possibilities. In addition, multiple science stage shows were presented to audiences of up to 700 persons in a formal theatre setting over a several day period at Science & Technology Education Partnership (STEP) Conferences. Annually repeated participation by team members in various classroom and public venue events allowed for the development of excellent interactive skills when working with students, teachers, and educational administrative staff members. We believe this program has had a positive impact in science understanding and the role of the Department of Energy in fusion research on thousands of students, teachers, and members of the general public through various interactive venues.

Factors Affecting Teachers' Adoption of Educational Computer Games: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kebritchi, Mansureh

2010-01-01

Even though computer games hold considerable potential for engaging and facilitating learning among today's children, the adoption of modern educational computer games is still meeting significant resistance in K-12 education. The purpose of this paper is to inform educators and instructional designers on factors affecting teachers' adoption of…

NQRY Coaching: Scientists and Science Educators Energizing the Next Generation

Science.gov (United States)

Shope, R. E.

2007-12-01

A recent National Academy of Science report recommends that science educators focus strategically on teaching the practice of science. To accomplish this, we have devised and implemented the Science Performance Collaboratory, a collaborative research, education, and workforce model that brings scientists and science educators together to conduct scientific inquiry. In this session, we demonstrate how to form active inquiry teams around Arctica Science Research content areas related to the International Polar Year. We use the term Arctica Science Research to refer to the entire scope of exploration and discovery relating to: polar science and its global connections; Arctic and Antarctic research and climate sciences; ice and cryospheric studies on Earth; polar regions of the Moon, Mars, and Mercury; icy worlds throughout the Solar System, such as Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Pluto and the Comets; cryovolvanism; ice in interstellar space, and beyond. We apply the notion of teaching the practice science by enacting three effective strategies: 1) The Inquiry Wheel Game, in which we develop an expanded understanding of what has been traditionally taught as "the scientific method"; 2) Acting Out the Science Story, in which we develop a physicalized expression of our conceptual understanding; and 3) Selecting Success Criteria for Inquiry Coaching, in which we reframe how we evaluate science learning as we teach the practice of science.

Recruitment Gaming: A New Tool at the Interface of Education and Employers

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Gavin W.; Tanenbaum, Michael A.

2015-01-01

Recruitment gaming embodies an exciting new tool at the interface of the education and private sectors. Employers and recruitment platforms add new complications to the already problematic relationship between game designers and educators. To better understand the emerging recruitment aspects of gaming and identify areas for those in educational…

Design Of An Educational Game For Training Learners In The Use ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Design Of An Educational Game For Training Learners In The Use Of 3D Visualization Skills. ... Educational games are one of the earliest forms of instructional technology. However, research focused ... AJOL African Journals Online. HOW TO ...

Computer games as a pedagogical tool in education

OpenAIRE

Maher, Ken

1997-01-01

Designing computer based environments is never easy, especially when considering young learners. Traditionally, computer gaming has been seen as lacking in educational value, but rating highly in satisfaction and motivation. The objective of this dissertation is to look at elements of computer based learning and to ascertain how computer games can be included as a means of improving learning. Various theories are drawn together from psychology, instructional technology and computer gaming, to...

Transformational Play as a Curricular Scaffold: Using Videogames to Support Science Education

Science.gov (United States)

Barab, Sasha A.; Scott, Brianna; Siyahhan, Sinem; Goldstone, Robert; Ingram-Goble, Adam; Zuiker, Steven J.; Warren, Scott

2009-08-01

Drawing on game-design principles and an underlying situated theoretical perspective, we developed and researched a 3D game-based curriculum designed to teach water quality concepts. We compared undergraduate student dyads assigned randomly to four different instructional design conditions where the content had increasingly level of contextualization: (a) expository textbook condition, (b) simplistic framing condition, (c) immersive world condition, and (d) a single-user immersive world condition. Results indicated that the immersive-world dyad and immersive-world single user conditions performed significantly better than the electronic textbook group on standardized items. The immersive-world dyad condition also performed significantly better than either the expository textbook or the descriptive framing condition on a performance-based transfer task, and performed significantly better than the expository textbook condition on standardized test items. Implications for science education, and consistent with the goals of this special issue, are that immersive game-based learning environments provide a powerful new form of curriculum for teaching and learning science.

Discovering the Unequal Interest in Popular Online Educational Games and Its Implications: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Meilan

2016-01-01

Despite the growing scholarly interest in educational computer games, research on popular online educational games is rare. Little is known about which online educational games are popular and to what extent, what kind of users are more interested in these games and how interest in the games is related to academic performance. To fill this gap,…

Transferring an educational board game to a multi-user mobile learning game to increase shared situational awareness

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klemke, Roland; Kurapati, Shalini; Kolfschoten, Gwendolyn

2013-01-01

Klemke, R., Kurapati, S., & Kolfschoten, G. (2013, 6 June). Transferring an educational board game to a multi-user mobile learning game to increase shared situational awareness. In P. Rooney (Ed.), Proceedings of the 3rd Irish Symposium on Game Based Learning (pp. 8-9). Dublin, Ireland. Please see

Virtual Gaming Simulation in Nursing Education: A Focus Group Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Verkuyl, Margaret; Hughes, Michelle; Tsui, Joyce; Betts, Lorraine; St-Amant, Oona; Lapum, Jennifer L

