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Journal ArticleDOI

A concept map-embedded educational computer game for improving students' learning performance in natural science courses

01 Nov 2013-Computer Education (Pergamon)-Vol. 69, Iss: 1, pp 121-130
TL;DR: A concept map-embedded gaming approach is proposed for developing educational computer games by integrating concept mapping as part of the gaming scenarios to help students organize what they have learned during the game-based learning process.
Abstract: Many recent studies have reported the benefits of educational computer games in promoting students' learning motivations. On the other hand, however, the effect of digital game-based learning in improving students' learning performance has been questioned. Several previous studies have reported that without properly integrating learning strategies into gaming scenarios, the effectiveness of educational computer games could be limited, or may be even worse than that of the conventional technology-enhanced learning approach. In this study, a concept map-embedded gaming approach is proposed for developing educational computer games by integrating concept mapping as part of the gaming scenarios to help students organize what they have learned during the game-based learning process. Moreover, a role-playing game has been developed for an elementary school natural science course based on the proposed approach. From the experimental results, it is found that the concept map-embedded gaming approach can significantly improve the students' learning achievement and decrease their cognitive load. Moreover, the students who learned with the proposed approach revealed a significantly higher degree of perceived usefulness than those who learned with the conventional game-based learning approach.
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: From the experimental results, it was found that the AR-based flipped learning guiding approach not only benefited the students in terms of promoting their project performance, but also improved their learning motivation, critical thinking tendency, and group self-efficacy.
Abstract: In recent years, flipped learning has received increasing emphasis; it engages students in deriving basic knowledge through instructional videos before the class, and hence more time is available for practicing, applying knowledge, or student-teacher interaction in class. Many scholars have pointed out that, with such a learning approach, teachers can design more effective in-class activities by guiding students to have higher order thinking as well as interactions with peers and teachers. In the meantime, researchers have also indicated that employing proper educational technologies or learning strategies could further improve students’ performance. Therefore, in this study, an Augmented Reality (AR)-based learning guiding mode is proposed for developing a flipped learning system. To examine the effectiveness of the proposed approach, an experiment was conducted in a natural science learning activity of an elementary school using the developed system. The participants were four classes of 111 fifth graders. Two classes were assigned to the experimental group, while the others were the control group. Those learning in the experimental group used the AR-based flipped learning mode, while those in the control group learned with the conventional flipped learning mode. From the experimental results, it was found that the AR-based flipped learning guiding approach not only benefited the students in terms of promoting their project performance, but also improved their learning motivation, critical thinking tendency, and group self-efficacy.

226 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The experimental results show that the AR-based gaming approach can improve not only students' learning attitudes, but also their learning performance on the field trip.
Abstract: Augmented reality (AR) has been recognized as a potential technology to help students link what they are observing in the real world to their prior knowledge. One of the most challenging issues of AR-based learning is the provision of effective strategy to help students focus on what they need to observe in the field. In this study, a competitive gaming approach is proposed to support AR-based learning activities conducted in real-world contexts. An experiment has been conducted on an elementary school ecology course to explore the effectiveness of the proposed approach in comparison with the conventional AR-based mobile learning approach in field trips. The experimental results show that the AR-based gaming approach can improve not only students' learning attitudes, but also their learning performance on the field trip. Accordingly, discussions and some suggestions for future work are provided.

189 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is confirmed that the mental efforts of students are greater when they experience more learning anxiety at the same time; however, it is not the case that lower learning anxiety and mental effort is better for learning.
Abstract: This study attempted to develop and compare two Augmented Reality (AR) educational game systems for third graders to learn English vocabulary in free and situated surroundings. One system was developed based on a self-directed learning approach which did not restrict the learning sequence, while the other was based on a task-based learning approach which limited the learning sequence. The flow experience, cognitive load, foreign language learning anxiety, and learning effectiveness of the students with different learning styles (i.e., serial or global) were assessed. The results showed that the students using the self-directed or task-based AR educational game system had similar and high learning effectiveness, although those using the self-directed system revealed higher flow experience. However, the students with a serial learning style had lower mental effort and foreign language learning anxiety regardless of using the self-directed or the task-based AR educational game system. It was found that the challenge and control of the system conformed to the students' proficiency. The learning objects (e.g., pen, pencil, book, chair, desk, eraser, ruler, etc.) did not have a restrictive learning sequence. Providing free learning steps was preferable, and restricting which step to begin with was not necessary. This study confirms that the mental efforts of students are greater when they experience more learning anxiety at the same time; however, it is not the case that lower learning anxiety and mental effort is better for learning. On the contrary, a little learning anxiety and mental effort, but not too much, is helpful for learning.

