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Cognitive outcomes from the Game-Design and Learning (GDL) after-school program
... Although free-form GD activities can increase student motivation and engagement [1,5,15,26], Unity-CT introduces specific challenges to students as it requires them to learn how to operate in the complex Unity game engine and learn the CT material, simultaneously, and they often need timely personalized support from the instructor to overcome these difficulties. Although students can ask the instructor for help while working on a challenge, some students do not do it even if they are at an impasse. ...
... Our work provides several novel contributions to research on IPAs for OELEs. First, we investigate the use of IPAs in free-form GD, a learning activity which has gotten increasingly popular in teaching CT to younger students [1,5,15,26], but has not been examined before in IPA research. Second, our IPA is implemented in a real-world commercial OELE for remote learning, whereas previous work was limited to OELEs that are designed specifically for research purposes and evaluated in ad-hoc learning activities [9,12,36,40]. ...
... The Rotation animation (Figure 2.B) shows how the selected object can be correctly rotated in 2D by using a drag-and-drop motion using the outer-most white circle that appears after being selected. 1 The 1-Shot IPA shows each intervention once per student, the first time the corresponding error was observed, for a maximum of two IPA interventions per student. We deployed the 1-Shot IPA in 13 classes with 56 students (more details will be provided in Section 5), and examined the usability of the IPA to ascertain whether there were any changes that would be needed to the design of the interventions for the second version of the IPA that provides repeated interventions. ...
... However, there are conflicting results in the literature. While some studies presented the significant positive effect of learning coding on different cognitive skills such as problem-solving (e.g., Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014), reasoning (e.g., Psycharis & Kallia, 2017), and planning (e.g., Arfé, Vardanega, Montuori, & Lavanga, 2019), others failed to do so for the same outcome variables (e.g., Kalelioglu, 2015;Lai & Yang, 2011). Moreover, earlier studies on the effectiveness of learning to code are based on a pre-test-post-test design, which limits establishing causal effects. ...
... While one of them showed a significant positive effect of learning to code (Psycharis & Kallia, 2017), the other one failed to find a significant effect. In addition to those studies, several studies focused on improving problem-solving via programming (e.g., Akcaoglu, & Koehler, 2014;Fessakis, Gouli, & Mavroudi, 2013;Kalelioglu & Gülbahar, 2014;Mladenović et al., 2016;Shaw, 1986). For example, children who were in a game design and learning group (i.e., an after-school programme where children learn the principles of game design, basics of programming, producing digital media, and problem-solving skills in a game design context) had higher PISA scores compared to children in a control group (Akcaoglu, & Koehler, 2014). ...
... In addition to those studies, several studies focused on improving problem-solving via programming (e.g., Akcaoglu, & Koehler, 2014;Fessakis, Gouli, & Mavroudi, 2013;Kalelioglu & Gülbahar, 2014;Mladenović et al., 2016;Shaw, 1986). For example, children who were in a game design and learning group (i.e., an after-school programme where children learn the principles of game design, basics of programming, producing digital media, and problem-solving skills in a game design context) had higher PISA scores compared to children in a control group (Akcaoglu, & Koehler, 2014). Another study revealed that children who have lower levels of problem-solving skills before learning programming could benefit more from a visual programming language like Scratch compared to a traditional programming language like Python (Mladenović et al., 2016). ...
Background:
Coding has been added to school curricula in several countries, being one of the necessary competencies of the 21st century. Although it has also been suggested to foster the development of several cognitive skills such as computational thinking and problem-solving, studies on the effects of coding are very limited, provide mixed results, and lack causal evidence.
Aim:
This study aims to evaluate the impact of a learn-to-code programme on three cognitive skills in children: computational thinking, fluid intelligence, and spatial orientation, using a randomized trial.
Sample:
One hundred seventy-four (n = 81 girls) 4th-grade children participated in the study.
Methods:
Children were randomly assigned to one of the three 10-week learning programmes: learn-to-code (treatment of interest), mathematics (another STEM-related comparison treatment), and reading (control). Children responded to paper-pencil computational thinking, and spatial orientation measurements, and face-to-face matrix reasoning task at pre- and post-tests.
Results:
Results showed that children's computational thinking scores increased significantly only in the learn-to-code condition. Fluid intelligence significantly increased in all conditions, possibly due to a practice effect. The spatial orientation did not improve in any of the conditions.
Conclusion:
These findings suggested that learning to code can be selectively beneficial for the development of computational thinking skills while not effective for spatial reasoning and fluid intelligence.
... The experience of game design offers a unique way of thinking. For example, during game design projects, students engage in reasoning and trouble-shooting (Akcaoglu and Koehler 2014;Ke 2014). Then, after the project is complete, students retain those skills and can apply them. ...
... Game designers actually develop critical thinking skills, a fundamental component of design thinking (Yang and Chang 2013). Also, designing games has been shown to enhance students' problem-solving skills (Akcaoglu and Koehler 2014;Baytak and Land 2010;Gaskin and Berente 2011;Li 2010) and to push students to think creatively (Li 2010). Together, all these skills embody the essence of design thinking. ...
... Research studies have shown that designing games can help students develop design thinking (Akcaoglu and Koehler 2014;Baytak and Land 2010;Gaskin and Berente 2011;Ke 2014;Li 2010;Yang and Chang 2013). There is a lack of robust research on teachers designing games (An 2018). ...
Society needs creative problem solvers to work towards solutions of complex global issues such as climate change. Design thinking is a way to solve problems creatively. Unfortunately, in-service teachers are largely unfamiliar with design thinking and their students rarely engage in design thinking during class. To familiarize teachers with design thinking, this study provided three teacher cohorts with a game design experience. Utilizing a predefined game design document, participants designed an educational game. To experience a thorough design cycle, teachers worked through two iterations of their design. Using a pre- and post-survey, this exploratory study empirically examined whether teachers gained an understanding of design thinking. Results indicated that the game design experience worked well to improve overall design perceptions; the results showed a consistent, positive trend. Specifically, two of the three cohorts had statistically significant differences (p < .05) while the third cohort had a marginally significant difference (p < .10) from pre- to post-survey. More importantly, after the intervention, teachers from all three cohorts reported an increase in their familiarity with design thinking. Implications for the findings are discussed.
... On the other hand, experimental studies that contrast play versus game creation have found that students who engaged in game creation demonstrated much deeper engagement in their learning than those who only played (Vos et al., 2011). A study comparing two summer camp groups found that the game-making group demonstrated measurable improvements in problem-handling (Akcaoglu, 2014). As part of this experimental group, 20 students developed problem-solving skills by designing and testing video games using Microsoft Kodu (Akcaoglu, 2014). ...
... A study comparing two summer camp groups found that the game-making group demonstrated measurable improvements in problem-handling (Akcaoglu, 2014). As part of this experimental group, 20 students developed problem-solving skills by designing and testing video games using Microsoft Kodu (Akcaoglu, 2014). The control group consisted of 24 students who played Kodu games to exercise their problem-solving skills. ...
This study describes an experiment in which engineering students create serious games (SG) that tackle problems relevant to their jobs. This experiment was conducted as part of the “Business Games” module we taught students enrolled in the Master’s program “Innovation Management” at the National School of Engineers of Tunis. By asking these engineers to create their games, we first aim to confirm that this reinforces their mastery of the course content. It also allows them to apply the concepts they have learned. We also intend to innovate by basing the module evaluation on students’ games. Sensitizing these engineers to the value of SG within the organization is a crucial part of our objectives. To create their games, we asked the students to use the Scratch environment. At the end of the semester, the students presented their achievements and completed a questionnaire. Its results reveal that the experiment was highly appreciated by the students and that, overall, we achieved our objectives. This article discusses SGs and how their development affects student learning. Moreover, these engineers indicated that before developing their games, they carefully reviewed the course material. To create their games, they also studied job details. Students generally liked Scratch and mentioned some of its weaknesses. The students asked that the experiment be repeated with other modules the following year. Although we have achieved our goals, improvements should be made if this experiment is repeated.
... Another large number of papers also focused on developing and measuring cognitive and soft skills. Using game design as a context to teach higher-order thinking skills has drawn attention from researchers since schools usually place heavy emphasis on covering and delivering content knowledge [110]. Moreover, this could be useful not only in educational contexts, as we have seen some studies that measure cognitive skills for medical purposes (e.g., rehabilitation) [68], [71]. ...
... What data are going to be collected is as important as how to collect these data, and another present challenge is the design of games for specific assessment purposes. Akcaoglu & Koehler [110] indicated that games that present a hidden questionnaire format do not engage learners, while welldesigned games can engage learners in reflective thinking [117]. Although we identified a few papers with the main objective of providing a good game design, many of them have developed an excellent game for other purposes. ...
Technology has become an essential part of our everyday life, and its use in educational environments keeps growing. In addition, games are one of the most popular activities across cultures and ages, and there is ample evidence that supports the benefits of using games for assessment. This field is commonly known as game-based assessment (GBA), which refers to the use of games to assess learners' competencies, skills, or knowledge. This paper analyzes the current status of the GBA field by performing the first systematic literature review on empirical GBA studies. It is based on 65 research papers that used digital GBAs to determine: (1) the context where the study has been applied; (2) the primary purpose; (3) the domain of the game used; (4) game/tool availability; (5) the size of the data sample; (6) the computational methods and algorithms applied; (7) the targeted stakeholders of the study; and (8) what limitations and challenges are reported by authors. Based on the categories established and our analysis, the findings suggest that GBAs are mainly used in K-16 education and for assessment purposes, and that most GBAs focus on assessing STEM content, and cognitive and soft skills. Furthermore, the current limitations indicate that future GBA research would benefit from the use of bigger data samples and more specialized algorithms. Based on our results, we discuss current trends in the field and open challenges (including replication and validation problems), providing recommendations for the future research agenda of the GBA field.
... Among the programs that have gained momentum in CSEd is the use of game-design activities not only to teach CS but also to introduce students to an engaging and meaningful context for design and higher-order thinking skills (Akcaoglu, 2014;Denner et al., 2012;Kafai & Burke, 2016). NSF-funded efforts, like Repenning's Scalable Game Design (Basawapatna et al., 2010), our previous work (e.g., Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014), and state-wide efforts target teaching CS through game-design courses have demonstrated how educators can develop robust and engaging game-design based CS learning. Almost all the previous game-design CS efforts, however, incorporated software that were visually attractive but limited in their real-world usage or immediate relevance. ...