2017-05-01

The use of serious gaming in a virtual world is a novel pedagogical approach in nursing education. A virtual gaming simulation was implemented in a health assessment class that focused on mental health and interpersonal violence. The study's purpose was to explore students' experiences of the virtual gaming simulation. Three focus groups were conducted with a convenience sample of 20 first-year nursing students after they completed the virtual gaming simulation. Analysis yielded five themes: (a) Experiential Learning, (b) The Learning Process, (c) Personal Versus Professional, (d) Self-Efficacy, and (e) Knowledge. Virtual gaming simulation can provide experiential learning opportunities that promote engagement and allow learners to acquire and apply new knowledge while practicing skills in a safe and realistic environment. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(5):274-280.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Approaching the relationship between religion and science through language games

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniela Stanciulescu

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Generally, applying Wittgenstein phrase “language games” into the science and religion relationship, reflects the futility of attempting to identify the truth beyond linguistic communities in which each of them takes part. Starting from the idea that through semantic assumption of some concepts, specific to a particular language game by another language game, the principles of comprehension can be violated, the postmodernist thinkers consider necessary the compartmentalization of the two types of discourses, scientific and religious. Therefore, the statements should be regarded as moves in a game. Each category of utterance operate according to some rules, without which there can be no “language game” and whose change, even minor, leads to changing the whole game.

University Prosperity Game. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Boyack, K.W.; Berman, M.

1996-03-01

Prosperity Games are an outgrowth and adaptation of move/countermove and seminar War Games. Prosperity Games are simulations that explore complex issues in a variety of areas including economics, politics, sociology, environment, education and research. These issues can be examined from a variety of perspectives ranging from a global, macroeconomic and geopolitical viewpoint down to the details of customer/supplier/market interactions in specific industries. All Prosperity Games are unique in that both the game format and the player contributions vary from game to game. This report documents the University Prosperity Game conducted under the sponsorship of the Anderson Schools of Management at the University of New Mexico. This Prosperity Game was initially designed for the roadmap making effort of the National Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (NEMI) of the Electronics Subcommittee of the Civilian Industrial Technology Committee under the aegis of the National Science and Technology Council. The game was modified to support course material in MGT 508, Ethical, Political, and Social Environment of Business. Thirty-five students participated as role players. In this educational context the game`s main objectives were to: (1) introduce and teach global competitiveness and business cultures in an experiential classroom setting; (2) explore ethical, political, and social issues and address them in the context of global markets and competition; and (3) obtain non-government views regarding the technical and non-technical (i.e., policy) issues developed in the NEMI roadmap-making endeavor. The negotiations and agreements made during the game, along with the student journals detailing the players feelings and reactions to the gaming experience, provide valuable insight into the benefits of simulation as an advanced learning tool in higher education.

Towards an affordable alternative educational video game input device

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Smith, Andrew C

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The authors present the prototype design results of an alternative physical educational video gaming input device. The device elicits increased physical activity from the players as compared to the compact gaming controller. Complicated...

Integrating ICT with education: using computer games to enhance ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Integrating ICT with education: using computer games to enhance learning mathematics at undergraduate level. ... This research seeks to look into ways in which computer games as ICT tools can be used to ... AJOL African Journals Online.

Educational Game Development Approach to a particular case: the donor's evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Borro Escribano, B; del Blanco, A; Torrente, J; Borro Mate, J M; Fernandez Manjon, B

2015-01-01

Serious games are a current trend nowadays. Almost every sector has used serious games in recent years for different educational purposes. The eLearning research team of the Complutense University of Madrid main focus of research is the development of low-cost serious games. During the past 10 years, we have been working with and developing serious games, paying special attention to those related to healthcare. From all these studies, a methodology was defined-the Educational Game Development Approach (EGDA)-to design, develop, and evaluate game-like simulations or serious games in healthcare. We present the application of the EGDA to a particular case, the development of a serious game representing the donor's evaluation in an intensive care unit from the point of view of a hospital coordinator following the EGDA methodology. In this simulation, we changed the strategy of selection of teaching cases by exponentially increasing the number of teaching cases. This kind of educational content provides several benefits to students as they learn while playing; they receive immediate feedback of mistakes and correct moves and an objective assessment. These simulations allow the students to practice in a risk-free environment. Moreover, the addition of game elements increases engagement and promotes the retention of important information. A game-like simulation has been developed through the use of this methodology. This simulation represents a complex medical procedure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Usability Testing Analysis on The Bana Game as Education Game Design References on Junior High School

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

F. Adnan

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Learning media is one of the important elements in the learning process. Technological development support makes learning media more varied. The approach of using digital technology as a learning media has a better and more effective impact than other approaches. In order to increase the students’ learning interest, it requires the support of an interesting learning media. The use of gaming applications as learning media can improve learning outcomes. The benefits of using the maximum application cannot be separated from the determination of application design. The Bana game aims to increase the ability of critical thinking of the junior high school students. The usability-testing analysis on the Bana game application is used in order to get the design reference as an educational game development. The game is used as an object of the analysis because it has the same characteristics and goals with the game application to be developed. Usability Testing is a method used to measure the ease of use of an application by users. The Usability Testing consists of learnability, efficiency, memorability, errors, and satisfaction. The results of the analysis obtained will be used as a reference for educational game applications that will be developed.

Towards a service-oriented architecture framework for educational serious games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brandao Carvalho, M.; Bellotti, F.; Hu, J.; Baalsrud Hauge, J.; Berta, R.; De Gloria, A.; Rauterberg, G.W.M.; Sampson, D.G.; Huang, R.; Hwang, G.-J.

