GameBasedLearning:AnInvestigationofAcademicGrowth

TheUniversityofSouthCarolinasEducationalTechnologyProgram
EDET780ResearchSeminarinEducationalTechnology

May29,2014
DavidCorso
ChrisHumphreys
SarahTolson

Abstract

Gamebasedlearningisadevelopingfieldthatfacilitateslearningintheclassroom.

Gamebasedlearningincorporatesanumberofdesignfeaturesthathelpeducatorspresent
materialandcontentinaninteractiveandengagingway,andgamebasedlearninghelpsdrive
[Link],play,videogames,andvideogameplayuseavariety
oftools,elements,andfeatures,andthisstudyinvestigateshowthesefactorscontributeto
studentlearning,academicacquisition,andadherencetocurricularstandards.

Introduction
[Link]
itsmorningmathlessonsorsocialstudiesattheendoftheday,studentsbecomedetached
fromthelessonandthematerial,andwhenstudentsdisengagefromtheteacherandthe
classroom,theyhavedifficultyconnectingwiththeinformationandunderstandingthecontent.
Fortunately,newresearchandtechnologyareinvestigatingwaystoengageandmotivate

studentlearningaswellasdriveclassroominvolvement,energy,[Link]
beingincorporatedintotheclassroomasgamebasedlearningtocaptivateandfocusstudents.
Gamebasedlearningcomesinavarietyofforms,andsomeformsaremoresuccessfulat
[Link],butdonot
incorporatethelearningaspectofgamebasedlearning:Onereasonforthisunsuccessful
hybridisthatdesignershavetakenachocolatecoveredbroccoliapproachinwhichthegaming
[Link]
designedinawaythatallowsforthelearningmaterialtobedeliveredthroughthepartsofthe
gamethataremostmotivating(Habgood,Ainsworth,&Benford,2005&Bruckman,1999,as
citedinTranetal.,2012,p.1).Thisstudyinvestigatestheroleofgamebasedlearningon
elementaryschoolstudents,anditevaluateshowelementsofgamebasedlearningfacilitate
masteryofcontentandadherencetocurriculum.

GameBasedLearning
Gamebasedlearningisthecombinationofeducationalcontentandgamicproperties,
anditworkstomirrorandimproveupontheeducationalresultsoftraditionallearningmethods
(Prensky,2001).[Link]
anymentaland/orphysicalactivitythatisdefinedbygoals,rules,challenges,afeedback
system,voluntaryparticipation,andresultsinaquantifiableoutcome(Game,[Link],
2011Salen&Zimmerman,2004).Digitalgamebasedlearningisatechnologicaladvancement
ofgamebasedlearning,anditisthemarriagebetweeneducationalcontentandvideogames
(Prensky,2001).Avideogameisacomplexformofdigitalmediathatincorporatesgamic
properties,anditrequirestheactiveinteractionbetweenahumanandcomputer(Galloway,
2006WardripFruin,2009).

Games,videogames,gamebasedlearning,anddigitalgamebasedlearningcomein
differentshapesandflavorshowever,theyinherentlypossessfundamentalfeaturesthatcanbe
[Link](s)ofthegame,[Link]
decisionmakerthatinteractswiththesystemthepurpose(s)ofthegame,[Link]
gamesexistencetheprocedure(s)ofthegame,[Link]
andhelphim/heracquireskillstherule(s)ofthegame,[Link]
playersbehaviortheresistance(s)ofthegame,[Link],opposition,tension,and
conflicttheplayerexperiencestheresource(s)ofthegame,whatobjects,attributes,andstates
theplayeracquiresandusesthefeedback(s)ofthegame,[Link]
respondstoplayeractionsandfinallytheformat(s)ofthegame,[Link]
blackboxformalelementsandthephysicalenginethatcontainsthegame(Dignan,2011
Fullerton,2008).Thecombinationandmanipulationofthesepropertiescreateaunique
experiencethathasaffectsstudentsinvariousways.