... Our curriculum was informed by an interrelated network of theories in learning and instructional design, curricular standards, student needs, and the desired learning outcomes the school districts value. Both our previous Game Design and Learning (GDL) curriculum and courses (e.g., Akcaoglu, 2014Akcaoglu, , 2016Akcaoglu & Green, 2019;Akcaoglu & Kale, 2016;Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014) that we taught to hundreds of K-12 students and preservice teachers in various formal and informal school settings to teach higher-order thinking and game-design skills, as well as Repenning's similar work with the Scalable Game Design (SGD) project (e.g., Repenning et al., 2015) will provide theoretical and practical design guidance. Below, we discuss how the specific applications from this previous work inform our current curriculum design and curriculum development model. ...
In this paper, we describe the design, development, and implementation of a curriculum based on teaching computer science using an industry-standard game-design software: Unity 3D. We discuss the theoretical underpinnings of our instructional design process and steps we have taken to introduce complexity and maintain student motivation. We discuss the challenges of this implementation and possible solutions and detail the additional steps related to teacher professional development, which is a key element for success of new and innovative curricular implementations such as ours.
... Another large fraction of papers also focused on developing and measuring cognitive skills. Using game design as a context to teach higher-order thinking skills has received interest from researchers, since schools usually place a heavy emphasis on covering and delivering content knowledge [100]. Moreover, this could be useful not only in educational contexts, as we have seen some studies that measure cognitive skills for medical purposes (e.g., rehabilitation) [62,59]. ...
... Which data are going to be collected is as important as how to collect these data, and another present challenge is the design of games for specific assessment purposes. Akcaoglu & Koehler [100] reported that games that present a hidden questionnaire format do not engage learners, while well-designed games can engage learners in reflective thinking [106]. Although we identified few papers with the main objective of providing a good game-design in our review, many of them have developed an excellent game for other purposes. ...
Technology has become an essential part of our everyday life, and its use in educational environments keeps growing. In addition, games are one of the most popular activities across cultures and ages, and there is ample evidence that supports the benefits of using games for assessment. This field is commonly known as game-based assessment (GBA), which refers to the use of games to assess learners' competencies, skills, or knowledge. This paper analyzes the current status of the GBA field by performing the first systematic literature review on empirical GBA studies, based on 66 research papers that used digital GBAs to determine: (1) the context where the study has been applied, (2) the primary purpose, (3) the knowledge domain of the game used, (4) game/tool availability, (5) the size of the data sample, (6) the data science techniques and algorithms applied, (7) the targeted stakeholders of the study, and (8) what limitations and challenges are reported by authors. Based on the categories established and our analysis, the findings suggest that GBAs are mainly used in formal education and for assessment purposes, and most GBAs focus on assessing STEM content and cognitive skills. Furthermore, the current limitations indicate that future GBA research would benefit from the use of bigger data samples and more specialized algorithms. Based on our results, we discuss the status of the field with the current trends and the open challenges (including replication and validation problems) providing recommendations for the future research agenda of the GBA field.
... To better explain the results, we summarized the conditions under which multiple effect sizes appeared in a single sample (study). These types encompassed (a) various interventions (e.g., Hungi & Ngware, 2017), (b) various measurements (e.g., Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014), and (c) various independent samples (e.g., Johnson, Gupta, Rosen, & Rosen, 2013), and the last condition may be the one most likely to cause within-group variances (cf Konstantopoulos, 2011.). Second, concerning these conditions, there are three possible corresponding reasons why the between-group variances were larger. ...
... Second, a lack of changes in the experimental design and sample variables within specific study may cause the homogeneity in different effect sizes within a sample. Third, the studies did not report the variations in some patient background variables; for example, samples in the research of Akcaoglu and Koehler (2014) came from the United States and Turkey, but only combined results were reported, thereby causing an overestimation of between-group variance and an underestimation of within-group variance to some extent (because we coded the region of this sample as mixed). ...
Private tutoring has been welcomed by populations worldwide. However, there is a lack of synthesis of relevant experimental research. A three-level meta-analysis model and the robust variance estimation method were fitted to synthesize 78 effect sizes of 22 experimental studies (involving 6750 participants) in recent 20 years. The results showed medium overall effect sizes in the single-group pretest-posttest (SPP), independent-groups posttest (IP), and independent-groups pretest–posttest (IPP) conditions (d1 = 0.59, d2 = 0.42, d3 = 0.67); publication bias existed only in IP condition; and among all 13 moderators, the moderating effects of two variables (region and subject) were found. The discussion of the findings and issues related to the results and meta-analysis makes recommendations for future research themes and methods.
... effectively support the acquisition of CT at a young age, while significantly increasing student interest, motivation and engagement [1,3,5,9,18]. There is, however, evidence that learners often need support during such GD activities, because their exploratory and open-ended nature can be conducive to confusion, lack of creativity, or difficulty in quantifying progress [27]. ...
... In this paper, we investigate how to provide such personalized assistance for a specific GD-based learning environment, designed by UME Academy Ltd. 1 , a Vancouver-based company, to foster CT skills for elementary school students, using the popular game engine Unity. In this environment (Unity-CT from now on), students are given "challenges" asking to design incremental video game components that meet specific constraints, in a classroom setting with the help of an instructor. ...
... Methods to teach ill-structured or complex problem solving should involve design and can be achieved through modern software such as game-design (Akcaoglu & Green, 2019). These tools not only are good for practicing complex problem-solving skills (Akcaoglu, Gutierrez, Hodges, & Sonnleitner, 2017), but are engaging by nature and help students practice additional key skills such as coding (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). ...
... Starting with the LOGO programming language, researchers believe that the process of thinking involved in commanding a computer (i.e., coding) requires students to systematically create and solve problems, and computers can be what Papert called "tools-to-think-with" (Papert, 1980). This idea of using computers to learn and teach problem solving has been carried to today's world with the help of modern software such as Scratch or Microsoft Kodu, where the abstract notions in computer programming have been made easier by making them more tangible through visual aids as in block-based programming (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). ...
Problem solving is perhaps the key characteristic that makes us human. Given the kinds of problems that we face in a competitive economy and society, the new generation of learners is ever more required to have problem-solving abilities. By drawing from the literature on technological pedagogical content knowledge, design thinking, general and specific methods of problem solving, and role of technologies for solving problems, this article highlights the importance of problem solving for future teachers and discusses strategies that can help them become good problem solvers and understand the requirements of teaching their students problem solving in technology-rich contexts. This article consists of two main parts. Part 1 focuses on strategies required to help preservice teachers to be better problem solvers, and Part 2 summarizes approaches to introduce preservice teachers to the methods of teaching problem solving. The strategies reviewed provide a tangible guidance for teacher education programs regarding how to promote future teachers’ problem-solving skills.
... On the other hand, authors like Akcaoglu and Koehler (2014) and Lishinski et al. (2016) have defended that exposing students to computational thinking ideas improves, in addition to their problem-solving abilities, their critical thinking skills. This statement is based on evidence such as the study by Akcaoglu and Koehler (2014) in which the PISA problem-solving test was used to measure this capacity in middle school students that used a Scratch-based curriculum, significantly increasing their PS skills compared to a control group. Yadav et al. (2011) argued that new generations, despite being "digital natives", have not developed the capability of PS using digital devices. ...
... After analysing the concept of CCT, and considering the lack of activities for developing these skills for adults, we proposed the idea of using the evaluation of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) on Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments (PS-TRE) (OECD, 2013). In already mentioned works, such as that of Akcaoglu and Koehler (2014), the PS test was used by PISA to measure this capacity in middle school students in order to analyse their CCT. Therefore, our starting point was to consider if the OECD programme aimed at adults, PIAAC, could also be applied not only for the same purposes of assessment but also to orient the teaching-learning work with adults, given the activities that they have to resolve during the test. ...
In this article, the authors argue that, within the framework of the current information society and the development of Industry 4.0, a revolution hinges on a stock of skills on which adults in general—and adult workers in particular—need to be trained in order to be prepared for the change and improve their employability. Within these skills, we find computational and critical thinking (CCT) as two key skills for workers which are not being developed in adult education. In this contribution, we propose a conceptualisation of both kinds of thinking, associating them with the Problem Solving in Technology Rich Environments variable of the OECD PIAAC survey. This allows us to propose a CCT training methodology for adults based on Vanek’s (2017) work and to measure and analyse this relevant skill, making it easier to promote CCT teaching-learning in adult education courses.
... Computer games, which are very popular among young students, provide an attractive and effective learning environment for presenting digital literacy skills with a new curriculum (Owston, Wideman, Ronda, & Brown, 2009). In parallel with game-based learning, there is an increasing interest in literature for students to design and develop their games (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Denner, Campe, & Werner, 2019;Howland, Good, & du Boulay, 2015). This increasing interest in game development activity might result from the dissemination of technology-based constructivist learning environments in which students actively learn topics through experimental and exploratory ways (Allsop, 2016). ...
... Game design and development for learning is a highly complex and cognitively difficult process (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Denham & Guyotte, 2018;Robertson & Nicholson, 2007). According to , building a game is a challenging task, since games are dynamic systems which respond to decisions made by players. ...
This study aims to investigate the factors that enable or hinder the implementation of game development activity in the instructional process. One instructor and 15 gifted students between the ages of 11 and 15 took part in the study. The students developed computer games related to science topics using MS Kodu game engine within the implementation process. According to the findings, it is seen that instructional practices have great importance, and the instructor plays a key role in the activity. Making and playing games have been the greatest motivation resource for students. In addition, the social environment can be an important tool in sustaining students' motivation levels. The students' negative attitudes toward educational game topics and non-computer activities hinder the successful implementation of the activity. The MS Kodu game engine might be appropriate for novice designers but not be enough for teaching programming concepts. Team-based game development activity is believed to be useful for developing advanced games and increasing the level of interaction between students.
... Furthermore, games can be created for any content and difficulty level in these game design platforms (Yang and Chang 2013). Previous studies have shown that GDA supports students' skills in problem-solving (Akcaoglu 2014;Akcaoglu and Koehler 2014;Hwang et al. 2014;Ruggiero and Green 2017) and creative thinking (Eow et al. 2010;Navarrete 2013). Some studies indicate that GDA increases student motivation (Vos et al. 2011), academic success (Hwang et al. 2014;Yang and Chang 2013), and digital literacy skills (Owston et al. 2009). ...
... During the development stage, the students in the current study attempted to find alternative solutions to the problems they encountered. There are studies in the literature showing that GDA improves the problem-solving skills of students (Akcaoglu 2014;Akcaoglu and Koehler 2014;Hwang et al. 2014;Ruggiero and Green 2017). Our findings are consistent with previous studies. ...
