The effect of digital game-based learning on student learning: A literature review

Digital game-based learning can be used by educators to support students in developing skills. This review examined the effect of digital game-based learning on student learning at the K-12 level. Sixteen peer-reviewed research studies, two meta-analysis studies, and two literature reviews published between 2011-2019 were selected for analysis. The reviewed research indicated that when digital game-based learning is used that includes key game design elements (collaboration, choice, feedback) as well as instructional design, there typically is a positive impact on student engagement. Research also indicated that digital game-based learning along with collaboration can have a significant effect on student motivation, however, the addition of instructions and feedback were not found to have a significant effect. Individual studies on digital game-based learning showed a significant positive impact on student achievement, while one of two meta-analysis studies found that there was a small effect size for digital game-based learning on student achievement in mathematics. Further studies should be conducted on digital game-based learning at the K-12 level over an extended period of time with the addition of game design elements and instructional design. More studies where empirical/statistical data is collected, and involving content area experts in research was recommended

Human factor in intelligent manufacturing systems - knowledge acquisition and motivation

Abstract People play a central role in intelligent manufacturing systems because of two reasons: their knowledge is indispensable to create and improve intelligent manufacturing systems; and their motivation is very important to identify and solve causes of the problems which may occur in order to prevent them in the future. Therefore, adequate learning methods are required to accomplish these two goals: empower and motivate people. In this paper innovative methods such as learning by doing, simulations and virtual reality will be presented as the ways to transfer the knowledge about intelligent manufacturing systems and to increase motivation concerning their improvements

Development and Field Testing of a Narrative-Centered Digital Game for English Comprehension

This paper describes the development and field testing of Learning Likha: Rangers to the Rescue, a narrative-centered, mobile-based digital game for practicing English comprehension. Twenty-seven (27) student participants from Grades 4, 5, and 6 were invited to play the game and answer a comprehension test to determine their level of understanding of the game’s contents. Self-report questionnaires were also used to assess the extent to which they enjoyed playing the game. Three (3) teachers were likewise invited for a focus group discussion (FGD) to gather their insights about the game and how they may use it in their classes. Student’s self-reported feedback indicated they found the game fun, interesting, and sufficiently challenging. Post-test comprehension scores were generally good. Younger participants scored lower than their older peers but the differences were found to be not significant. Teachers indicated the game has the potential to be used as a supplement for their classes and that their students would enjoy playing it

Web 2.0 technologies for learning: the current landscape – opportunities, challenges and tensions

This is the first report from research commissioned by Becta into Web 2.0 technologies for learning at Key Stages 3 and 4. This report describes findings from an additional literature review of the then current landscape concerning learner use of Web 2.0 technologies and the implications for teachers, schools, local authorities and policy makers

Do we need permission to play in public? The design of participation for social play video games at play parties and ‘alternative’ games festivals

Play is a fundamental to being Human. It helps to make sense of the self, to learn, to be creative and to relax. The advent of video games challenged traditional notions of play, introducing a single player experience to what had primarily been a communal social activity. As technology has developed, communal play has found both online and real-world spaces within video games. Online streaming, multiplayer games and built-in spectator modes within games underpin online communal play experiences, whilst ‘alternative’ games festivals, play parties and electronic sports, provide real world spaces for people to meet, play and exchange knowledge relating to both playing and making video games. This article reports the study of social play events which bring people together in the same space to explore video games making and playing. Expert interviews with curators, and event facilitators provides qualitative data from which design processes are formalised into a ‘model of participation’ of social play. Four key areas of balance are proposed as core considerations in supporting participation in event design. The study of these events also suggests that their design and fostering of participation has the potential to evoke cultural change in game making and playing practices

The multimodal texture of engagement: prosodic language, gaze and posture in engaged, creative classroom interaction

This article explores the texture of engagement, a necessary foundation for creative thinking, and examines that texture through a multimodal lens. The article reports on research examining pupils’ face-to-face interaction, achieving rigour through systematic application of a multimodal discourse analysis framework to discover more about the nature of collaboration in class. The focus in this article is the work of two boys in an exam preparation class where the task is to transpose Macbeth Act 1 scene 7 into a modern context. The multimodal micro-analysis of extracts from the interaction allows for an understanding of the work of embodied modes of gaze, posture and gesture alongside spoken and written language. In particular, it highlights the work of embodied modes in engaged collaborative classroom interaction and the poetic, or prosodic, aspects to gaze and posture as well as language in everyday classroom communication. It conceptualises engagement as a process rather than a state or reaction. Building on these insights regarding the multimodal texture of engagement in collaboration, the article argues that it is important to understand engagement as a process rather than a state or response and discusses some implications as to what teachers need to take account of when implementing collaborative activities. Keywords Engagement; prosody; gaze; posture; collaborative learnin