ExamplesofGameBasedLearning
Gamebasedlearningoccursthroughnondigitalgames,liketheWorldPeacegame,
throughdigitalgames,likeWiiSports,ingamefocusedschoolsystems,likeQuesttoLearn
schools,withgamicelements,likeavatarrepresentationandexperienceacquisitionin
Classcraft,[Link],thereareelaborate
videogameslikeSimCitythatimmerseplayersinaworldofchallengewhereinplayersactively
[Link],therearebrainfitness
gameslikeMathBlasterthatprovideminitasksforplayerstopracticeinarinseandrepeat
fashion(Green,2012Ito,2009).Educatorscanusegamestoteachspecificlessonslike
fractionsinWiibowling,explorethecomplexdynamicsofmicroworldslikeCivilization,build

interestandengagementonatopicsuchashistorythroughAgeofEmpires,andpractice
specificskillssuchasengineeringandmanagementabilitiesinRollerCoasterTycoon(Foster,
2009Winner,2014VanEck,2006).Asgamebasedlearningcontinuestodevelop,game
designersarecreatingvideogamesforspecificcoursesandcontent,suchasIndustryGiantII
forbusiness,Zapitalismforeconomics,andVirtualUformanagement(Blunt,n.d.).Gamebased
learningincorporatestheseeducationalparadigms,[Link],learninggames,and
edutainment,tocreateasiteoflearning(Ito,2009).

TheEffectsofGameBasedLearning
Gamebasedlearningbringsapricelessphenomenontotheclassroom:[Link]
requiresaparticipanttovoluntarilyinteractwithagame,andthroughhisorhervoluntary
participation,theplayerentersamagiccirclethattransformstheactivityintoentertainmentand
recreation(Huizinga,1955).Throughplay,[Link]
enjoyable,[Link]
learninginthemomentinonesimmediateexperience(Dignan,2011).Gamebasedlearning
promotesstudentexplorationandlearningbymotivatingstudentstointeractwiththeircurrent
situation,[Link],andasDignanandotherresearcherspointout,gamesarelearning
enginesthattrainanddevelopplayers(2011).
Onewaygamesandvideogamesdevelopplayersisthroughcognitivedevelop.
Cognitionistheabilitytothink,andcognitiveabilitiesincludementalprocessesinvolvedin
thinking,likememory,attention,language,andproblemsolving(Goldstein,2011).Various
aspectsoflifetrainanddevelopcognitiveabilities:reading,writing,cooking,driving,ridingabike,
[Link]
educationalsetting,[Link]

gamestrainanumberofcognitiveskills(Croisile,2007Gentileetal.,2012Green&Bavelier,
2012Green&Bavelier2006Green&Bavelier,2003Mayasetal.,2014Oei&Patterson,
2013),andbydevelopingthesecognitiveskills,studentscanmastereducationalcontent(Boyan
&Sherry,2011).
Masteryreferstotheexpertperformanceorliteracyofanindividual,anditoccursthrough
deliberatelearningandpractice(Ericssonetal.,1993).Deliberatelearningconsistsofthreekey
components:settingspecificgoals,obtainingimmediatefeedback,andconcentratingasmuch
ontechniqueasonoutcome(Levitt&Dubner,2009).Gamebasedlearningencourages
deliberatelearningbecauseitprovidesplayerswithanengaginglearningenvironmentthat
motivates,providesfeedback,anddevelopsproblemsolvinganddecisionmakingskills.
Throughacyclicalprocess,gamespromotevolitionthewilltodosomethingandfacultythe
abilitytodoitwhichdrivedeliberatelearning,whichinturndevelopstudentmotivationand
mastery,andultimately,providethestudentwiththewillandabilitytocontinuetotrain(Dignan,
2011).
Games,videogames,andgamebasedlearningcanbecreated,modified,andintegrated
withinstructionalstrategiesforspecificoutcomes,likefosteringactivelearners(VanEck,2006).
Activelearnersembarkonaprocessofdiscoverythroughvideogameplay,allowingstudentsto
[Link]
morelikelytoremembertheirexperiencesandbeabletoconnectthemtofuturesituationsand
aremorelikelytoengageandinvestinthelearninggoalsandoutcomespresentedbythegame
(Barab,Barnett,&Squire,2002&Gee,2004,ascitedbyBlunt,n.d.,p.4).Bluntreferencesthree
researchstudieswithsimilarfindings:studentsusinggamestoreinforceconceptslearnedin
classscoredhigheronassessmentsthantheircounterpartswhodidnotusegamebased
[Link]