The purpose of this research is to investigate students’ learning experiences in a systematic game development process. The study was conducted at a science and arts center, where gifted students can enroll in after-school activities. Fifteen students and one instructor participated in a 12-week problem-solving implementation. During the last five weeks of the process, the students were engaged in developing educational computer games based on a game design model. Our findings showed that the game design model used in the study allowed the students to become aware of professional game development activities, such as identifying a target audience, prototyping, and evaluation. Furthermore, this game design model enabled a more systematic and faster implementation of the game development activity. The results of the research also showed that game development activity yielded important educational outcomes for the students to become skillful at problem-solving and convey their feelings/thoughts to the artifacts through the experience of the design process.
... By associating, re-arranging, and extending knowledge stored in the memory to achieve a specific goal (Nkhoma et al., 2017;Wijnen et al., 2021), these skills are usually classified as computational thinking, problem-solving, creative thinking, and critical thinking (Chen & Chi, 2022;Hwang et al., 2018;Kaberman & Dori, 2009;Scherer & Tiemann, 2014). Among these, computational thinking refers to the ability to effectively use computer-based concepts to solve problems and to be able to transfer knowledge (Tsarava et al., 2022), whereas problem-solving implies the ability to identify, analyze, and select the most effective solution to a problem in a given situation (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Lu et al., 2021). In addition, creative thinking refers to the ability to develop innovative ideas or products by elaborating, refining, analyzing, and evaluating existing ideas or products (Bray et al., 2020). ...
Learning engagements in programming learning activities are critical to developing students' higher-order thinking skills. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between K-12 students' learning engagement levels (i.e., cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and behavioral engagement) and higher-order thinking skills (i.e., computational thinking, problem solving, creative thinking, and critical thinking) in programming learning, and the moderating effects of behavioral engagement and emotional engagement on this relationship. A total of 714 K-12 students in China's Zhejiang Province participated in this study and completed an online questionnaire, which included the learning engagement scale and the high-order thinking tendency scale. Cross-sectional survey data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and hierarchical multiple regression as a way to examine the relationship between the variables. The results showed that cognitive engagement, emotional engagement, and behavioral engagement were all key factors in developing those students' higher-order thinking for programming learning activities in K-12 students during associated activities. Furthermore, when the students' emotional engagements were elevated, the positive relationships between cognitive engagement, computational thinking, and creative thinking were closer. Inversely, when students' behavioral engagement was high, the positive relationship between cognitive engagement and critical thinking, and the positive relationship between emotional engagement and problem-solving and critical thinking became looser. These results can help deepen educators' understanding of the relationship between learning engagement and higher-order thinking skills to facilitate their search for effective strategies to improve programming instruction. Additionally, it can provide a more precise research direction for the broader development of programming education.
... Papert's (1980) early work indicated that programming could be a powerful approach to teaching CT to young students. However, novices can rarely build effectively running computer programs at the first attempt and must perform multiple debugging iterations to correct the faulty outcomes (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). ...
Reintroducing computer science (CS) education in K-12 schools to promote computational thinking (CT) has attracted significant attention among scholars and educators. Among the several essential components included in CS and CT education, program debugging is an indispensable skill. However, debugging teaching has often been overlooked in K-12 contexts, and relevant empirical studies are lacking in the literature. Moreover, novices generally have poor performance in domain knowledge and strategic knowledge concerning debugging. They also consistently experience a high cognitive burden in debugging learning. To address these gaps, we developed a flipped systematic debugging approach combined with a systematic debugging process (SDP) and the modeling method. A quasi-experimental study was conducted to explore the effectiveness of this flipped systematic debugging approach, in which 83 fifth-grade students attended the flipped debugging training lessons with the SDP-modeling method, and 75 fifth-grade students attended the unassisted flipped debugging training lessons without the SDP-modeling method. The results indicated that flipped de-bugging training using the SDP-modeling method improved students' debugging skills. The results from the questionnaire showed that the proposed teaching approach increased the students' investment in germane cognitive load by promoting schema construction. It also helped reduce students' intrinsic and extraneous cognitive load in learning.
... A field with considerable research interest on its own, educational gaming has been examined for its impact on both cognitive development (Merino-Armero et al., 2021;Shute et al., 2015) and its impact on skills and knowledge acquisition for a variety of fields (Leroy et al., 2021;Tan et al., 2013;Tang et al., 2020). Furthermore, the process of educational game design has been approached through a variety of lenses, three of which include: (a) cognitive skills development on behalf of learners/creators (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014), its impact on mathematical thinking (Kalmpourtzis, 2019a), as well as the development of game design skills for the very purpose of designing new educational games (Kalmpourtzis, 2019b;Katsaounidou et al., 2019). Game design in the context of education has also been examined for its impact on problem solving and problem 1posing situations (Chang et al., 2012) with a greater focus on students' lack of motivation which stems from the field's difficulty (English, 1998). ...
Taking into account the profound impact of technology on modern education, especially during the covid19 pandemic, increasing academic interest has focused towards the design and application of such tools on different learning contexts. A specific area of Human–Computer Interaction, called affordance theory, focuses on the perception, design and use of different technologies by educators and learners in learning contexts. This paper explores the impact of affordances in the process of creative problem in the context of playful educational robotics, with an intension of informing the design of future educational experiences around the field. The study capitalizes upon previous affordance propositions and frameworks in order to establish an affordance-based framework in the scope of playful educational robotics contexts, through the adoption of a qualitative research methodology, which was considered more appropriate as an exploratory tool. As part of the qualitative analysis, the study is mapping different types of affordances, related to such technologies, as well as an iterative creative problem-solving process that stems from learners’ interactions with robotic artifacts, like the CreaCube playful robotics activity, which is presented in this study.
... They provide opportunities to students throughout the year to improve themselves in the fields they want. After-school courses increase academic achievement (Acar & Vural, 2018;Grolnick et al., 2007;Gürbüz, 2009;Shernoff, 2010) and improve problem-solving skills (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). In the meta-analysis study conducted by Durlak et al. (2010) on after-school programs, 68 studies are examined. ...
After-school courses include programs in which students participate voluntarily according to their wishes and interests. In after-school coding course, which is one of these programs, block-based coding tools are studied and practiced in small groups in general. These courses have many positive effects, such as increasing the students' school performance and supporting their positive attitudes. In addition, social emotional learning, which covers the features desired by today's business world, can be supported by these courses. In literature, there are studies on the role and tasks of the teacher in formal education; however, there are no studies on determining the roles and tasks of the teacher in after-school courses. This study aims to examine the role and tasks of the teacher in the coding courses after school based on social emotional learning. For this purpose, one-on-one and focus group interviews were conducted with seven teachers who gave after-school coding courses. Content and frame analysis were performed on the obtained data, and three themes emerged: peer relations, self-regulation, and task consciousness. As a result of the study, it was seen that teachers fulfill the roles of observer, communicator, manager, counselor, organizer, and supporter.
... But gamification has contingent effects on different students. Researchers have done empirical teaching for different game elements and students at different stages in recent years, such as undergraduate management students [8], fourth grade students, and junior high school students [9]. They integrate game elements into the classroom, and after a period of teaching activities, they verify the impact of gamification teaching based on student feedback. ...
... Digital games have motivational (de Jong et al., 2018) and interest-driven aspects (Fields & Kafai, 2018). Digital games also support and enable students to effectively learn problem-solving, decision-making, collaboration, and literacy (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Fields & Kafai, 2018). Digital game-making in a classroom setting also increases students' engagement and collaboration (Boulton et al., 2017;Hughes-Roberts et al., 2020). ...
Digital games offer opportunities for students and teachers through designing, coding, and playing. The maker movement via digital games in education has become popular. Although the maker movement is challenging to accomplish in the classroom environment, digital game-making, which is digital game development under the maker movement approach, produced favorable results among students in formal education. This paper reviews digital games, learning through digital games, digital game-making, theories behind game-making, what digital game-making is for, the importance of helping teachers to get ready for making, and digital game-making in class practices. Digital game-making is for (a) supporting various identity developments, (b) increasing digital literacy, and (c) embracing object-to-think-with. Preparing teachers for digital game-making integration enables teachers to (a) use game-making as a means for Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge, (b) get more confident and empowered, and (c) form learning communities. Teachers’ roles while digital game-making in classrooms are a) managing collaboration and communication, (b) assessing learning, and (c) scaffolding.
... These games offer similar situations through simulation, giving us the opportunity to think, understand, preparation and implement actions [24]. Digital, computer, and video learning games enhance a wide range of cognitive skills [25], requiring players to master skills such as adaptation to change, strategic and analytical thinking, and decision making [26], and can also improve problem-solving skills [27]. ...
Games in their various forms in the world today have become both a growing market in the commercial industry and are being developed and studied in various disciplines. While in Iran, most researchers in this field, especially newcomers who want to work on games, do not know the terms of different concepts or use terms that are incorrect and irrelevant to their work. To address this issue, a literature review was conducted and definitions of different types of game concepts were reviewed. Then these definitions (digital, computer and video games / digital, computer and video learning games / serious games / serious games based on instructional content & training / gamification) and their relationship and distinction are expressed and finally their boundaries are specified in the form of a diagram. In general, the purpose of this article is to introduce and define different concepts in the field of gaming for researchers in this field.
... While CT was not directly measured during this program, the design process, including highly precise specification of games and the mobile technology behaviors in the game, exercises students' CT through decomposition, abstraction, and debugging. Prior work has shown that students who create games demonstrate facets of CT that are central to success in STEM fields, such as higher performance in problem solving, strategy use, system analysis and decision-making skills (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Vos et al., 2011). Future implementations of the Game Play and Design Framework through educator PD programs and classroom studies intend to encompass measures of CT to assess whether students develop such areas of higher level thinking skills through the game creation component of the Game Play and Design Framework. ...
This emerging technology report introduces the WearableLearning (WL) platform as a tool to exercise computational thinking and STEM learning for 5-12th grade students through mobile technology-augmented active game play and game creation. Freely available at WearableLearning.org, it allows students and teachers to play, create, debug, and manage multiplayer, active games. To date, WearableLearning has been used in schools and afterschool programs by roughly 500 students and 25 teachers to create games covering STEM curricular content. WearableLearning enables the creation of physically active and social games, while offering possibilities for research on computational thinking, embodied cognition, collaborative learning, game-based learning, and practical applications of technology in STEM classrooms.
... Jadi, dalam paradigma yang ada di Indonesia guru berkualitas adalah guru yang dapat memenuhi kompetensi profesional padegogik, personal serta sosial. Karakteristik ini merupakan pola dalam pendidikan yang mana ideology bangsa, tujuan pembangunan serta konsep pendidikan universal sudah menjadi bahan pertimbangannya (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). ...
p class="05Abstrak">Abstract
The purpose of this study is to find out about the efforts or strategies for implementing teacher professionalism during the pandemic because learning activities are no longer carried out face-to-face but are completely digital / online. This type of research is field research with a descriptive qualitative approach that tries to explore the meaning of teacher professionalism as a step to develop the quality of educational institutions while still adjusting educational goals. The results of this study indicate that the majority of MI Hikmatun Najah teachers can implement their professionalism through online learning properly and right. They still carry out their duties and obligations in a professional manner even though the learning process is online / online. This research also shows that teachers can put their professionalism in accordance with the place and conditions.