2015-01-01

Producing educational serious games can be costly and time-consuming. The Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) approach of software development can offer a solution to reduce costs and foment serious games development. In this work, we apply a model called Activity Theory-based Model of Serious Games

Ludic prospects for science education in education home fundamental

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aline Juliana Oja-Persicheto

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The research scenario on science teaching in early education indicates emerging issues on the pedagogical practices developed educational level. Furthermore, although the importance of teaching science since the beginning of basic education, there is still residual and limited space of this discipline in the early years of schooling to be recognized. Allied to this complex picture, school practices has performed largely with emphasis on lectures, with reduced participation of students in their learning process. So, some investigations have been developed with the intention to subsidize the construction of pedagogical practices based on specific childhood learning of scientific concepts. Thus, the present study, theoretical in nature, aimed at discussing the main strengths of playful perspective to the work of the multidisciplinary teacher, with possible situations to be held in the school context and to contribute to children's learning in an atmosphere that encourages increasingly interest and curiosity. The literature review indicated several alternatives, and, for this text, were selected: the didactic games, the works of children's literature and theater. The analysis of the use of these resources has concluded that the ludic perspective, when planned and developed in a wise manner, may represent a key element of the teaching process that favors learning qualitatively students.

The Effects of an Educational Video Game on Mathematical Engagement

Science.gov (United States)

Chang, Mido; Evans, Michael A.; Kim, Sunha; Norton, Anderson; Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Samur, Yavuz

2016-01-01

In an effort to maximizing success in mathematics, our research team implemented an educational video game in fifth grade mathematics classrooms in five schools in the Eastern US. The educational game was developed by our multi-disciplinary research team to achieve a hypothetical learning trajectory of mathematical thinking of 5th grade students.…

Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

Background Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine. Methods Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) differences between the two universities; 3) how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4) characteristics of students who play most frequently. Results 217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%). Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%), felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%), and believed that video games can have educational value (80%). A majority (77%) would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%), and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%). However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice. Conclusions Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly favorable views about

Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Kron, Frederick W; Gjerde, Craig L; Sen, Ananda; Fetters, Michael D

2010-06-24

Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine. Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1) demographic characteristics; 2) differences between the two universities; 3) how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4) characteristics of students who play most frequently. 217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%). Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%), felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%), and believed that video games can have educational value (80%). A majority (77%) would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%), and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%). However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice. Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly favorable views about the use of video games and related new

Digital Game-Based Language Learning in Foreign Language Teacher Education

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunus ALYAZ

2016-10-01

Full Text Available New technologies including digital game-based language learning have increasingly received attention. However, their implementation is far from expected and desired levels due to technical, instructional, financial and sociological barriers. Previous studies suggest that there is a strong need to establish courses in order to support adaptation of game-based learning pedagogy through helping teachers experience digital games themselves before they are expected to use them in teaching. This study was conducted to investigate educational digital games in foreign language teaching, to identify the determining reasons behind the pittfalls in applications and to explore the contribution of a serious game to the development of professional language skills of pre-service teachers. Pre- and post-tests were applied to measure the contribution of the game to the development of their language skills. In addition, a game diary and semi-structured interviews were used to elicit information about the problems pre-service teachers had and their perceptions on the whole process. The analysis of the data illustrated that there was great improvement in pre-service teachers’ professional language skills and attitudes towards using these games while teaching in the future. This is important in foreign language teacher education in terms of enhancing digital game-based language learning pedagogy for teachers.

Learning to Play Games or Playing Games to Learn? A Health Education Case Study with Soweto Teenagers

Science.gov (United States)

Amory, Alan

2010-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of an educational computer video game in teaching and learning. Cultural-historical activity theory is used heuristically to explore the social and cultural interactions during game play. It is argued that knowledge construction occurs when video games function as a tool to mediate learning rather…

Online Video Gaming: What Should Educational Psychologists Know?

Science.gov (United States)

Griffiths, Mark

2010-01-01

Based on a significant increase in correspondence to the author from parents, teachers and psychologists concerning "addiction" to online video games like "World of Warcraft", this paper provides a brief overview of the main issues surrounding excessive video game playing among adolescents. As an aid to educational psychologists, and based on two…

Tools and approaches for simplifying serious games development in educational settings

OpenAIRE

Calvo, Antonio; Rotaru, Dan C.; Freire, Manuel; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

2016-01-01

Serious Games can benefit from the commercial video games industry by taking advantage of current development tools. However, the economics and requirements of serious games and commercial games are very different. In this paper, we describe the factors that impact the total cost of ownership of serious games used in educational settings, review the specific requirements of games used as learning material, and analyze the different development tools available in the industry highlighting thei...

The game's historical become as educative procedure: The ideal and the reality

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pedro R. GARFELLA ESTEBAN

2013-11-01

Full Text Available The game has historically been shown as an educative resource exploted by men since antiquity and right of way outside of the education formal ways. In this way, we study the théorie bases that underlie the game and the toy, as formative means, in the ideal of the education's history and we pick up some that have supposed and súpose a stimulus for the infantile personality development. At family and scholastic ambit, the education has been characterizised by its little atractive and the scarce use of ludic procedures. Nevertheless have had théorie and practic proposals that recommend make use of games, toys and ludic materials for education, and that in the end will facilitate the educative game's development by the hand of Pestalozzi and Froebel, the special education and the psychologicexperimental School, the Father Manjón interesting contributions, and the toy industry, basically. At the present infantile education and the toy libraries couldn't be explained without this contributions.

An overview of game-based learning in building services engineering education

Science.gov (United States)

Alanne, Kari

2016-03-01

To ensure proper competence development and short graduation times for engineering students, it is essential that the study motivation is encouraged by new learning methods. In game-based learning, the learner's engagement is increased and learning is made meaningful by applying game-like features such as competition and rewarding through virtual promotions or achievement badges. In this paper, the state of the art of game-based learning in building services engineering education at university level is reviewed and discussed. A systematic literature review indicates that educational games have been reported in the field of related disciplines, such as mechanical and civil engineering. The development of system-level educational games that realistically simulate work life in building services engineering is still in its infancy. Novel rewarding practices and more comprehensive approaches entailing the state-of-the-art information tools such as building information modelling, geographic information systems, building management systems and augmented reality are needed in the future.