189 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A systematic discussion on the design of intrinsic integration of domain-specific learning in game mechanics and game world design and future directions for the design and research of learning integration in digital games are proposed.
Abstract: Via a systematic review of the literature on learning games, this article presents a systematic discussion on the design of intrinsic integration of domain-specific learning in game mechanics and game world design. A total of 69 articles ultimately met the inclusion criteria and were coded for the literature synthesis. Exemplary learning games cited in the articles reviewed and developed by credible institutions were also analyzed. The cumulative findings and propositions of the game-based learning-play integration have been extracted and synthesized into five salient themes to clarify what, how, where, and when learning and content are embedded in and activated by gameplay. These themes highlight: (a) the types of game-based learning action—prior-knowledge activation and novel-knowledge acquisition, (b) the modes in which learning actions are integrated in game actions—representation, simulation, and contextualization, (c) the blended learning spaces contrived by game mechanics and the game world, (d) the occurrence of meta-reflective and iterative learning moments during game play, and (e) the multifaceted in-game learning support (or scaffolding). Future directions for the design and research of learning integration in digital games are then proposed.

188 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A contextual educational computer game is developed to improve students' learning performance based on an inquiry-based learning strategy and benefited the "active" learning style students more than the "reflective" style students in terms of learning achievement.
Abstract: Inquiry-based learning, an effective instructional strategy, can be in the form of a problem or task for triggering student engagement. However, how to situate students in meaningful inquiry activities remains to be settled, especially for social studies courses. In this study, a contextual educational computer game is developed to improve students' learning performance based on an inquiry-based learning strategy. An experiment has been conducted on an elementary school social studies course to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach on the inquiry-based learning performances of students with different learning styles. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach effectively enhanced the students' learning effects in terms of their learning achievement, learning motivation, satisfaction degree and flow state. Furthermore, it is also found that the proposed approach benefited the "active" learning style students more than the "reflective" style students in terms of learning achievement. This suggests the need to provide additional supports to students with particular learning styles in the future. A contextual game based on an inquiry-based learning strategy was developed.The approach was applied to an elementary school social studies course.The approach improved the students' learning achievement.The approach improved the students' motivation, satisfaction degree and flow state.The approach benefited the "active" style students more than "reflective" style ones.

185 citations


Cites background from "A concept map-embedded educational ..."

  • ...Ikpeze and Boyd (2007) asserted that inquiry-based learning facilitates students' participation in meaningful activities and reinforces their critical thinking skills with the aid of technology....

    [...]

References
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16 May 2003
TL;DR: Good computer and video games like System Shock 2, Deus Ex, Pikmin, Rise of Nations, Neverwinter Nights, and Xenosaga: Episode 1 are learning machines as mentioned in this paper.
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7,211 citations

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TL;DR: Cognitive load theory has been designed to provide guidelines intended to assist in the presentation of information in a manner that encourages learner activities that optimize intellectual performance as discussed by the authors, which assumes a limited capacity working memory that includes partially independent subcomponents to deal with auditory/verbal material and visual/2- or 3-dimensional information as well as an effectively unlimited long-term memory, holding schemas that vary in their degree of automation.
Abstract: Cognitive load theory has been designed to provide guidelines intended to assist in the presentation of information in a manner that encourages learner activities that optimize intellectual performance. The theory assumes a limited capacity working memory that includes partially independent subcomponents to deal with auditory/verbal material and visual/2- or 3-dimensional information as well as an effectively unlimited long-term memory, holding schemas that vary in their degree of automation. These structures and functions of human cognitive architecture have been used to design a variety of novel instructional procedures based on the assumption that working memory load should be reduced and schema construction encouraged. This paper reviews the theory and the instructional designs generated by it.

4,886 citations

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01 Oct 2003
TL;DR: This text offers an introduction to game design and a unified model for looking at all kinds of games, from board games and sports to computer and video games.
Abstract: This text offers an introduction to game design and a unified model for looking at all kinds of games, from board games and sports to computer and video games Also included are concepts, strategies, and methodologies for creating and understanding games

4,333 citations

Book
01 Jan 1984
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue for the practical importance of an alternate view, that learning is synonymous with a change in the meaning of experience, and develop their theory of the conceptual nature of knowledge and describe classroom-tested strategies for helping students to construct new and more powerful meanings and to integrate thinking, feeling, and acting.
Abstract: For almost a century, educational theory and practice have been influenced by the view of behavioural psychologists that learning is synonymous with behaviour change. In this book, the authors argue for the practical importance of an alternate view, that learning is synonymous with a change in the meaning of experience. They develop their theory of the conceptual nature of knowledge and describe classroom-tested strategies for helping students to construct new and more powerful meanings and to integrate thinking, feeling, and acting. In their research, they have found consistently that standard educational practices that do not lead learners to grasp the meaning of tasks usually fail to give them confidence in their abilities. It is necessary to understand why and how new information is related to what one already knows. All those concerned with the improvement of education will find something of interest in Learning How to Learn.

3,987 citations

Book
12 Dec 2000
TL;DR: Green and Bavelier as discussed by the authors found that playing "action" video and computer games has the positive effect of enhancing student's visual selective attention, but that finding is just one small part of a more important message that all parents and educators need to hear: Video games are not the enemy, but the best opportunity we have to engage our kids in real learning.
Abstract: Research published by University of Rochester neuroscientists C. Shawn Green and Daphne Bavelier has grabbed national attention for suggesting that playing "action" video and computer games has the positive effect of enhancing student's visual selective attention. But that finding is just one small part of a more important message that all parents and educators need to hear: Video games are not the enemy, but the best opportunity we have to engage our kids in real learning.

3,255 citations