Abstrak
Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui tentang upaya-upaya atau strategi implementasi profesionalisme guru pada masa pandemi dikarenakan kegiatan pembelajaran tidak lagi dilakukan dengan tatap muka melainkan dengan serba digital/online. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian lapangan dengan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif yang mencoba mengeksplorasi makna profesionalisme guru sebagai langkah mengembangkan mutu lembaga pendidikan dengan tetap menyesuaikan tujuan pendidikan.. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa mayoritas guru MI Hikmatun Najah dapat mengimplementasikan sikap profesionalisme mereka melalui pembelajaran online dengan baik dan tepat. Mereka tetap melaksanakan tugas dan kewajiban mereka secara profesional walaupun proses pembelajaran melalui online/daring. Penelitian ini juga menunjukkan bahwa para guru dapat menempatkan sikap profesionalisme mereka sesuai dengan tempat dan kondisi.</p
... Game design, as a feature of some GBL activities and as an innate process of creation and creative thinking, may improve students' problem-solving skills on two levels; teachers can provide meaningful in-game feedback and also engage their students in a GBL activity that helps them to develop coding skills. Akcaoglu & Koehler [9] asserted that the process of designing games resulted in substantial cognitive changes in students' problem-solving capabilities. ...
The importance of Game-Based Learning (GBL) for student learning is increasingly recognized as beneficial for engagement, creativity and motivation. While further research is needed to explore the multi-faceted tenets of GBL, vocational education teachers may experience difficulties in finding appropriate and relevant materials as well as applying GBL methods in their classroom. This paper presents the development of a platform that VET teachers can use to find, create and share GBL teaching resources. The Erasmus+ project GATE:VET is creating a platform, consisting of an online wiki and a mobile application, that supports educational professionals to understand theoretical and practical aspects of GBL, with the goal of enabling these teachers to design and implement GBL activities in their practice. This paper highlights some of the challenges and strategies for solving these issues when consolidating varied requirements into one platform to create an accessible, user-friendly and relevant point of departure for using GBL, with emphasis on the appropriate level of complexity when describing the theory of GBL and linking it to practical examples.
... Through game-based teaching, there is room for improvement in thinking abilities, cognitive skills, and mental maps (Sausa & Rocha, 2019). In addition, game-based teaching helps in developing effective teaching, enhances the thinking process, and improves problemsolving skills (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). In the education sector, game-based teaching allows participants to be more optimistic, creative, ambitious, improving mental maps, and visualization ability (Micheal & Chen, 2005). ...
Research related to Game-Based Teaching (GBT) has intensified recently with the increase in the technological advancement of teaching methodologies. The adoption of GBT leads to several benefits for improved learning and skills development. However, there have been few researchers focusing on the application of GBT for developing leadership skills in business courses. Our study incorporated three distinct teaching games in five different courses over a period of two semesters in the 2019-2020 academic years. The study included students enrolled in the M.S. of Science degree program in leadership and organization development. Each course had 36-40 participants, with a total of 397 students who participated in the study. The students were asked to execute a survey. 327 responses were received, which constituted an 82% response rate. The survey examined the pre-game, in-game, and post-game leadership skills. A total of 31 leadership skills were examined during the study using factor analysis. The findings of the study suggest that using a GMT to enhance leadership skill development including critical thinking, commitment, agility, innovation, creativity, motivation, conflict management, innovation, creativity, and team building is very effective. The results of the study revealed the leadership skills that were developed using the games and those that were underdeveloped and needed to be further improved.
... The Game-Design and Learning initiative (GDL) implements hands-on game design and programming activities for primary students participating in after-school, inschool, and summer programs. Students who participated in the initiative show significant improvement in their problemsolving skills [20]. ...
... In addition to that, coding activities are one of the most popular and remarkable teaching methods in the field of geometry. Through coding, students develop skills in problem solving (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Kukul & Gökçe Arslan, 2014;Shin & Park, 2014) and operational thinking (Brennan & Resnick, 2012;Grover & Pea, 2013;Ruthmann, Heines, Greher, Laidler, & Saulters, 2010), and their academic achievement increased (Taylor, Harlow, & Forret, 2010). Moreover, it has been determined that origami facilitates students' geometry skill (Arslan & Işıksal-Bostan, 2016;Boakes, 2009) and educational games increase students' motivation (Fisch, 2005;Gee, 2003;Samur, 2012), engagement (Huizenga, Admiraal, Akkerman, & ten Dam, 2009) and achievement (Ke & Grabowski, 2007;Tüzün, Yılmaz-Soylu, Karakuş, İnal, & Kizilkaya, 2009). ...
The aim of this study is to determine the effect of activity-enriched geometry teaching methods on elementary school students' perceptions, attitudes and self-efficacy towards geometry. In this context, the mixed method was determined to be the research design. Within the scope of the study, a training process was carried out with 22 students who had completed sixth grade and started seventh grade. As a result of the study, where qualitative and quantitative data collection tools were used, it was concluded that there were positive developments in students' perceptions and self-efficacies, but their attitudes did not change by the end of the training process.
... While CT was not directly measured during this program, the design process, including highly precise specification of games and the mobile technology behaviors in the game, exercises students' CT through decomposition, abstraction, and debugging. Prior work has shown that students who create games demonstrate facets of CT that are central to success in STEM fields, such as higher performance in problem solving, strategy use, system analysis and decision-making skills (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014;Vos et al., 2011). Future implementations of the Game Play and Design Framework through educator PD programs and classroom studies intend to encompass measures of CT to assess whether students develop such areas of higher level thinking skills through the game creation component of the Game Play and Design Framework. ...
Smith, H., Closser, A. H., Ottmar, E., & Arroyo, I. (2020). Developing mathematics knowledge and computational thinking through game play and design: A professional development program. Contemporary Issues in Technology and Teacher Education, 20(4).
Abstract. The Game Play and Design Framework is a project-based instructional method to engage teachers and students with mathematics content by utilizing technology as a vehicle for game play and creation. In the authors’ prior work, they created a technology tool and game editing platform, the Wearable Learning Cloud Platform (WLCP), which enables teachers and students to play, create, and experience technology-augmented learning activities. This paper describes a 14-week Game Play and Design professional development program in which middle school teachers played, designed, tested, and implemented mathematics games in the classroom with their own students. Examples are included of teacher-created games, feedback from the students’ experience designing games, and evidence of student learning gains from playing teacher-created games. This work provides a pedagogical approach for educators and students that utilizes the benefits of mobile technologies and collaborative learning through games to develop students’ higher-level thinking in STEM classrooms.
Full Text Available Here:
https://citejournal.org/volume-20/issue-4-20/mathematics/developing-mathematics-knowledge-and-computational-thinking-through-game-play-and-design-a-professional-development-program/
... The components of each test question required students to read texts, graphs, or tables to solve the problems. The information to solve the problems was incorporated in the available resources so all answers could be found without requiring additional domain knowledge (Akcaoglu & Koehler, 2014). The students were given fifty minutes during their regularly scheduled class time to complete as many test questions as possible. ...
This study examines the usage of an Augmented Reality (AR) supported, simulation-based immersive learning environment to teach complex problem-solving skills. This study focuses on comparing student performance in complex problem solving between those that learn using AR supported, simulation-based group problem-solving activities as opposed to those learning through non-AR supported group problem-solving activities.
This study consisted of a pretest and posttest control group design which evaluated the individual performance of forty-eight participants on a complex, real-world problem solving, written examination. This investigation included the use of group observations as well as group interviews within the process. The treatment group participated in AR supported, simulation-based group problem-solving exercises that focus on complex problem solving. The control group participated in a non-AR supported version of the simulation-based group problem-solving exercises that focus on complex problem solving.
The AR supported, simulation-based immersive learning system used replicated the tasks and responsibilities of the flight crew and mission control team for the retired NASA Space Transportation System or “Space Shuttle.” The simulation system included the launch phase, orbit insertion and subsequent landing at the Kennedy Space Center with the addition of in-flight emergencies to replicate complex problem-solving events.
The results of this investigation demonstrate that an AR supported, simulation-based immersive learning system can significantly make a difference in student complex problem-abilities as determined by a written test. This difference was also supported by the observations of the Research group participants and the selected interviews conducted during the investigation.
... They have also pedagogical benefits in learning [58], as they are based on problem-solving and active thinking [59] especially in the way lessons have been designed in the present research. This process of problem-solving activates cognitive skills like representing (the external representation of a problem is transformed into an internal mental model), planning, executing and evaluating [60], besides the development of metacognitive thinking skills needed to solve problems [61]. ...
The fields of robotics and game consoles offer an interesting and broad range of lab platforms with appropriate characteristics for teaching Computer Architecture concepts. This work analyzes the impact of one approach based on game consoles and another one based on robotics from a triple dimension: student motivation, acquired knowledge, and perception of the employed platform. The study has been carried out on a sample of 96 students using the Arduino-based robot and 75 students using the Nintendo-DS console. A mixed methodology is employed encompassing quantitative and qualitative approaches. Five instruments are used to measure the three aforementioned dimensions. Results show that despite both platforms performing similarly in the three considered dimensions (student motivation, acquired knowledge, and perception of the employed platform), the robotics platform does it slightly better than game console, based on the obtained average scores for the considered instruments. Despite this outperforming, motivation and perception decrease for the students using the robotics platform as result of some identified constraint. This suggests that changes are required in the organization of the lab sessions to promote teamwork skills and to overcome the lack of simulators to remove the obstacles hinting motivation and performance. However, a clear correlation between motivation and perception and acquired knowledge has not been identified on computer architecture. Implications of affordances and constraints of both platforms, types of activities, and their impact on results have been discussed.
... Game design in a visual programming environment can also provide a good base to teach problem-solving skills [30,31,32]. Secondary school students who enrolled in an after-school version of a computer game design program showed significant improvements in their problem-solving skills, especially in system analysis and design, decision-making and troubleshooting [33]. New technologies, such as the three-dimensional virtual worlds, render the learning of programming more effective, as they have helped undergraduates in testing and debugging through the visualization of 3D output in the Second Life programming environment [34]. ...