Globalisation and science education: Rethinking science education reforms

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Carter, Lyn

2005-05-01

Like Lemke (J Res Sci Teach 38:296-316, 2001), I believe that science education has not looked enough at the impact of the changing theoretical and global landscape by which it is produced and shaped. Lemke makes a sound argument for science education to look beyond its own discourses toward those like cultural studies and politics, and to which I would add globalisation theory and relevant educational studies. Hence, in this study I draw together a range of investigations to argue that globalisation is indeed implicated in the discourses of science education, even if it remains underacknowledged and undertheorized. Establishing this relationship is important because it provides different frames of reference from which to investigate many of science education's current concerns, including those new forces that now have a direct impact on science classrooms. For example, one important question to investigate is the degree to which current science education improvement discourses are the consequences of quality research into science teaching and learning, or represent national and local responses to global economic restructuring and the imperatives of the supranational institutions that are largely beyond the control of science education. Developing globalisation as a theoretical construct to help formulate new questions and methods to examine these questions can provide science education with opportunities to expand the conceptual and analytical frameworks of much of its present and future scholarship.

Mobile Game Based Learning: Can it enhance learning of marginalized peer educators?

OpenAIRE

Roy, Anupama; Sharples, Mike

2015-01-01

This paper describes an investigatory project to pilot an SMS based game to enhance the training of peer educators of MSM (Males having Sex with Males) groups in India. The objective of this research was to increase the efficacy of the MSM peer educators by bridging the gap between the training needs and their real life experiences. An SMS based game was designed using participatory approaches as a learning support, upholding their real life experiences in game form. The game was designed on ...

The Application of Cognitive Diagnostic Approaches via Neural Network Analysis of Serious Educational Games

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Lamb, Richard L.

2013-01-01

Serious Educational Games (SEGs) have been a topic of increased popularity within the educational realm since the early millennia. SEGs are generalized form of Serious Games to mean games for purposes other than entertainment but, that also specifically include training, educational purpose and pedagogy within their design. This rise in popularity…

Systematizing game learning analytics for serious games

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alonso-Fernandez, Cristina; Calvo Morata, Antonio; Freire, Manuel; Martinez-Ortiz, Ivan; Fernandez-Manjon, Baltasar

2017-01-01

Applying games in education provides multiple benefits clearly visible in entertainment games: their engaging, goal-oriented nature encourages students to improve while they play. Educational games, also known as Serious Games (SGs) are video games designed with a main purpose other than

The Effect of Computer Games on Students’ Critical Thinking Disposition and Educational Achievement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Seifi

2015-10-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this research was to investigate the effect of computer games on student’ critical thinking disposition and educational achievement. The research method was descriptive, and its type was casual-comparative. The sample included 270 female high school students in Andimeshk town selected by multistage cluster method. Ricketts questionnaire was used to test critical thinking and the researcher made questionnaires were used to test computer games. T-test and one-way ANOVA were employed to analysis of the data. The findings of the study showed that playing computer games has no significant effect on critical thinking, however, there were a significant effect of playing computer games on students’ educational achievement (P<0/05. Furthermore, the results showed that the type of computer game has no significant effect on students’ disposition to critical thinking and their educational achievement. Keywords: Computer games, disposition to critical thinking, educational achievement, secondary students

Reimagining Game Design: Exploring the Design of Constructible Authentic Representations for Science Reasoning

Science.gov (United States)

Holbert, Nathan Ryan

Video games have recently become a popular space for educational design due to their interactive and engaging nature and the ubiquity of the gaming experience among youth. Though many researchers argue video games can provide opportunities for learning, educational game design has focused on the classroom rather than the informal settings where games are typically played. Educational games have been moderately successful at achieving learning gains on standardized items, but have failed to show improvements on related but distal problems. In this dissertation I develop and assess a new design principle, called constructible authentic representations for creating informal gaming experiences that players will actively draw on when reasoning in formal and real world contexts. These games provide players with opportunities to engage in meaningful construction with components that integrate relevant concepts to create in-game representations that visually and epistemologically align with related tools and representations utilized in the target domain. In the first phase of the dissertation, I observed children playing popular video games to better understand what in-game representations children attend to and how interactions with these representations contribute to intuitive ideas of encountered STEM content. Results from this study fed into the iterative design of two prototype video games, FormulaT Racing and Particles!, intending to give players useful knowledge resources for reasoning about kinematics and the particulate nature of matter respectively. Designed games encourage players to utilize and refine intuitive ideas about target content through the construction of domain relevant representations. To assess the effectiveness of these designs I conducted two studies of children ages 7-14 playing prototype games in informal settings. An analysis of pre- and post-game clinical interviews, domain specific tasks, and video and logging data of gameplay suggests

Using Data Mining Results to Improve Educational Video Game Design

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Kerr, Deirdre

2015-01-01

This study uses information about in-game strategy use, identified through cluster analysis of actions in an educational video game, to make data-driven modifications to the game in order to reduce construct-irrelevant behavior. The examination of student strategies identified through cluster analysis indicated that (a) it was common for students…

Playing and understanding chemistry: Reinterpreting a traditional game for educational use

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana Carolina Rosa da Silva

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The importance of using educational games in the school context cannot be denied. Therefore, this article describes a study about the contributions of a game for teaching colligative properties. The game was used with a second-year class in a high school located in southeast Piauí, Brazil. It is a qualitative study; it used questionnaires for data collection and direct observation about phenomenological aspects that emerged during the application of the game. The results showed that the use of educational games is not common for the subjects observed. Their views on that use lead us to infer that the proposed playful activity has contributed to strengthen distinct aspects needed to improve the teaching and learning process in Chemistry

The Challenge of Audience Reception: A Developmental Model for Educational Game Engagement

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Sherry, John L.

