Abstract:

Recent meta-analyses have reported positive findings across the GBLE landscape with regard to learning outcomes (Cai, et al., 2022; Clark et al., 2016). Yet, determining the extent to which digital game-based learning environments (GBLEs) facilitate the transfer of such learning remains one of the greatest challenges currently facing the field (Mayer, 2019). The current study focuses on the development, integration, and testing of a transfer activity linked within the MISSIONS WITH MONTY GBLE. MISSIONS WITH MONTY, a National Science Foundation project, is focused on improving 5th graders’ science literacy, while specifically targeting metacomprehension skills for informational text. MISSIONS WITH MONTY also encourages self-regulated learning skills while using ecosystems curriculum. It has been designed to be used in parallel with classroom instruction but does not require engagement or oversight by the teacher while students are in the program. The present study centered on a module called MISSING MONTY where the player fills the role of a promising young science professor traveling to work with Monty, a monitor lizard and world-renowned scientist known for his ability to solve real-life problems. Monty has created Wildlife University (WU) in a remote rainforest. The students and professors at WU are animals of many different types focused on becoming more scientifically literate in order to save their natural habitats. Unfortunately, upon arrival at WU the player is presented with two major problems to solve:
1) Monty has gone missing and
2) WU has been recently closed due to animals getting sick.

Fifth-grade students (n = 105) from public schools in North Carolina, USA interacted with MISSING MONTY for approximately 2-5 weeks depending upon class schedule. During gameplay students visited various animal researchers, read informational texts, and completed knowledge, monitoring, summary, and multiple source comprehension challenges. At the completion of MISSING MONTY students were immediately directed to the transfer activity by a character in the game announcing that help was needed to relocate animals after a fire spread across the savanna. Relocation in three possible zones required the ability to sort animals on variables such as preferred habitats, diets, and position in food webs. Our presentation will provide significant details and graphics to represent the task and show the relation of concepts with MISSING MONTY. A multiple regression was performed to predict performance on the transfer task with science pretest knowledge, post gameplay knowledge gain, science self-efficacy, game interest, performance approach, mastery approach, and videogame interest as predictors. The model was significant F(7,97) = 3.01, R2 = .178, p < .01. However, only science pretest knowledge ( = .371, p < .001) and knowledge gains ( = .253, p = .013) were significant predictors. The effect of gain scores revealed the unique impact of MISSING MONTY above and beyond prior knowledge. Interestingly, none of the motivational variables were significant predictors. A more detailed discussion of these results will be provided in the presentation along with implications for the study as they relate to encouraging transfer in GBLEs.

Keywords:

Transfer, science literacy, game-based learning, motivation.