Computational thinking (CT) is an essential skill for students in the 21st century, providing a set of problem-solving methods that involve formulating problems and solutions in a form that can be carried out by an information-processing agent across a variety of fields. In addition, research shows that the integration of CT in education has the potential to improve the problem-solving skills of K-12 students. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a CT experimental course on 94 primary school students' perceptions of their problem-solving skills as well as possible correlations between the variables concerning the students' perceptions. Participants worked in pairs in the context of Scratch, a block-based visual programming language, and the data were collected through the Problem-Solving Inventory for Children (PSIC). A one-group pretest-posttest was conducted and the results suggest that a CT course can improve participants' overall perceptions of their problem-solving skills. Finally, increases in the participants' levels of control over emotions and behavior when facing problems were correlated with increases in their will to face their problems rather than avoid them.
Prior studies have demonstrated that game-based learning plays a role in enhancing student learning and increasing student motivation. Game design tools are available today (for free or for sale) and user-friendly even by people without any technical skills. However, these game design tools are plentiful. This complicates choosing a game design tool. This article introduces and compares existing game design tools to help people to choose the one that best suits their needs. We started by identifying nine key criteria that characterize game design tools. We then performed a systematic literature search using the PRISMA method. Of 302 identified studies across five databases (IEEE Xplore, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Springer, Web of Science) and 8 game design tools advised by a digital learning manager, 11 game design tools are explained, compared and discussed. Finally, we used the results of this systematic review to select a game design tool for an experimentation in a nursing school. This research work is dedicated to the Technology Enhanced Learning and Educational community, especially game designers, digital learning managers, teachers, and researchers who are struggling to choose the game design tool that best suits their needs.KeywordsGame design toolSystematic literature reviewPRISMAExperimentation
Özet:
Bu araştırmanın amacı Scratch ile programlama öğretiminin öğrencilerin motivasyon ve programlama başarısına etkisini incelemektir. Araştırmanın çalışma grubunu Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Bilgisayar ve Öğretim Teknolojileri bölümünde eğitim gören 52 ikinci sınıf öğrencisi oluşturmaktadır. Katılımcılar 26 öğrenci deney ve 26 öğrenci kontrol grubunda olacak Şekilde yansız atama yapılarak iki farklı gruba ayrılmışlardır. Uygulamanın ilk yedi haftalık bölümünde programlama mantığının kazandırılması ve temel programlama yapılarının öğretilmesi amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaçla deney grubundaki katılımcılar Scratch ile oyun tasarımı etkinlikleri, kontrol grubunda yer alan katılımcılar ise mevcut ders programındaki haliyle akış diyagramları ile problem çözme etkinlikleri yapmışlardır. Uygulamanın ikinci yedi haftalık bölümde ise hem kontrol hem de deney grubunda aynı yöntem kullanılarak C# programlama dili öğretimi gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada veri toplama araçları olarak Başarı Testi, Güdülenme ve Öğrenme Stratejileri Ölçeği ve Odak Grup Görüşme Formu kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada 3 (ölçme zamanı)*2 (grup) faktöriyel desen kullanılmıştır. Hem deney grubunda hem de kontrol grubunda BaŞarı Testi ile Güdülenme ve Öğrenme Stratejileri ölçeği, öntest, sontest ve sontest 2 olmak üzere üç defa uygulanmıştır. Ayrıca hem deney hem de kontrol grubundaki katılımcılar ile ilk yedi haftalık uygulamanın sonunda ve C# programlama öğretiminin yapıldığı ikinci yedi haftalık uygulama sonunda odak grup görüşmeleri yapılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen verilerin analizinde çok değişkenli varyans analizi (MANOVA), tek değişkenli varyans analizi (ANOVA) , bağımsız örneklem t-testi, bağımlı örneklem t-testi ve içerik analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada elde edilen bulgulara göre; katılımcıların hem motivasyon hem de başarı puanları; ölçüm zamanına göre, grup değişkenine göre (öğretim yönteminin türüne göre), ölçüm zamanı ve grup değişkeninin etkileşimine göre anlamlı farklılık göstermiştir. Buna göre yapılan basit etki analizi sonucunda katılımcıların motivasyon puanlarının ön testte her iki grupta benzer olduğu, sontest ve sontest 2’de ise deney grubu lehine anlamlı bir farklılık ortaya çıkmıştır. Ayrıca ölçüm zamanı bağlamında kontrol grubunda katılımcıların motivasyon puanlarının tüm uygulama sonunda azaldığı, deney grubunda ise arttığı görülmüştür. Katılımcıların programlama başarı puanları ele alındığında öntestte her iki grupta da benzer olduğu, sontest ve sontest 2’ de ise deney grubu lehine anlamlı bir farklılık olduğu ortaya çıkmıştır. Ölçüm zamanı bağlamında ise hem kontrol hem de deney grubundaki katılımcıların programlama başarı puanlarının tüm uygulama sonunda arttığı görülmüştür. Ayrıca grup değişkeni bağlamında artışın deney grubu lehine anlamlı olarak farklı olduğu görülmüştür. Araştırmanın nitel verileri incelendiğinde deney grubunda yer alan katılımcılar Scratch ile oyun tasarımı etkinliklerinin eğlenceli ve kolay olduğunu, ders süresince yapılan etkinliklerin programlama mantığını kazandırmada ve motivasyonu artırmada etkili olduğunu, ancak bazı temel yapılar için yetersiz olduğunu dile getirmişlerdir. Kontrol grubunda yer alan katılımcılar ise akıŞ diyagramları ile problem çözme sürecinin zor ve sıkıcı olduğunu, ders süresince yapılan etkinliklerde ise aktif olamama ve uygulamanın olmaması gibi sınırlılıkların motivasyonlarını düşürdüğünü belirtmişlerdir. Ayrıca deney grubunda yer alan katılımcılar Scratch ile oyun tasarımı sürecinde edindikleri deneyimin C# programlama öğrenme sürecinde programlama başarılarına katkısının olduğunu belirtmişlerdir. Araştırmanın sonunda uygulamaya ve araştırmalara yönelik önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
Anahtar Sözcükler: Programlama, oyun tasarımı, Scratch, akış diyagramları, motivasyon
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of teaching programming with Scratch on students’ motivation and programming achievement. Working group of the research consisted of 52 second graders studying in Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Education, Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups. There were 26 students in the experimental group and 26 students in the control group. In the first seven weeks of the application, gaining the programming logic and learning the basic programming structures were aimed. To this end, participants in the experimental group made game design activities with Scratch, while participants in the control group made problem-solving activities through the form of flow diagrams in the current curriculum. In the second seven-week section of the application, teaching C# programming language was carried out in both the control and the experimental groups through using the same teaching method. Data collection instruments used in the study were Achievement Test, Motivation and Learning Strategies Scale, and Focus Group Interview form. In the research design, 3(measuring time)* 2(groups) factorial design was used. In both the control group and the experimental group, achievement test and Motivation and Learning Strategies Scale were administered to the participants three times as pre-test, final test and final test 2. In addition, the focus group interviews were conducted with the participants in both control and experimental group at the end of the first seven-week application and at the end of the second seven-week application that involved teaching C# programming. Data were analyzed through multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA), independent sample t-test, dependent sample t-test and content analysis for qualitative data. According to the findings obtained in the study, there were significant differences in participants’ motivation and success scores with regard to measurement time, group variable (depends on type of the teaching method), and both measurement time and group interaction. According to the results of simple effect analysis, it was found that motivation scores of the participants were similar in both groups at the pretest. However, in final test and final test 2, there was a meaningful difference in favor of the experimental group. In addition, in terms of the measurement time, motivation scores of the control group decreased at the end of all applications, while it increased in the experimental group. In terms of the programming achievement scores of the participants, the preliminary test was similar in both groups. In the final test and final test 2, a meaningful difference was observed in favor of the experimental group. In addition, in terms of the measurement time, programming achievement scores of participants of both control and experimental groups have increased at the end of the whole application. However, in terms of the increase in the grouping variable, a meaningful difference in favor of the experimental group can be observed. Qualitative data revealed that participants in the experimental group found the game design with Scratch fun and easy. They considered the activities carried out during the course as effective in terms of gaining programming logic and increasing the motivation, but some basic structures were considered insufficient. Participants in the control group reported that flow diagrams and problem-solving processes were difficult and boring, and activities carried out during the course had disadvantages which reduced their motivation such as the inability to be active and to make practice. Participants in the experimental group further stated that the experience gained in the game design process with Scratch contributed to their programming success in learning process of C# programming. At the end of the study, recommendations were made for practice and further research.
Keywords: Programming, game design, Scratch, flow diagrams, motivation
The purpose of this research was to describe the impact of digital game building on fourth grade gifted and talented students’ problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration skills. Increasingly, there has been a call to involve students in real-world experiences through projects that explore authentic issues using technology. Game design-based learning with its unique set of affordances may offer a path to integrating technology, computer science education, creativity, and problem-solving. Increasingly, the ability to create rather than just consume technology has gained attention linking creativity and collaboration to using coding language. In this study, data collection included student reflection journals, classroom observations, classroom video recordings, a focus group interview, and students’ games. Participants came from two GT classes ( n = 45). Qualitative analysis identified five themes: overcoming challenges of group work, developing a culture of collaboration, creating narrative, and connecting science, problem-solving in Scratch’s coding environment, and reflecting on learning. Findings indicated involving gifted students in game design-based learning in science had a positive impact on student perceptions of problem-solving, creativity, and collaboration.
Game jams, events for co-creating digital or non-digital games, are connected to learning in several ways: learning is a common motivation for participation and various learning results have been reported as their outcome. The existing literature on game jam learning consists mostly of descriptive individual case studies, with very incohesive and varied research aims, methods, and settings. Thus far, there have been no attempts to further analyze and classify the reported results of the previous studies. This article looks at existing research on game jams and learning, comparing the reported learning results to the future-oriented skills and knowledge. The data set, created utilizing the PRISMA checklist, consists of 25 original articles published between 2010 and 2022. The results show that participation in a game jam event will likely increase interdisciplinary, epistemic, and procedural knowledge. Furthermore, it can increase disciplinary knowledge depending on the theme and other framings of the event. Participation in a game jam event will likely further cognitive and metacognitive skills as well as social and emotional skills, provided the jam event is organized to create a safe and inclusive space for learning. Participation in a game jam will also likely further diverse practical and physical skills, but the adoption of these skills varies depending on individuals’ tasks inside their team. ICT-related skills are furthered in jam events concentrating on digital games and can be supported when making non-digital games. Thus, game jams offer a well-suited method for learning future-oriented skills and knowledge.