2013-01-01

According to educational gaming advocates, the engaging nature of games encourages sustained game play and enhanced attention to learning outcomes among players. Because children's and adolescents' play time varies by game genre, engagement with a game likely reflects the match between the genre and the player's preferences and needs. Youth learn…

The Implementation and Evaluation of Teacher Training in Gaming Instruction for Secondary Science: An Action Research Project

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Sanders, Veronica

2016-01-01

This study implemented and evaluated gaming instruction as a professional development for science teachers at a Georgia high school. It was guided by four research questions that (a) assessed the impact of training in gaming instruction and evaluation of that training on science teachers' ability to use games; (b) examined evidence showing that…

Video games: a route to large-scale STEM education?

Science.gov (United States)

Mayo, Merrilea J

2009-01-02

Video games have enormous mass appeal, reaching audiences in the hundreds of thousands to millions. They also embed many pedagogical practices known to be effective in other environments. This article reviews the sparse but encouraging data on learning outcomes for video games in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines, then reviews the infrastructural obstacles to wider adoption of this new medium.

Generalization of Tactics in Tag Rugby from Practice to Games in Middle School Physical Education

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Lee, Myung-Ah; Ward, Phillip

2009-01-01

Background: Many of the issues relating to game performance of students found in the physical education literature can be considered a failure of generalization from practices to games, and from games to games. However, no study in secondary physical education has examined generalization effects as a result of effective game pedagogy in the…

Speedminton: Using the Tactical Games Model in Secondary Physical Education

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Oh, Hyun-Ju; Bullard, Susan; Hovatter, Rhonda

2011-01-01

Teaching and learning of sport and sports-related games dominates the curriculum in most secondary physical education programs in America. For many secondary school students, playing games can be exciting and lead to a lifetime of participation in sport-related activities. Using the Tactical Games Model (TGM) (Mitchell et al., 2006) to teach the…

Arm Chair Activism: Serious Games Usage by INGOs for Educational Change

Science.gov (United States)

Arora, Payal; Itu, Sorina

2012-01-01

The battle between educators and entertainers continues when it comes to gaming. While this is so, the edutainment battleground has expanded to include actors outside formal schooling agencies, namely International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs). These actors employ digital games with the aim to educate and activate towards specific social…

Medical student attitudes toward video games and related new media technologies in medical education

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Kron Frederick W

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Studies in K-12 and college students show that their learning preferences have been strongly shaped by new media technologies like video games, virtual reality environments, the Internet, and social networks. However, there is no known research on medical students' game experiences or attitudes towards new media technologies in medical education. This investigation seeks to elucidate medical student experiences and attitudes, to see whether they warrant the development of new media teaching methods in medicine. Methods Medical students from two American universities participated. An anonymous, 30-item, cross-sectional survey addressed demographics, game play experience and attitudes on using new media technologies in medical education. Statistical analysis identified: 1 demographic characteristics; 2 differences between the two universities; 3 how video game play differs across gender, age, degree program and familiarity with computers; and 4 characteristics of students who play most frequently. Results 217 medical students participated. About half were female (53%. Respondents liked the idea of using technology to enhance healthcare education (98%, felt that education should make better use of new media technologies (96%, and believed that video games can have educational value (80%. A majority (77% would use a multiplayer online healthcare simulation on their own time, provided that it helped them to accomplish an important goal. Men and women agreed that they were most inclined to use multiplayer simulations if they were fun (97%, and if they helped to develop skill in patient interactions (90%. However, there was significant gender dissonance over types of favorite games, the educational value of video games, and the desire to participate in games that realistically replicated the experience of clinical practice. Conclusions Overall, medical student respondents, including many who do not play video games, held highly

Science Spots AR: A Platform for Science Learning Games with Augmented Reality

Science.gov (United States)

Laine, Teemu H.; Nygren, Eeva; Dirin, Amir; Suk, Hae-Jung

2016-01-01

Lack of motivation and of real-world relevance have been identified as reasons for low interest in science among children. Game-based learning and storytelling are prominent methods for generating intrinsic motivation in learning. Real-world relevance requires connecting abstract scientific concepts with the real world. This can be done by…

User-Centred Security Education: A Game Design to Thwart Phishing Attacks

OpenAIRE

Arachchilage, Nalin Asanka Gamagedara

2015-01-01

Phishing is an online identity theft that aims to steal sensitive information such as username, password and online banking details from its victims. Phishing education needs to be considered as a means to combat this threat. This paper reports on a design and development of a mobile game prototype as an educational tool helping computer users to protect themselves against phishing attacks. The elements of a game design framework for avoiding phishing attacks were used to address the game des...

Establishing an Educational Game Development Model: From the Experience of Teaching Search Engine Optimization

Science.gov (United States)

Lui, Richard W. C.; Au, Cheuk Hang

2018-01-01

This article describes how different literatures have suggested the positive role of educational games in students' learning, but it can be hard to find an existing game for student learning. Some lecturers may try to develop a game for their courses, but there were not many effective models for educational board game development. The authors have…

The use of digital games and simulators in veterinary education: an overview with examples.