gamebasedlearninganditsadvantagesbetweengendersorethnicgroupswhenitcametoa
[Link]&Aguilarstate,goodgamessucceedbecausetheytapintoour
deepseateddesiretolearnandbeengaged(Gee,2003,ascitedinFishman&Aguilar,2012,p.
111).Goodgamespromoteselfefficacy,andaslearnersexperimentandplaythroughagame,
theylearnthatfailure,[Link],isanecessarycomponentofthe
[Link],studentsgainconfidenceandbegintakingrisksinaswell
asownershipoftheireducation.
Games,play,[Link]
psychologicalperspective,theymakelearningmoreaccessible:theypresentinformationina
varietyofways,provideseveralwaystoplanandperformtasks,andmotivateandengage
players(AboutUDL,n.d.).Fromaphysicalperspective,theyaffectseveralareasinthebrain:
sensoryandrecognitionareassuchasthevisualcortex,theauditorycortex,andthe
somatosensorycortex,strategyandexecutionregionslikethepremotorcortex,themotor
cortex,andtheprefrontalcortex,aswellasrewardcentersandaffectivenetworkssuchthe
basalganglia,thelimbicsystem,andstructuresinthemedialforebraincircuit(Gazzaniga,2009
Goldstein,2011Kalat,2013Linden,2011).Inotherwords,games,play,andgamebased
learningusetheentirebraintolearn,andmorebraininvolvementmeansmoreinteractionand
engagementwiththeimmediateexperience.
Gamebasedlearningmakesinformationinteractive,whichallowsaplayertorecognize
andunderstandthatinformationinapersonalway(Figure1Column1).Allowingplayersto
recognizeandunderstandobjects,controls,andothergamicpropertiesisanimportantand
[Link],plan,andexecute
physicalandmentaltasks,theymakechoicestoachievegoalsandobjectives,whichreflect
whattheyknowandhowtheyexpressthatknowledge(Figure1Column2).Eachactionis

coupledwithfeedback,whichpromotesdeliberatelearningandmasterytowardsthetaskat
[Link],feedbackprovidesgratificationforactionsexecutedattherighttime
[Link],they
maintainaconstantlevelofinterest,anditinstillsinthemselfbeliefandconfidencetoachieve
largergoals(Figure1Column3).Studentsshowgreaterattentiontolearningwhentheyhave
clearandspecificgoalsincludingbothshortandlongtermeducationalgoals(Garris,etal.
2002,ascitedinAlkhafajietal.,2012,p.51).Gamebasedlearningischallengingandrewarding,
andgamebasedlearningresearchhasshownthatstudentchoicehasapositiveimpacton
motivationandengagement(Fishman&Aguilar,2012).AsGabeZichermannasserts,
[Link],
anditreducesthefearoffailurebecausestudentsskilllevelscanonlyincrease(Moth,2012).

Figure1:TheUniversalDesignforLearningGuidelinesdepictthreemainprinciples:
Representation,Action,andEngagement.
7

ColumbiaUniversityresearchersLee&Hammerpointout,Gamificationattemptsto
harnessthemotivationalpowerofgamesandapplyittorealworldproblemssuchas,inour
case,themotivationalproblemsofschools(ascitedinArora,2013).Inordertobeeffective,
[Link],[Link]
gameistoodifficult,[Link]
smallmargintokeepthemengaged.(Alkhafajietal.,2012).Teacherscanpersonalize
instructionandassessknowledgethroughgamebasedlearning,whichprovidesthemwith
usefuldataontheirstudents(Millstone,2012).Gamebasedstrategiescanbeappliedto
[Link]
havechoiceofandcontrolovertheirassignments,researchshowsthatstudentsare
[Link],aneducationcourseusedexperiencepointsfor
[Link],
suchasformissingaclassorassignment,theycouldselectassignmentsontheirowntoearn
[Link],studentsworkedtoearnthegradethey
[Link]
greatlyenjoyedthisgameinspiredgradingsystemandmanyworkedharder(Fishman&Aguilar,
2012).

ResearchQuestion
Thisstudyisinterestedinfindingouthow:

Gamesandvideogamescanhelpplayerslearnacademiccontent.

Gamebasedlearningdrivesstudentactivityandifstudentslearnmorethan,lessthan,or
asmuchastraditionalmethods.

Gamebasedlearningandvideogameseducatestudentsoncurricularcontentand
lessons.

Gamebasedlearningengagesandmotivatesstudentsinaproductive/meaningfulway.