Research has shown that free-form Game-Design (GD) environments can be very effective in fostering Computational Thinking (CT) skills at a young age. However, some students can still need some guidance during the learning process due to the highly open-ended nature of these environments. Intelligent Pedagogical Agents (IPAs) can be used to provide personalized assistance in real-time to alleviate this challenge. This paper presents our results in evaluating such an agent deployed in a real-word free-form GD learning environment to foster CT in the early K-12 education, Unity-CT. We focus on the effect of repetition by comparing student behaviors between no intervention, 1-shot, and repeated intervention groups for two different errors that are known to be challenging in the online lessons of Unity-CT. Our findings showed that the agent was perceived very positively by the students and the repeated intervention showed promising results in terms of helping students make less errors and more correct behaviors, albeit only for one of the two target errors. Building from these results, we provide insights on how to provide IPA interventions in free-form GD environments.
The aim of study to investigate the effects of block-based game development activities carried out on the goal-based scenario approach on the geometry achievement and computational thinking skills of seventh-grade students and to reveal their opinions regarding the process. The study used a one-group pretest-posttest experimental model an experimental research design. Overall, 43 seventh-grade students from a district of the province of Van, Turkey, during the 2021–2022 academic year constituted the participants of the study. The participants were determined using the criterion sampling technique a purposeful sampling technique. Within the scope of the study, a goal-based scenario about the topic of polygons was presented to the students, and implementations were carried out. The Computational Thinking Skills Scale, polygons achievement test and a structured interview form were used to collect data. The quantitative data obtained were analyzed using t-test, and the qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis. The results revealed that the block-based game development activities carried out using the goal-based scenario approach significantly affected the students’ computational thinking skills and achievement levels in polygons in favor of the posttest. The students mainly found learning by designing games entertaining, and the implementations conducted useful in terms of learning geometry.
This study aims to investigate the factors that enable or hinder the implementation of game development activity in the instructional process. One instructor and 15 gifted students between the ages of 11 and 15 took part in the study. The students developed computer games related to science topics using MS Kodu game engine within the implementation process. According to the findings, it is seen that instructional practices have great importance, and the instructor plays a key role in the activity. Making and playing games have been the greatest motivation resource for students. In addition, the social environment can be an important tool in sustaining students' motivation levels. The students' negative attitudes toward educational game topics and non-computer activities hinder the successful implementation of the activity. The MS Kodu game engine might be appropriate for novice designers but not be enough for teaching programming concepts. Team-based game development activity is believed to be useful for developing advanced games and increasing the level of interaction between students.
This chapter provides an overview of minority experience and the development of gaming technology all over the world. The use of gaming for education and entertainment is not limited to the United States, but globally gaming and education is viewed positively. This positive altitude needs to be explored to develop new educative and engaging strategies for minorities. In this chapter, the authors explore the use of gaming technology in other countries of the world. The countries are Canada, Spain, the Philippines, Norway, Korea, China, and South Africa.
One of the important questions for teachers and education policymakers is how to engage new age learners, especially minority students, in a meaningful way. Game-based learning provides a platform where minority students can be intrinsically motivated to stay focused. The incorporation of multimedia design and instructional design principles in educational games would potentially help learners comprehend the information and engage in deeper learning. The decision-making process in a game-based learning environment is tied to the neural system of information processing. As research studies point out, the reward that the learner gets is, in fact, the stimulus that with desirable properties that drives behavior. Other than that, the effective feedback in the game-based learning environment has a powerful influence on learning.
The current paper describes the use of game development for improvement of first year Computer Science students’ professional and social competencies. The computer-based education games play grateful platform for integration of knowledge and skills gained by students in several learning courses, i.e., programming, web-design, computer graphics and animation, introduction to software engineering, etc. The multidisciplinary character of the games provides possibilities to constitute teams with students from different study programs. Thereby the students get their first experience in cross-disciplinary communication. Key words: computer-based education, educational games, learning environment.
Background
This exploratory study engaged teams of elementary and middle school students in the collaborative design of digital games. Game design is theoretically examined in this study as a form of knowledge-creating learning that is characterized by collaborative efforts to advance a shared object of activity, i.e., the game being designed. Using mixed methods, we examined how students experienced the game design project and how the project fostered connected learning, that is, integration of students’ personal interests and supportive peer relations with their schoolwork, and how their self-assessed digital competences developed.
Methods
The digital competences of 98 comprehensive school students across Finland were traced using pre- and post-questionnaires. The post-questionnaires also included validated measures on connected learning. Quantitative methods were used to analyze structured measures, and qualitative methods were used to analyze open-ended measures.
Findings
Students experienced game design as an inspiring, challenging activity. Game design engaged student teams in sustained, collaborative efforts to create shared digital artifacts. Their efforts involved a great deal of mutual support and knowledge sharing. Participation also improved students’ self-reported technical and artistic digital competences. The game design project fostered informal, interest-driven, sociodigital participation; inspired learning engagement; and improved schoolwork practices.
Contribution
The game design project appeared to be a pedagogically meaningful way of engaging students in knowledge-creating learning and of connecting students' formal and informal learning. The project sparked students’ motivation to learn, fostered digital competences, and enriched the learning environment.
As past studies showed mixed results, this meta-analysis determined game-based learning’s overall effect on students’ critical thinking and tested for moderators, using 21 effect sizes from 20 empirical studies of 1,947 participants. The results showed that game-based learning had a significant positive overall effect on students’ critical thinking ( g = 0.863, k = 21) and showed significant heterogeneity among effect sizes. Among game types, role-playing games yielded the largest mean effect size ( g = 1.828, k = 5). The effect size of game-based learning was larger for critical thinking disposition ( g = 1.774, k = 4) than critical thinking skill ( g = 0.661, k = 17). Game-based learning also had a larger effect on students in collectivistic countries ( g = 1.282, k = 10) than those in individualistic countries ( g = 0.432, k = 10). Furthermore, this effect size was larger in later publication years. Lastly, the effect size of game-based learning on critical thinking was larger for studies published in journal articles ( g = 1.154, k = 13) than theses ( g = 0.378, k = 8).
Bilimde ve teknolojide bugüne kadar hiç olmadığı şekilde hızla gelişme kaydedilmektedir. Bu süreçte fen, matematik, mühendislik ve teknolojinin temel alındığı yeni meslekler ve iş alanları her geçen gün daha fazla öne çıkmaktadır. Ancak günümüz öğrencilerinin büyük bir çoğunluğu ulusal ve uluslararası sınavlarda fen ve matematik alanlarında istenen düzeyde başarı elde edememektedir. Alanyazında bu yönde sonuç alınmasında öğrencilerin derslere yeterince motive olmaması ve bu derslere yönelik olumsuz tutuma sahip olmasının etkili olduğu belirtilmektedir. Ayrıca alanyazında yer alan çalışmalarda fen ve matematik derslerinde öğrencilerin somutlaştırabilecekleri, gerçek yaşam ile bağ kurabilecekleri, motive olabilecekleri bağlam temelli öğrenme ortamları tasarımlarına yer verilmesini önerilmektedir. Bu öneriler göz önünde bulundurularak bu bölüm kapsamında fen ve matematik eğitiminde oyun ve oyunlaştırma konusu ele alınmıştır. Ayrıca öğretmenlerin doğrudan kendi derslerinden kullanılabilecek oyun ve oyunlaştırma önerileri yine bölüm kapsamında sunulmuştur.
This chapter traces the recent development and the use of games and digital stories for engaging students in learning in visual programming environments. It reports on the application of game development-based learning and educational digital storytelling to engage students in learning in visual programming environments. The empirical findings support the positive effects of these two learning approaches on a range of student learning outcomes. Because many available visual programming tools are free of charge and provide a low-floor, high-ceiling learning environment, teachers should encourage students to venture into the programming world with these tools. Such practice is beneficial to student learning both within the computer science discipline and across disciplines.
Evidence for the superiority of guided instruction is explained in the context of our knowledge of human cognitive architecture, expert–novice differences, and cognitive load. Although unguided or minimally guided instructional approaches are very popular and intuitively appealing, the point is made that these approaches ignore both the structures that constitute human cognitive architecture and evidence from empirical studies over the past half-century that consistently indicate that minimally guided instruction is less effective and less efficient than instructional approaches that place a strong emphasis on guidance of the student learning process. The advantage of guidance begins to recede only when learners have sufficiently high prior knowledge to provide “internal” guidance. Recent developments in instructional research and instructional design models that support guidance during instruction are briefly described.
In this study, a peer assessment-based game development approach is proposed for improving students’ learning achievements, motivations and problem-solving skills. An experiment has been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in a science course at an elementary school. A total of 167 sixth graders participated in the experiment, 82 of whom were assigned to the experimental group and learned with the peer assessment-based game development approach, while 85 students were in the control group and learned with the conventional game development approach. From the empirical results, it was found that the proposed approach could effectively promote students’ learning achievement, learning motivation, problem-solving skills, as well as their perceptions of the use of educational computer games. Moreover, it was found from the open-ended questions that most of the students perceived peer assessment-based game development as an effective learning strategy that helped them improve their deep learning status in terms of “in-depth thinking,” “creativity,” and “motivation.”
StarLogo The Next Generation (TNG) enables secondary school students and teachers to model decentralized systems through agent-based programming. TNG's inclusion of a three-dimensional graphical environment provides the capacity to create games and simulation models with a first-person perspective. The authors theorize that student learning of complex systems and simulations can be motivated and improved by transforming simulation models of complex systems phenomena (specifically this study examines systems including epidemics and Newtonian motion) into games. Through this transformation students interact with the model in new ways and increase their learning of both specific content knowledge and general processes such as inquiry, problem solving and creative thinking. During this study several methods for connecting the simulations to game dynamics were tried, ranging from student-created games, to altering existing games, to students playing premade games. This article presents the results of research data from two years of curriculum development and piloting in northern Massachusetts science classrooms to demonstrate the successes and challenges of integrating simulations and games. This article also explores the results of these interventions in terms of ease of implementation, student motivation and student learning.
The purpose of this case study was to explore how children designed computer games as artifacts that reflected their understanding of nutrition. In order to accomplish this goal, we asked students to design educational games that would teach first graders about nutrition. The characteristics of the games, design strategies, and collaboration among students were examined. Results from three separate student cases are presented.
The explosive growth of information technology is having a profound impact on our lives. Whether accountants or assembly-line workers, people are using technology such as computers, the Internet, and electronic commerce in different ways and with varying levels of skill and understanding. Moreover, many people feel uneasy in sorting out which technologies to use, and uncertain about how they can be used effectively.