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de Bie, M H; Lipman, L J A

2012-01-01

In view of current technological possibilities and the popularity of games, the interest in games for educational purposes is remarkably on the rise. This article outlines the (future) use of (digital) games and simulators in several disciplines, especially in the veterinary curriculum. The different types of game-based learning (GBL)-varying from simple interactive computer board games to more complex virtual simulation strategies-will be discussed as well as the benefits, possibilities, and limitations of the educational use of games. The real breakthrough seems to be a few years away. Technological developments in the future might diminish the limitations and stumbling blocks that currently exist. Consequently, educational games will play a new and increasingly important role in the future veterinary curriculum, providing an attractive and useful way of learning.

Essential Features of Serious Games Design in Higher Education: Linking Learning Attributes to Game Mechanics

Science.gov (United States)

Lameras, Petros; Arnab, Sylvester; Dunwell, Ian; Stewart, Craig; Clarke, Samantha; Petridis, Panagiotis

2017-01-01

This paper consolidates evidence and material from a range of specialist and disciplinary fields to provide an evidence-based review and synthesis on the design and use of serious games in higher education. Search terms identified 165 papers reporting conceptual and empirical evidence on how learning attributes and game mechanics may be planned,…

LewiSpace: An Exploratory Study with a Machine Learning Model in an Educational Game

Science.gov (United States)

Ghali, Ramla; Ouellet, Sébastien; Frasson, Claude

2016-01-01

The use of educational games as a tool for providing learners with a playful and educational aspect is widespread. In this paper, we present an educational game that we developed to teach a chemistry lesson, namely drawing a Lewis diagram. Our game is a 3D environment known as LewiSpace and aims at balancing between playful and educational…

Play or science?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lieberoth, Andreas; Pedersen, Mads Kock; Sherson, Jacob

2015-01-01

Crowdscience games may hold unique potentials as learning opportunities compared to games made for fun or education. They are part of an actual science problem solving process: By playing, players help scientists, and thereby interact with real continuous research processes. This mixes the two...... worlds of play and science in new ways. During usability testing we discovered that users of the crowdscience game Quantum Dreams tended to answer questions in game terms, even when directed explicitly to give science explanations. We then examined these competing frames of understanding though a mixed...... correlational and grounded theory analysis. This essay presents the core ideas of crowdscience games as learning opportunities, and reports how a group of players used “game”, “science” and “conceptual” frames to interpret their experience. Our results suggest that oscillating between the frames instead...

The Application of Gaming Theory in Health Care.

Science.gov (United States)

Elzein, Ashley; Drenkard, Karen; Deyo, Patricia; Swartwout, Ellen

2015-01-01

As the US health care system moves rapidly toward a population health management focus in communities and care settings, the chief nursing officer has an opportunity to lead innovation efforts for patient care. One innovative strategy for use to influence patient behavior change, ongoing clinical education, and prelicensure education is the application of gaming theory into learning strategies. With the ever-increasing emphasis the general public is placing on social media and online gaming, there has been a significant push by the health sector in recent years to harness this medium for use in health management, education, and behavior change. A number of organizations and insurers have dedicated significant resources to researching and developing games and apps to help patients manage diseases, track self-management activities, and motivate behavior change for healthy lifestyles. This article shares information about gaming theory and its application to health care including a review of the science behind the theory, the use of technology, and gaming education strategies for both patients and clinicians.

Teacher perceptions of the value of game-based learning in secondary education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huizenga, J.C.; ten Dam, G.T.M.; Voogt, J.M.; Admiraal, W.F.

Teachers' perceptions of the usefulness of digital games might be a reason for the limited application of digital games in education. However, participants in most studies of teaching with digital games are teachers who do not use digital games regularly in their teaching. This study examined the

The Challenges of Gaming for Democratic Education: The Case of iCivics

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Stoddard, Jeremy; Banks, Angela M.; Nemacheck, Christine; Wenska, Elizabeth

2016-01-01

Video games are the most recent technological advancement to be viewed as an educational panacea and a force for democracy. However, this medium has particular affordances and constraints as a tool for democratic education in educational environments. This paper presents results from a study of the design and content of four iCivics games and…

Graphic Design Of “Green Mission” Education Game Using Software Based On Vector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nur Yanti

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Educational game is a digital game in its design using the elements of education and in it support teaching and learning by using technology that is interactive media. Generally an educational game has a fun look, an easy-to-use menu, as well as color combinations that are used that are GUI-based (Graphic User Interface so as to create appeal to users. Because it is undeniable that the human brain tends to more quickly capture learning through visual images rather than writings. Therefore, graphic design of an educational game becomes one of the important points. Software applications become one of the solutions in making game design, one of which is a vector-based software applications. There are various software that can be used in accordance with the function and usefulness of each. But in general the way the software works almost same.

Developing a Big Game for Financial Education Using Service Design Approach

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Kang, Myunghee; Yoon, Seonghye; Kang, Minjeng; Jang, JeeEun; Lee, Yujung

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study was to design and develop an educational game which facilitates building adolescents' knowledge and attitudes in financial principles of a daily life. To achieve this purpose, the authors designed a learner-centered big game for financial education by applying an experience-based triple-diamond instructional design model…

Examination of the Effects of Dimensionality on Cognitive Processing in Science: A Computational Modeling Experiment Comparing Online Laboratory Simulations and Serious Educational Games

Science.gov (United States)

Lamb, Richard L.

