Serious game-based learning and learning by making games: Types of game-based pedagogies and student gaming hours impact students' science learning outcomes

The application of gamification methods is still complex for most Latin American teachers who apply gamified pedagogies. Many confuse their nature with cognitivist classes that are totally confusing when using gamified tools for active learning of their students. The background information states the reduction of academic obstacles for students to perform at a high level, especially when participating in an interactive and combinatorial way with gamification technologies offered by the teacher. We tested the effects of the D-S-F[IR] proposal (dynamics, strategies, feedback, and interactive reinforcement), replicating gamified pedagogical phases with virtual applications, the use of video games in academic underachievement; and a follow-up verbal interactive reinforcement. The method made it possible to develop between 1,600 and 1,800 verbal didactic interactions of knowledge (orientation, questioning, and reassuring). The approach consisted of 60 reinforcement sessions (± 8 months of implementation), for 140 students with low cognitive performance at school (range[age] = 8.5-12.5), who were previously selected and randomly assigned to three comparison groups (EG[1] = 47; EG[2] = 47; CG = 46). The results were evidenced by performance tests, reporting significant improvements in mathematics cognitive performance (F = 53.316; p < 0.05). A specific analysis of performance in science and communication allowed for significant improvement (F = 93.119; F = 85.770; p < 0.05), although no differentiating effects were evident between the experimental groups. It is important to conclude that mixed gamification was responsible for the reduction of the low level of school cognitive performance.

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The Effect of Regular and Innovative Control Devices on Cultivating Creativity in a Game Creating Course in Primary School

Chen,

Su,

Yuan

2024

Education Sciences

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The development of creativity plays a decisive role in the future development of human life as it stimulates divergent thinking and grants the critical ability to innovate and solve problems. Therefore, the question of how to encourage students’ creativity has also attracted the attention of related research in various fields. Our study used the Scratch visual programming tool to allow students to create their own digital games. We used different technological devices as external stimuli during the research process to stimulate students’ creative ideas. We provided four control devices: a keyboard and mouse, PicoBoard, a 65-inch touch screen, and a Wii remote control for 92 fifth-grade students in four S-shaped classes. After a 12-week experimental process, students designed their original Scratch game. The results of the study found that differences in device properties correspond to different items of creativity: devices highly relevant to students’ life experiences improve the flexibility and elaboration of creativity. Innovative controls promote creative originality. The freedom of device control can increase the fluency of creativity. Therefore, providing control devices with different properties will allow teachers to establish learning environments that foster creativity. Finally, we speculate on the impact of other control devices on creativity based on the research results for future reference.

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Serious game-based learning and learning by making games: Types of game-based pedagogies and student gaming hours impact students' science learning outcomes

Cited by 4 publications

References 45 publications

The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Teaching Humanitarian Disciplines

The Use of Information and Communication Technologies in Teaching Humanitarian Disciplines

Effects of feedback dynamics and mixed gamification on cognitive underachievement in school

The Effect of Regular and Innovative Control Devices on Cultivating Creativity in a Game Creating Course in Primary School

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