Svi smo svedoci veoma velikog i brzog razvoja informacionih tehnologija u zadnjih desetak godina. Taj brz, ali i veoma nestabilan rast i rzvoj informacionih tehnologija ima veoma dubok, ali i zastrašujući uticaj na naše živote. Na primer, iako su recimo bankarski službenici, ili radnici na kompjuterizovanim proizvodnim linijama već koristili kompjuter, pojava Iterneta, pa eBiznisa (elektronsko bankarstvo, elektronska trgovina i slično) eEducationa, i ostalih “novih” informacionih trehnologija, očekuje spremnost tih ljudi da i to koriste, naravno na raznorazne načine, kao i sa različitim nivoima veština, znanja i razumevanja. Čakšta više, mnogi ljudi osećaju da nije lako koju tehnologiju da koriste, bivaju nesigurni kako da je koriste efektivno, što naravno donosi pojavu straha od informacionih tehnologija.
Technology may be considered as an interface between individuals and the products they create, but we have to determine whether the use of new systems effectively enhance individuals' creative activities. In this paper, we present a new angle of reflection that we illustrate in the field of creative design, since it is a constant challenge for designers to introduce creativity in the projects they work on. The approach we propose is centred on designers' cognitive processes. We argue that both the development of new CAD (computer-aided design) systems and their assessment should be conducted on the basis of a deep understanding of designers' cognitive processes. In accordance with this view, we present three empirical studies that were conducted in order to analyse the impact of new design support systems on designers' cognitive processes. Therefore, the results we present contribute to further our knowledge of whether new CAD technologies effectively facilitate designers' activities and enhance their creativity.
Abstract In order to show that the emergence of new ideas takes place in a "constrained cognitive environment", we conducted two experimental shrdies in a creaiive professional area: non-routine design. The first study is focused on the role of analogical reasoning in creativity and. especially, on the nature of potential "sources" of inspiration. which facilitate the evocation process. The second study aims at understanding on which ground designers of different leveis of expenise construct their own,constrained cognitive environment. Based on the obrained results, we suggest ways to facilitate creative acts from desigaers. @ 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Creativity; Design; Analogy; Constraints 1. Creativity: questions and,views
Computer game programming has been touted as a promising strategy for engaging children in the kinds of thinking that will prepare them to be producers, not just users of technology. But little is known about what they learn when programming a game. In this article, we present a strategy for coding student games, and summarize the results of an analysis of 108 games created by middle school girls using Stagecast Creator in an after school class. The findings show that students engaged in moderate levels of complex programming activity, created games with moderate levels of usability, and that the games were characterized by low levels of code organization and documentation. These results provide evidence that game construction involving both design and programming activities can support the learning of computer science concepts.
Complex problem solving is a relatively new research domain that is based on the assumption that complex, real-life problem solving has been largely ignored by traditional problem solving research. In this article, we contrast the two dominant approaches to studying complex problem solving, the North American and the European approaches. We present a definition of complex problem solving and describe a theoretical framework that accommodates the theoretical and empirical strides that have been made in understanding complex problem solving thus far, and may serve as a guide for future research. We discuss the dominant methodological approaches that have been employed to study complex problem solving, and offer our own recommendations on which of the various approaches might be the most promising one.
In a few words, item response theory (IRT) postulates that (a) examinee test performance can be predicted (or explained) by a set of factors called traits, latent traits, or abilities, and (b) the relationship between examinee item performance and these traits can be described by a monotonically increasing function called and item characteristic function. This function specifies that examinees with higher scores on the traits have higher expected probabilities for answering an item correctly than examinees with lower scores on the traits. In applying item response theory to measurement problems, a common assumption is made that there is one dominant factor or ability which can account for item performance. This so-called «ability» which the test measures could be a broadly or narrowly defined aptitude, achievement, or personality variable.
Evidence for the superiority of guided instruction is explained in the context of our knowledge of human cognitive architecture, expert–novice differences, and cognitive load. Although unguided or minimally guided instructional approaches are very popular and intuitively appealing, the point is made that these approaches ignore both the structures that constitute human cognitive architecture and evidence from empirical studies over the past half-century that consistently indicate that minimally guided instruction is less effective and less efficient than instructional approaches that place a strong emphasis on guidance of the student learning process. The advantage of guidance begins to recede only when learners have sufficiently high prior knowledge to provide “internal” guidance. Recent developments in instructional research and instructional designmodels that support guidance during instruction are briefly described.
During the last 100 years, a major accomplishment of psychology has been the development of a science of learning aimed at understanding how people learn. In attempting to apply the science of learning, a central challenge of psychology and education is the development of a science of instruction aimed at understanding how to present material in ways that help people learn. The author provides an overview of how the design of multimedia instruction can be informed by the science of learning and the science of instruction, which yields 10 principles of multimedia instructional design that are grounded in theory and based on evidence. Overall, the relationship between the science of learning and the science of instruction is reciprocal.
The author's thesis is that there is sufficient research evidence to make any reasonable person skeptical about the benefits of discovery learning--practiced under the guise of cognitive constructivism or social constructivism--as a preferred instructional method. The author reviews research on discovery of problem-solving rules culminating in the 1960s, discovery of conservation strategies culminating in the 1970s, and discovery of LOGO programming strategies culminating in the 1980s. In each case, guided discovery was more effective than pure discovery in helping students learn and transfer. Overall, the constructivist view of learning may be best supported by methods of instruction that involve cognitive activity rather than behavioral activity, instructional guidance rather than pure discovery, and curricular focus rather than unstructured exploration.
List of Figures, Tables, and Exhibits. Acknowledgments. Introduction. Chapter 1: What Is Problem Solving? What Are Problems, and How Do They Vary? Structuredness. Complexity. Dynamicity. Domain (Context) Specificity/Abstractness. What Is Problem Solving, and How Does It Vary? Story Problems. Troubleshooting Problems. Case and System and Policy Analysis Problems. Summary. Chapter 2: Designing Learning Environments to Support Problem Solving. Story Problems. Problem Type and Typology. Worked Examples. Practice Items. Content Instruction. Summary. Troubleshooting Problems. Conceptual Model. Troubleshooter. Case Library. Worked Examples. Practice Items. Case, Systems, or Policy Analysis Problems. Problem Presentation. Problem Representation Tools. Summary. Chapter 3: Presenting Problems to Learners. Problem Posing. Anchoring Problems in Macrocontexts. Case-Based Instruction. Components of Case Problems. Case Format. Summary. Chapter 4: Tools for Representing Problems by Learners. Representing Semantic Organization. Representing Causal Reasoning. Causal Modeling. Influence Diagrams. Expert Systems. Modeling Dynamic Systems. Summary. Chapter 5: Associating Solutions with Problems. Worked Examples: Modeling Performance. Subgoals. Self-Explanations. Using Worked Examples. Case Libraries: Teaching with Stories. Supporting Problem Solving with Stories. Collecting Stories. Cognitive Flexibility Hypertexts: Conveying Complexity. Understanding Sexual Harassment. Freedom of Expression. Medical Diagnosis. Summary. Chapter 6: Supporting Solutions. Simulations. Using Microworlds to Simulate Solutions. Building Learning Objects to Simulate Solutions. Building Simulations of Problems. Using Versus Building Simulations. Argumentation. Argumentation Skills. Argumentation Technologies. Summary. Chapter 7: Reflecting on Problem-Solving Processes. Peer Instruction and Thinking-Aloud Pair Problem Solving. Peer Instruction. Thinking-Aloud Pair Problem Solving. Teachbacks and Abstracted Replays. Teachbacks. Abstracted Replays. Coding Protocols. Summary. Chapter 8: Assessing Problem Solutions and Learning. Assessing Problem-Solving Performance. Constructing Rubrics. Heuristics for Developing an Effective Rubric. Assessing Component Skills. Story Problems. Troubleshooting Problems. Case Analysis Problems. Knowledge Representation Tools. Assessing Argumentation and Justification. Objective Forms of Assessment of Argumentation. Coding Student Arguments. Assessing Student Essays and Problem-Solving Accounts. Summary. References. Index. About the Author. About the Series Editors. About the Advisory Board Members.
The technique of pulse detection in nuclear signal is explored in the paper. The low pass differential (LPD) filter method is applied to enhance and extract the pulse waveforms, and the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) method is utilized to suppress the noise. The experiments show that the satisfying result of noise reduction can be acquired by EMD method, the enhancement and pile-up separation of pulse waveforms can be implemented by LPD filter. The computational complexity of LPD filter is lower, and it is able to meet the real-time processing requirement. Therefore, the LPD filter is an effective pulse detection method for nuclear signal.
This mixed-method case study examined the potential of computer-assisted, math game making activities in facilitating design-based math learning for school children. Sixty-four middle school children participated in Scratch-based, math game making activities. Data were collected via activity and conversation observation, artifact analysis, interviewing, and survey. The study findings indicated that participants developed significantly more positive dispositions toward mathematics after computer game making. The study also found that experience-driven game design processes helped to activate children's reflection on everyday mathematical experiences. Mathematical thinking and content experience were intertwined within the process of computer game authoring. On the other hand, children designers were involved in game-world and story crafting more than mathematical representation. And it was still challenging for them to perform computer game coding with abstract reasoning.
This paper presents the findings of two case studies concentrating on the learning experiences of disadvantaged middle school children participating in The Science and Art of Game Design (SAGD) and Globaloria, learning environments intended to teach skills in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, through educational game design within informal and school-based settings.
In SAGD, youth are introduced to the STEM principles underlying modern computer games through a two-part curriculum that takes a reverse engineering approach to educational game design. It begins with Gamestar Mechanic, a web-based role-playing game that encourages students to think of games as systems made up of game-specific components and principles that are learned by playing games, repairing dysfunctional games, and creating new ones for sharing and critique in an online communities [1]. The second part encourages them to learn to use these design principles and apply them to solving of problems requiring computational thinking [2] within the design of games centered on STEM subjects using Microsoft Kodu, a Microsoft 3D game creation tool.
Globaloria is a learning environment designed for middle school classrooms where students learn STEM concepts in the process of learning to design computer games using the Adobe Flash platform. Globaloria classrooms are designed around constructionist pedagogies, and feature a project-based curriculum supported by a framework of Web 2.0 technologies, and an online community of school classrooms, educators, and professional game designers.
Using multimodal content and discourse analysis, the study examined the evolution of students' STEM learning and literacy in these two contexts, as a function of their changes in language use, design strategies, and game artifact production. Findings suggest that scaffolded game design can provide an effective context for students to develop deep understandings and engagement with STEM subjects, in forms valued within the 21st century workplace.