2016-01-01

Within the last 10 years, new tools for assisting in the teaching and learning of academic skills and content within the context of science have arisen. These new tools include multiple types of computer software and hardware to include (video) games. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the effect of computer learning games in the…

A systematic review of serious games in medical education: quality of evidence and pedagogical strategy.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorbanev, Iouri; Agudelo-Londoño, Sandra; González, Rafael A; Cortes, Ariel; Pomares, Alexandra; Delgadillo, Vivian; Yepes, Francisco J; Muñoz, Óscar

2018-12-01

The literature shows an optimistic landscape for the effectiveness of games in medical education. Nevertheless, games are not considered mainstream material in medical teaching. Two research questions that arise are the following: What pedagogical strategies do developers use when creating games for medical education? And what is the quality of the evidence on the effectiveness of games? A systematic review was made by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers following the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. We included peer-reviewed journal articles which described or assessed the use of serious games or gamified apps in medical education. We used the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to assess the quality of evidence in the use of games. We also evaluated the pedagogical perspectives of such articles. Even though game developers claim that games are useful pedagogical tools, the evidence on their effectiveness is moderate, as assessed by the MERSQI score. Behaviourism and cognitivism continue to be the predominant pedagogical strategies, and games are complementary devices that do not replace traditional medical teaching tools. Medical educators prefer simulations and quizzes focused on knowledge retention and skill development through repetition and do not demand the use of sophisticated games in their classrooms. Moreover, public access to medical games is limited. Our aim was to put the pedagogical strategy into dialogue with the evidence on the effectiveness of the use of medical games. This makes sense since the practical use of games depends on the quality of the evidence about their effectiveness. Moreover, recognition of said pedagogical strategy would allow game developers to design more robust games which would greatly contribute to the learning process.

A systematic review of serious games in medical education: quality of evidence and pedagogical strategy

Science.gov (United States)

Gorbanev, Iouri; Agudelo-Londoño, Sandra; González, Rafael A.; Cortes, Ariel; Pomares, Alexandra; Delgadillo, Vivian; Yepes, Francisco J.; Muñoz, Óscar

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Introduction: The literature shows an optimistic landscape for the effectiveness of games in medical education. Nevertheless, games are not considered mainstream material in medical teaching. Two research questions that arise are the following: What pedagogical strategies do developers use when creating games for medical education? And what is the quality of the evidence on the effectiveness of games? Methods: A systematic review was made by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers following the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines. We included peer-reviewed journal articles which described or assessed the use of serious games or gamified apps in medical education. We used the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI) to assess the quality of evidence in the use of games. We also evaluated the pedagogical perspectives of such articles. Results: Even though game developers claim that games are useful pedagogical tools, the evidence on their effectiveness is moderate, as assessed by the MERSQI score. Behaviourism and cognitivism continue to be the predominant pedagogical strategies, and games are complementary devices that do not replace traditional medical teaching tools. Medical educators prefer simulations and quizzes focused on knowledge retention and skill development through repetition and do not demand the use of sophisticated games in their classrooms. Moreover, public access to medical games is limited. Discussion: Our aim was to put the pedagogical strategy into dialogue with the evidence on the effectiveness of the use of medical games. This makes sense since the practical use of games depends on the quality of the evidence about their effectiveness. Moreover, recognition of said pedagogical strategy would allow game developers to design more robust games which would greatly contribute to the learning process. PMID:29457760

The Significance of an Educational Game in Teaching Politology

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Dvorkovaya, Marina Vasilievna; Kurenkova, Evgeniya Alekseevna

2015-01-01

Game-based learning is being increasingly used in teaching humanities. In teaching politology, it seems to bring the most effective results. Through educational games, learners can fully experience modeling particular situations in the job of a would-be political technologist, which would guarantee training professional politologists with maximum…

A Communities of Practice Perspective on Educational Computer Games

Science.gov (United States)

Reese, Curt

2008-01-01

Educational computer games provide an environment in which interactions among students, teachers, and texts differ non-trivially from those of the traditional classroom. In order to build and research computer games effectively, it is important to provide a theoretical background that adequately describes and explains learning and interactions in…

An educational video game for nutrition of young people: Theory and design

Science.gov (United States)

Playing Escape from Diab (DIAB) and Nanoswarm (NANO), epic video game adventures, increased fruit and vegetable consumption among a multi-ethnic sample of 10-12 year old children during pilot testing. Key elements of both games were educational mini-games embedded in the overall game that promoted k...

Defining and Leveraging Game Qualities for Serious Games

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Michael W.; Shen, Yuzhong

2011-01-01

Serious games can and should leverage the unique qualities of video games to effectively deliver educational experiences for the learners. However, leveraging these qualities is incumbent upon understanding what these unique 'game' qualities are , and how they can facilitate the learning process. This paper presents an examination of the meaning of the term 'game' . as it applies to both serious games and digital entertainment games. Through the examination of counter examples, we derive three game characteristics; games are self contained, provide a variety of meaningful choices, and are intrinsically compelling. We also discuss the theoretical educational foundations which support the application of these 'game qualities' to educational endeavors. This paper concludes with a presentation of results achieved through the application of these qualities and the applicable educational theories to teach learners about the periodic table of elements via a serious game developed by the authors.

