Research of the conditions for using metagames in the study of the foundations of theoretical informatics to improve the quality of educational results of pupils

Abstract

The problem and the aim. The formation of skills in working with information, its critical assessing and analysing, using it for managing actions, communicating with artificial intelligence and other people. These skills serve as important indicators that determine the effectiveness of the didactic system. The inclusion of gamification elements in the educational space of a digital school allows you to create additional conditions for the development of relevant skills. The purpose of the article is to research the conditions for the use of metagames by studying theoretical informatics to improve the quality of educational results of pupils. Research methods. The metagame is applied in different forms such as a series of role-playing games united by a didactic goal, an integrating multisubject educational environment, a game situation involving the obligatory application of external knowledge (information) for the development of the plot. 60 students from Lyceum No. 21, the Railway Educational Centre of Kirov (Russian Federation) took part in the research. The average age of respondents was 16 years (55% of girls and 45% of young people). Metagames are included in the study of theoretical questions on the topics "Information and Knowledge," "Information Perception and Presentation", "Information Processes," "Measurement and Information". The authors have developed materials for a control test, including 45 tasks. Digital services, a graphic editor, interactive simulators are used. Pearson’s criterion χ2 (chi-squared) was used for statistical data processing. Results. The author's approach to understanding the essence of a metagame as a system of story-role-playing or board games united by a common didactic goal is formulated. The results of each stage/round of the metagame are taken into account in a following iteration in some form. Pupils studied an experimental group of topics related to theoretical informatics. This study was supported by the metagames "Counting on Trust," "From Code to Code," "Information Lotto," "Smart Car". Statistically significant differences in the qualitative changes in the pedagogical system were revealed, (χ2 = 9,162; p < 0,05). In conclusion, clarifies the conditions for the use of metagames when studying the foundations of theoretical informatics to improve the quality of educational results. The age characteristics of pupils were taken into account when formulating message texts. Digital services were enabled. The metagames included combination of oral, written communication, interaction over a computer network.