Wehypothesizethat:
1. Gamesandvideogameswillhelpplayerslearnandrecallmoreacademiccontent.
2. Gamebasedlearningwilldrivestudentactivitythestudentswilllearnmorethan
studentslearningwithjustatraditionalmethod.
3. Gamebasedlearningandvideogameswilleducatestudentsoncurricularcontentand
lessons,whileenforcingconceptsstudiedwithintheclassroom.
4. Gamebasedlearningwillengageandmotivatestudentsinameaningfulway,makingthe
contentmoreenjoyableandrelevanttothelearners.

Methods
Thisstudywillinvestigatetheuseofgamebasedlearningthroughaquasiexperimental
setupthatinvestigatestheeffectsofgamebasedlearningonstudentachievementand
[Link],[Link]
[Link](n=19)willcomprisethecontrol
group,andtheotherclass(n=21)willcomprisetheexperimentalgamebasedlearninggroup.
Bothclasseswillreceiveastandardintelligencebattery,[Link]
CognitiveAbilities,andabriefquestionnairewillbesenttotheirparentsaskingforpersonal
informationsuchasageandethnicity,athomeactivitiessuchastimespentwatchingtv,playing
sports,videogames,andsoon,aswellasthechildsgeneralinterestsinschoolcoursesand
material.

Bothclasseswillreceivethesamecurriculumandclassstructure,[Link]
withthesametraditionalsetup,standards,[Link],theexperimentalgroupwill
supplementthetraditionalstyleLessons2and3withGameA,Lesson5withGameB,and
Lesson7withGameC.Studentsintheexperimentalgroupwilluse2014computerswith
Windows8toaccessandplayGameA,GameB,[Link],
studentswillbetestedwithtraditionalmethods,[Link],tests,classparticipation,and
[Link],bothclasseswillreceiveanotherintelligence
[Link]
classwillbecomparedalongwiththeresultsfromtheparentquestionnaire,andtheresultswill
beanalyzedusingattestwithindependentsamples.

Results
[Link].

Discussion
Ourhopeisthattheexperimentalgamebasedgroupexperiences:
1. Adeeperunderstandingand/orbetterrecallofthelessonscontent.
2. Motivatestudentstopursuethematerialmore.
3. Moreenjoymentfromtheclassroom.
Oncethestudyisconducted,wellbeabletoanalyzethedatawecollecttodetermine
[Link],welack
thegames,thecontentandcurriculumfocus,andtheage/[Link],
[Link]
[Link],thegamesusedinthestudycouldrangefromfree

10

onlinegamestopurchasablegamesfordeviceslikeaniPadtogamesthatmustbecreatedfor
[Link],theremaybeaspecificgradelevelorcontentareathatwehave
tofocuson.
Limitationsthatcanimpacttheresultsofthestudyincludefactorssuchastheindividual
differencesamongstudentsandthepriorknowledgetheyactivate,learningbehaviors,learning
styles,anyaccommodationstheyneed,accesstothegamesandinteractivematerial,andother
[Link]
[Link],teachers
[Link]
differentwaysandhaveaccesstovariousresources,whichcanimpacttheircomfortlevelwith
thecontent,[Link]
[Link]
technology,orisunabletousegamingtechnology,heorshemaynotbeabletoimplementthe
[Link]
couldhavealargeimpactonthestudy,suchasiftheclassroomhasonetoonetechnologyor
hasahighratioofstudentstotechnologyintheclassroom,whichmayimpacthowthetimeis
allottedforstudentstoplaygames.
Forfutureresearch,wewilldesignastudythatinvestigatestheelementswithineach
game,testthegamesoutsideoftheclassroomenvironment,andthenanalyzethoseresults
usingananalysisofvariance(ANOVA)[Link](s),
purpose(s),procedure(s),rule(s),resistance(s),resource(s),feedback(s),andformat(s)ofthe
[Link],wewouldcomparetheelementsofeachgame,theresultsofeachgroup,andhow
[Link],suchasresourcesor

11

resistances,differedinthemoresuccessfulgroups,wewouldreconstructthegameswiththe
amendedfeaturesandmeasurethenewoutcomes.
[Link]
weunderstandmoreaboutgamebasedlearning,wellbeabletodesignforspecificstudents,
content,[Link],
butratheratremendousvarietyofwaysthatgamebasedandgameinspiredthinkingmay
transformthewaywethinkaboutformaleducation(Fishman&Aguilar,2012,p.116).

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