Implementation of a Curriculum-Integrated Computer Game for Introducing Scientific Argumentation

Science.gov (United States)

Wallon, Robert C.; Jasti, Chandana; Lauren, Hillary Z. G.; Hug, Barbara

2017-11-01

Argumentation has been emphasized in recent US science education reform efforts (NGSS Lead States 2013; NRC 2012), and while existing studies have investigated approaches to introducing and supporting argumentation (e.g., McNeill and Krajcik in Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 45(1), 53-78, 2008; Kang et al. in Science Education, 98(4), 674-704, 2014), few studies have investigated how game-based approaches may be used to introduce argumentation to students. In this paper, we report findings from a design-based study of a teacher's use of a computer game intended to introduce the claim, evidence, reasoning (CER) framework (McNeill and Krajcik 2012) for scientific argumentation. We studied the implementation of the game over two iterations of development in a high school biology teacher's classes. The results of this study include aspects of enactment of the activities and student argument scores. We found the teacher used the game in aspects of explicit instruction of argumentation during both iterations, although the ways in which the game was used differed. Also, students' scores in the second iteration were significantly higher than the first iteration. These findings support the notion that students can learn argumentation through a game, especially when used in conjunction with explicit instruction and support in student materials. These findings also highlight the importance of analyzing classroom implementation in studies of game-based learning.

Use of Games in Education: GeoGuessr in Geography Course

Science.gov (United States)

Girgin, Mustafa

2017-01-01

Almost all of the studies which are about the learning effects of the games emphasize as if, they have all agreed on all hands that the games contribute to the child's spiritual and educational development. No matter at which age group it is, to claim that game derived gains couldn't be gained by no other way, wouldn't be exaggeration indeed. The…

How competition and heterogeneous collaboration interact in prevocational game-based mathematics education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ter Vrugte, Judith; de Jong, Anthonius J.M.; Vandercruysse, Sylke; Wouters, Pieter; van Oostendorp, Herre; Elen, Jan

2015-01-01

The present study addresses the effectiveness of an educational mathematics game for improving proportional reasoning in students from prevocational education. Though in theory game-based learning is promising, research shows that results are ambiguous and that we should look into ways to support

Take Me Out to the Ball Game: Science Outreach to Non-traditional Audiences

Science.gov (United States)

Norsted, B. A.

2010-08-01

Science outreach often targets audiences that are already interested in science and are looking for related educational experiences for themselves or their families. The University of Wisconsin Geology Museum (UWGM) with funding from the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) is targeting unique venues and thereby new audiences who may not typically seek out science outreach events. With this goal in mind, in June, 2009 the UWGM and NAI sponsored an "Astrobiology Night at the Ballpark" at the Madison Mallards Ballpark, the local Madison, Wisconsin minor league baseball venue. At the game, 6,250 attendees were exposed to current NASA-funded astrobiology research being conducted at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fans were greeted at the gate by volunteers passing out a nine-card pack of extremophile trading cards, each of which featured a different extremophile group (e.g. halophiles, cryophiles, and barophiles). Next, participants could interact with project scientists, graduate students and museum staff at four exploration stations, where each station highlighted astrobiology themes (i.e. extremophiles, banded iron formation, earth's oldest rocks, earth's oldest fossils). Before the game began, the video board on the field was used to broadcast short NASA videos about recent Mars missions as well as the search for life in space. Additionally, inning breaks were used as fun opportunities to engage fans through an "Alien vs. Kids" tug-of-war as well as the distribution of Frisbees with an astrobiology timeline printed on them. Engaging the broader public at a non-science venue is a means to breaking down perceived barriers between scientists and the general public. We found Mallards fans to be receptive and ready to connect with our science themes. Tapping into a new audience also builds a larger awareness of our museum and University, expanding our impact in the community.

Bayes Academy - An Educational Game for Learning Bayesian Networks

OpenAIRE

Sotala, Kaj

2015-01-01

This thesis describes the development of 'Bayes Academy', an educational game which aims to teach an understanding of Bayesian networks. A Bayesian network is a directed acyclic graph describing a joint probability distribution function over n random variables, where each node in the graph represents a random variable. To find a way to turn this subject into an interesting game, this work draws on the theoretical background of meaningful play. Among other requirements, actions in the game...

An augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for children with diabetes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrés-Marcelo Calle-Bustos

Full Text Available Therapeutic education in diabetes helps patients take responsibility for self-control of their disease, and providing technological support systems facilitates this education. In this paper, we present an augmented reality game to support therapeutic education for patients with diabetes. Our game helps children (aged 5-14 years to learn carbohydrate (carb content of different foods. The game shows virtual foods on a real dish. The number of carb choices corresponding to the visualized food is also shown (1 carb choice = 10 grams of carbs. A study to determine the effectiveness of the game in terms of learning and perceived satisfaction and usability was carried out. A total of seventy children with diabetes participated in the study. From the results, we observed that the initial knowledge about carb choices of the children who participated in the study was low (a mean of 2 on a scale from 0 to 9. This indicates that therapeutic education for patients with diabetes is needed. When the results for the pre-knowledge questionnaire and the post-knowledge questionnaire were compared, it was shown that the children learned about carb choices by playing our game. We used two post-knowledge questionnaires (one post-knowledge questionnaire that contained the same foods as the pre-knowledge questionnaire and a second post-knowledge questionnaire that contained foods that were different from the ones on the pre-knowledge questionnaire. There were no statistically significant differences between these two different post-knowledge questionnaires. Moreover, the knowledge acquired was independent of gender and age. We also evaluated usability and perceived satisfaction. The children were satisfied with the game and considered that the game offers a high degree of usability. This game could be a valuable therapeutic education tool for patients with diabetes.

Instructional games and activities for criticality safety training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bullard, B.; McBride, J.

1993-01-01

During the past several years, the Training and Management Systems Division (TMSD) staff of Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) has designed and developed nuclear criticality safety (NCS) training programs that focus on high trainee involvement through the use of instructional games and activities. This paper discusses the instructional game, initial considerations for developing games, advantages and limitations of games, and how games may be used in developing and implementing NCS training. It also provides examples of the various instructional games and activities used in separate courses designed for Martin Marietta Energy Systems (MMES's) supervisors and U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) fuel facility inspectors