This study integrated object-oriented programming instruction with transfer training activities in everyday tasks, which might provide a mechanism that can be used for efficient problem solving. Specifically, a Visual BASIC embedded with everyday tasks group was compared to another group exposed to Visual BASIC instruction only. Subjects were 40 undergraduate students enrolled in 2 sections of a Visual BASIC programming class. Students in the 2 intact classes were assigned 1 of 2 instructional treatments. Problem-solving and programming competency instruments were used as a pre-and posttest measure. After an 8-week treatment, the results of the study did not show any significant difference between both groups on general problem solving ability as measured by the instrument used. Only 1 of the 4 problem-solving skills (Analysis of Attributes) measured, showed an improvement in performance favoring the programming plus everyday task group. Significant improvement in performance favoring the programming plus everyday task group versus the programming-only group was identified. An unexpected but significant difference between both groups on the programming competence test was also identified.
What is the difference between Piaget's constructivism and Papert's "constructionism"? Beyond the mere play on the words, I think the distinction holds, and that integrating both views can enrich our understanding of how people learn and grow. Piaget's constructivism offers a window into what children are interested in, and able to achieve, at different stages of their development. The theory describes how children's ways of doing and thinking evolve over time, and under which circumstance children are more likely to let go of—or hold onto— their currently held views. Piaget suggests that children have very good reasons not to abandon their worldviews just because someone else, be it an expert, tells them they're wrong. Papert's constructionism, in contrast, focuses more on the art of learning, or 'learning to learn', and on the significance of making things in learning. Papert is interested in how learners engage in a conversation with (their own or other people's) artifacts, and how these conversations boost self-directed learning, and ultimately facilitate the construction of new knowledge. He stresses the importance of tools, media, and context in human development. Integrating both perspectives illuminates the processes by which individuals come to make sense of their experience, gradually optimizing their interactions with the world
The major purposes of this study were: (a) to determine if learning to program a computer in either Pascal or FORTRAN improves the problem-solving skills of students when compared to a control group and (b) to determine if learning to program a computer in Pascal is more effective than learning to program a computer in FORTRAN in the development of problem-solving abilities. Subjects were 58 college students enrolled in 15-week Pascal and FORTRAN computer programming classes. A 61-item problem-solving instrument was used as the pretest and posttest measure. Results indicated that learning to program in Pascal or FORTRAN does significantly improve problem-solving abilities of college level students, as measured by the instrument used, when compared to a group that receives no programming instruction. However, there was no significant difference in problem-solving ability between the Pascal group and the FORTRAN group.
The purpose of the research reported in this article is to identify, where possible, fundamental qualities which tend to be associated with idealized representations of the concept of "design" in educational technology. Accordingly, the authors ask, "What are essential characteristics of design in educational technology, as represented in and promoted by the field's foundational literature?" Constant comparative methods were employed in an analysis of almost two dozen texts (including official definitions, professional competencies, and introductory instructional design textbooks) to identify recurring characteristics of design as presented in those texts. Based on statements from this literature, the authors conclude that idealized representations of design in educational technology tend to characterize design as being oriented on process, conducted as systematic work, represented by models, based on theory, grounded in data, characterized by subdivision and specialization, and focused on problem-solving. Implications of these themes are explored, with discussion of the limitations imposed on the field by them. (Contains 1 table.)
Background: The emergence of a participatory culture, brought about mainly by the use of Web2.0 technology, is challenging us to reconsider aspects of teaching and learning. Adapting the learning-as-digital-game-building approach, this paper explores how new educational practices can help students build skills for the 21st century.Purpose: This paper examines elementary students' learning experiences through digital game building and playing. The following research questions guided the study: (1) What emotions do students experience during the process of building digital games for others to use?; (2) What traits do students display when they learn through digital game-building?; and (3) What do students learn from the digital game-building experience?Sample: The participants were 21 elementary students (19 boys and two girls), aged between seven and 11, who were on a summer camp at a university in Canada.Design and methods: This small-scale study made use of enactivism (Li, Clark, and Winchester, Instructional design and technology grounded in enactivism: A paradigm shift?, British Journal of Educational Technology 41, no. 3: 403–419, 2010), a new theoretical framework, as a basis for analysing the students' experiences and responses as they created computer games to teach others the concept of Issac Newton's Three Laws of Motion. Quantitative and qualitative data collected included student and parent surveys, teacher and student interviews, field observations and the digital games created by the students. Data were subjected to quantitative and thematic analyses.Results: The results indicated that only a small minority of students reported never feeling the positive emotions excited/happy or smart/proud during the process of building digital games. In addition, analysis suggested that creativity, engagement and new identity were the three salient traits displayed by the students when learning by digital game-building. There was also evidence that students increased their understanding of the subject matter in question (mathematics, science and technology) and enhanced their general problem-solving abilities through the process.Conclusions: This small-scale study suggests that student engagement in the game-building experience can enhance not just the learning of the game design process but also subject matter and generic skills. Thus, the learning-as-building approach can empower students to ‘take over the technology’ and become creators rather than passive consumers.
Text: book; for undergraduates in psychology. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
A major challenge of education is improving students' minds--a goal that is reflected in people being able to solve novel problems they encounter. This is the premise underlying much of the interest in problem solving, including how to teach in ways that enable students to apply what they have learned to new situations and how to teach thinking skills. In this chapter, after defining key terms and providing a historical overview, we examine research on teaching for problem-solving transfer and research on teaching of thinking skills. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
[present an] installment in an ongoing exploration of how educational experiences can help students get clever ideas when they are faced with problems / defines key terms, summarizes the history of research on problem-solving transfer . . . and offers a view of future research on problem-solving transfer
historical review: 4 views of transfer [formal discipline: general transfer of general skill, associationism: specific transfer of specific behaviors, Gestalt psychology: specific transfer of general skills, cognitive science: metacognitive control of general and specific skills] / current research: teachable aspects of problem solving [improving the mind, teaching basic skills, teaching for understanding, teaching by analogy, teaching thinking skills] (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Problem solving is generally regarded as the most important cognitive activity in everyday and professional contexts. Most
people are required to and rewarded for solving problems. However, learning to solve problems is too seldom required in formal
educational settings, in part, because our understanding of its processes is limited. Instructional-design research and theory
has devoted too little attention to the study of problem-solving processes. In this article, I describe differences among
problems in terms of their structuredness, domain specificity (abstractness), and complexity. Then, I briefly describe a variety
of individual differences (factors internal to the problem solver) that affect problem solving. Finally, I articulate a typology
of problems, each type of which engages different cognitive, affective, and conative processes and therefore necessitates
different instructional support. The purpose of this paper is to propose a metatheory of problem solving in order to initiate
dialogue and research rather than offering a definitive answer regarding its processes.
The aim of this study was to assess the learning effectiveness and motivational appeal of a computer game for learning computer memory concepts, which was designed according to the curricular objectives and the subject matter of the Greek high school Computer Science (CS) curriculum, as compared to a similar application, encompassing identical learning objectives and content but lacking the gaming aspect. The study also investigated potential gender differences in the game’s learning effectiveness and motivational appeal. The sample was 88 students, who were randomly assigned to two groups, one of which used the gaming application (Group A, N = 47) and the other one the non-gaming one (Group B, N = 41). A Computer Memory Knowledge Test (CMKT) was used as the pretest and posttest. Students were also observed during the interventions. Furthermore, after the interventions, students’ views on the application they had used were elicited through a feedback questionnaire. Data analyses showed that the gaming approach was both more effective in promoting students’ knowledge of computer memory concepts and more motivational than the non-gaming approach. Despite boys’ greater involvement with, liking of and experience in computer gaming, and their greater initial computer memory knowledge, the learning gains that boys and girls achieved through the use of the game did not differ significantly, and the game was found to be equally motivational for boys and girls. The results suggest that within high school CS, educational computer games can be exploited as effective and motivational learning environments, regardless of students’ gender.
A grammar can be regarded as a device that enumerates the sentences of a language. We study a sequence of restrictions that limit grammars first to Turing machines, then to two types of system from which a phrase structure description of the generated language can be drawn, and finally to finite state Markov sources (finite automata). These restrictions are shown to be increasingly heavy in the sense that the languages that can be generated by grammars meeting a given restriction constitute a proper subset of those that can be generated by grammars meeting the preceding restriction. Various formulations of phrase structure description are considered, and the source of their excess generative power over finite state sources is investigated in greater detail.
While in the last decade the advancement of computer technology and the ever-expanding popularity of digital games have become increasingly evident, the potential of using educational games for learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects has not been brought to the forefront for exhaustive investigations. This study delineates the design and development, the instruction, and evaluation of a digital game-based curriculum focusing on teaching computational thinking in an after-school game design workshop in a middle school in Taiwan. Through examining students' participation in game design programs, the researchers investigate the emergence of computational thinking skills in a group of middle school students. Taking into account the middle school students' emergent skills to think logically and abstractly, we argue that digital game-based learning (DGBL) via game design is a viable pedagogical tool for teaching students to think computationally as they engage in problem-solving tasks. The researchers pose that following the workshop, students would be able to perform the fundamental skills of computational thinking-decomposition, pattern recognition, pattern generalization and abstractions, algorithm design, and data visualization. The students would also demonstrate the capability to incorporate computational thinking skills into scenarios outside of the purview of the game environment.
The use of an analogy from a semantically distant domain to guide the problemsolving process was investigated. The representation of analogy in memory and processes involved in the use of analogies were discussed theoretically and explored in five experiments. In Experiment I oral protocols were used to examine the processes involved in solving a problem by analogy. In all experiments subjects who first read a story about a military problem and its solution tended to generate analogous solutions to a medical problem (Duncker's "radiation problem"), provided they were given a hint to use the story to help solve the problem. Transfer frequency was reduced when the problem presented in the military story was substantially disanalogous to the radiation problem, even though the solution illustrated in the story corresponded to an effective radiation solution (Experiment II). Subjects in Experiment III tended to generate analogous solutions to the radiation problem after providing their own solutions to the military problem. Subjects were able to retrieve the story from memory and use it to generate an analogous solution, even when the critical story had been memorized in the context of two distractor stories (Experiment IV). However, when no hint to consider the story was given, frequency of analogous solutions decreased markedly. This decrease in transfer occurred when the story analogy was presented in a recall task along with distractor stories (Experiment IV), when it was presented alone, and when it was presented in between two attempts to solve the problem (Experiment V). Component processes and strategic variations in analogical problem solving were discussed. Issues related to noticing analogies and accessing them in memory were also examined, as was the relationship of analogical reasoning to other cognitive tasks. Peer Reviewed http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/23210/1/0000139.pdf
Robot programming systems have not kept pace with developments in general purpose programming environments. Robot systems have special demands related to their complex interactions in real environments, and their complex sensors and actuators. We focus on robot programming in a laboratory research environment where robots, operating systems, hardware platforms, programming languages, and researchers all di#er and change.
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