Abstract:

Emergent findings are showing the benefits of game-based learning environments compared to more traditional pedagogical methods (Connolly, Boyle, MacArthur, Hainey, & Boyle, 2012; Wouters, van Nimwegen, Oostendorp, & van der Spek, 2013). This study examined the effect of integrating a game-based learning environment called CRYSTAL ISLAND – UNCHARTED DISCOVERY on science content knowledge and motivation over four weeks in 5th grade classrooms. The schedule included twelve 50-minute classrooms in which six class periods involved playing the game and six involved supplemental lessons that aligned with the curriculum in the game. A total of 797 students across eight schools participated. The study itself was conducted within a naturalistic school environment as teachers were provided with professional development training and an in-game Teacher Dashboard to monitor and control usage of the game. In addition, students were provided with passwords and encouraged to play CRYSTAL ISLAND – UNCHARTED DISCOVERY at home.

CRYSTAL ISLAND – UNCHARTED DISCOVERY is a fully immersive game-based learning environment where students play the role of a student-selected protagonist who is one of several shipwrecked passengers stranded on a cluster of volcanic, fictional islands trying to establish a village community. The overall goal is decomposed into three distinct sub-problems, or quests, as they are referred to within the game environment, each with two levels. A final quest requires skills and knowledge gained from the first six quests for a total of seven quests in total. The quests are self-contained adventures that challenge the student to complete game-like activities; each focus on landform identification, map navigation, and modeling (topics aligned with state science curriculum), respectively, and are leveled based on difficulty. The students are free to complete the quests in any order they please; however, students must successfully complete the first level of all quests before engaging in any of the second level quests. To aid their problem solving, students can seek counsel from map and landform experts who happen to be among the ship-wrecked crew as well as the player’s iPad-like device equipped with note-taking tools, a camera, a log to monitor quest completion and progress, a glossary of key landform and map skill terminology, and a problem-solving application.

Results revealed significant gains in science content from pre (M = 11.84, SD = 4.05) to posttest (M = 13.63, SD = 3.65). Pre and post data was also collected for science self-efficacy and task science task value and posttests also included attributions for in-game performance and interest. The presentation will provide detailed findings related to motivation in addition to discussing the implications for integrating game-based learning environments into naturalistic educational settings.

Keywords:

Game-based learning, serious games, motivation, self-efficacy, task value, science, computer games.