Measuring the Effectiveness of Video Games on Summer Learning Loss

Lee Ruhe, Bowling Green State University

Summer learning loss is a phenomenon that has been affecting students whose school

undergo a three month break from academic learning. This creates a constant issue for teachers

at the beginning of every school year as they have to spend weeks reviewing old concepts to

them for the current school year. This study was created to research methods to combat this

issue while keeping to the “relaxing” nature of summer vacation. The method tested in this

study was educational video games, like JumpStart and ClueFinders. The video games were

implemented in a summer camp hosted by a Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA).

Twenty-six summer camp students participated in the study and were either going into third,

fourth, or fifth grade. These students were given a pre-achievement test composed of Math and

Language Art questions pulled from the Ohio 2019 Air Test Released Items.

The days following the pre-achievement test, the students were broken into either a

control or experimental group, with both groups containing 13 students each. The control group

participated in non-academic activities while the experimental group played the educational

video games for 1 hour. These activities continued for 5 days a week, for 5 weeks. A post-

achievement test, which was identical to the pre-achievement test, was given to the students

following the completion of the 5 weeks. Both pre and post-achievement tests were scored and

the differences between the tests were calculated and used to determine is summer learning loss

occurred.

The findings of the study showed that there was evidence of summer learning loss in both

groups, as there was a decrease in correct answers in students between pre and post-achievement

tests. However, the students experimental group who did experience summer learning loss were
found to have a lower number of score differences compared to the control group. More

surprisingly, there were some students in the experimental group that showed either no

knowledge loss or even knowledge gained from the playing of educational video games. In the

experimental group, two students showed no learning loss as indicated with a zero-score

difference, while three students showed an increase in knowledge as indicated with a positive

score difference. Based on these results, the JumpStart and ClueFinders educational video

games have shown to significantly decrease summer learning loss.

With the disguise of a video gaming layout and a story line instead of traditional

worksheets, students become fully engaged and look pass the practicing portions. Video games

have the ability to allow students to constantly practice what they learned in school to move beat

the minigame and move to the next quest. Either playing the video games during recess or the

summer months, evidence indicates that their incorporation in the students’ lives will help them

perform better academically and prepare them for the future.

Biography: Lee Ruhe is a 5th year high school science

teacher at Pandora-Gilboa High School, in Pandora, Ohio.

He earned his undergraduate degree from Bowling Green

State University in Secondary Education, specializing in

Chemistry and Physics and earned his Master’s in

Classroom Technology through Bowling Green State

University in 2021. He has been at Pandora-Gilboa High

School since obtaining his undergraduate degree. Lee is

also the eSports coach for Pandora-Gilboa and an assistant

swim coach for the Putnam Co YMCA swim team.