Learning Engagement through Fun & Games: A Research Perspective Dawn Mercer and Margot...

Learning Engagement

through Fun & Games:

A Research Perspective

Dawn Mercerand

Margot Wassenaar-Faber

Inukshuk

A project sponsored in part by:

Learning Engagement through Fun and GamesGames and learning:

Motivate – fun and challenging

Learner-centered

Immediate feedback

Problem-solving

Active learning

Experiential learning

Problem-based learning

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Approaches to Game Design - Reiber (1996)

Exogenous Approach* Play is an overlay on predetermined content.* Enticement to engage in learning tasks that would otherwise be unpleasant (de Castell & Jensen, 2005)

Endogenous Approach* Content is intrinsic to the game play* Learning is incidental to play – “stealth learning” (Prensky, 2001)

Learning Engagement through Fun and GamesExamples in Biosciences

Chemania * Matching chemical names with sounds and formulae* Exogenous – play based drill & practice

Bacteria Blitz* Locate fictional bacteria and identify tools and agents to eliminate them.* Endogenous - timed exploration

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Bacteria Blitz

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Learnings – 100% of users

*Bacteria can be eliminated using different methods

*Different bacteria are eliminated better by some chemicals that others

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Further Research:

Time comparison for knowledge acquisition

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Topic: Inorganic nomenclatureInstructional component: lecture

series Importance: Consistency in the correct recognition

in lab environment for the purposes of conducting lab exercises

Immediacy of nomenclature recognition

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Reinforcement provided by immediate feedback (i.e. correctness of response)

Option(s) for supporting cues (i.e. hint)

Integration of performance expectations (i.e. recommendation that a ‘task’ achieve a specific score within a specified time limit before proceeding to next level)

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Game 1 – auditory promptMadame Curie states the name of an ion;the player must identify the correct formula from symbols on the screen.

Game modes:Bunsen mode (10 questions)Pasteur mode (15 questions) Curie mode (20 questions)

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Game 2The chemical formula is provided; the ‘player’ must identify the correct name.

Game modes:Bunsen mode (10 questions)Pasteur mode (15 questions)Curie mode (20 questions)

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Demo

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Research:Survey conducted in the Spring of 2006 Chm173 (Intro College Chemistry) students:

Gender: 64 female 61 male

Ages: under 20 years 48 21 – 25 years 59 26 – 30 years 7 30+ years 10

Semester affiliation: 88 semester 1 34 semester 2 (repeating)

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

0%20%40%60%80%

100%

disagree agree

New skills and concepts

Learn materials in a new way

Reduced time spent studying text or notes

Better visualization of concept

Results: Learning value

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Results: Value Added

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

disagree agree

Practice inorganic nomenclature

Practice/lecture attendance/reading textbook

Practice/studying from textbook

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Further Research:

Correlation between the use of Chemania & test/exam performance

Fall 2006 (210 – 240 students)

Spring 2007

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Further Development:

Expand the game to include naming of compounds by combination of cations & anions

Explore modes in which students will be able to practice writing formulas (i.e. test requirement)

Make Chemania available to other courses in which chemical nomenclature is needed for review (i.e., second semester general chemistry, organic chemistry, general biology)

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Technology Enhanced Learning Institute: York University & Seneca College

Partially funded by CLOE–Inukshuk Content Development Project

Content and Development:Seneca College School of Communication ArtsSeneca College School of Computer ScienceSeneca College School of Biological Sciences & Applied Chemistry

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games References

Castell, S. and Jenson, J. (2005). Serious Play: Challenges of Educational Game Design. Journal of Curriculum Studies.

Prensky, M. (2001). Digital game-based learning. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Prensky, M. (2002). The Motovation of Gameplay. On the Horozon, Vol. 10 No. 1.

Rieber, L. P. (1996). Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds. Educational Technology Research and Development, Vol. 44 N o. 2.

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Game access

Through CLOE http://cloe.on.ca/

Bacteria Blitz (Temporary)https://uwice.uwaterloo.ca/AngelUploads/Content/None-UW-LT3-CLOE-001/_team/Surface_Cleaning_Game/Cleaning%20Game/CleaningProject_v8.html

Chemania (Temporary)http://contagion.edu.yorku.ca/Dima/Chem/

Learning Engagement through Fun and Games

Contact Information:Dawn Mercer dawn.mercer@senecac.on.ca

Margot Wassenaar-Faber Margot.Wassenaar-Faber@senecac.on.ca

Nick Taylornttaylor@rogers.com