Light Wars: An Interactive Game-Based Sim Towards A Better Understanding of Interference and Diffraction in Senior High School

Abstract

Interference and diffraction are phenomena of wave behavior discussed at senior high school level of the K-12 curriculum. Common misconceptions and low levels of understanding in this area of Physics often arise due to different factors. Due to these challenges, this study aimed to develop an engaging and educational game-based strategic intervention material called Light Wars. The content and quality of the supplementary material were evaluated by content experts in the field of Physics and students enrolled in grade 11 of the general academic strand in terms of goals and objectives, card design, components and organization, playability and playfulness, and usefulness. Based on the evaluation of the Light Wars after the utilization of the educational material, the content experts and students gave it an excellent rating and recognized it as an effective supplementary material in engaging learners, improving conceptual understanding, and concept retention. Furthermore, this study suggested that Light Wars could be utilized in other disciplines of Physical Science in grade 11 academic strands to further investigate the game’s efficacy. The efficiency of the game in terms of usage between the card component and the actual hybrid game setup was also advised to be determined through comparative research.