what research tells us about designing and creating game-based learning

What Research Tells us About Creating Game-Based Learning

Twitter:@kkapp

By Karl M. KappBloomsburg University

Google “Kapp Notes”www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes

2012 New Book:“The Gamification of Learning and Instruction”

September 2011 Training Quarterly ArticleImproving Training: Thinking Like a Game Developer

1

Agenda

What does research say about games and game elements for learning?

How do you apply game-based strategies to the presentation of learning content?

2

3What are 3 principles for addingserious games to learning curriculums?

4What are 4 motivational aspects of games that improve learning recall and application?

What Research Says about

Games for Learning

Type of Knowledge/Retention

% Higher

Declarative 11%Procedural 14%Retention 9%

Percentages of Impact

Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies

Type of Knowledge/Retention

% Higher

Declarative 11%Procedural 14%Retention 9%

Percentages of Impact

Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies

It wasn’t the game, it was level of activity in the game.

In other words, the engagement of the learner in the game leads

to learning.

Poll Question One

Simulation Game.

Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

20% higher.

Do simulation/games have to be entertaining to be educational?

(poll question two)

NO

Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

Simulation

PedagogyGame

EducationalSimulation

Aldrich, C. Learning by Doing. Pfeiffer, page 80

Simulation

PedagogyGame

EducationalSimulation

Aldrich, C. Learning by Doing. Pfeiffer, page 80

Instructional games should be embedded in instructional programs that include debriefing and feedback.

Instructional support to help learners understand how to use the game increases instructional effectiveness of the gaming experience.

Hays, R. T. (2005). The effectiveness of instructional games: A literature review anddiscussion. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (No 2005-004).

Recommendations

1) The context of the learning environment is important.2) Simulation/games don’t need to be “entertaining” to be instructional.3) Carefully craft the simulation/game to provide opportunities to increase

learning (engagement and interactivity).

4 Motivational Elements of Games that Aid Learning

1. Avatars2. Stories & Challenges3. Levels4. Feedback

We’ve Always Wanted Characters

Avatars

Why be a Character at All?

Research indicates that human social models influence behavior,

beliefs and attitudes.

Bandura, A. 1986 Social foundations of thought and action: a social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA: Prentice-Hall.

Avatar as Teacher

Research indicates that learners perceive, interact socially with and are influenced by anthropomorphic

agents (avatars) even when their functionality and adaptability are limited.

Baylor, A. 2009 Promoting motivation with virtual agents and avatars: R ole of visual presence and appearance. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal B Society. 364, 3559–3565

Poll Question Three

An experience as an avatar can change a person's real life perceptions. In a study conducted by Yee and Bailenson (2006), it was found that negative stereotyping of the elderly was significantly reduced when participants were placed in avatars of old people compared with those participants placed in avatars of young people.

Yee, N. & Bailenson, J.N. (2006). Walk A Mile in Digital Shoes: The Impact of Embodied Perspective-Taking on TheReduction of Negative Stereotyping in Immersive Virtual Environments.. Proceedings of PRESENCE 2006: The 9th Annual International Workshop on Presence. August 24 – 26, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Poll Question Four

Within 24 hours of watching an avatar like themselves run, learners were more likely to run than watching an avatar not like them or

watching an avatar like them loitering .

Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 21 (3), 95-113.

If learners watch an avatar that looks like them exercising & losing weight,

they will subsequently exercise more in the real world as compared to a control

group.

Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 21 (3), 95-113.

Mentor

Motivator

Expert

Are two avatars better than one?

Mentor

Motivator

Expert

Yes, two avatars are better than one.

Baylor, A. L. & Kim, Y. (2005). Simulating instructional roles through pedagogical agents. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 15(1), 95-115.

http://www.codebaby.com/showcase/elearning-showcase/

First Person View

Third Person View

Recommendations

1) Avatars can effectively model behavior for both learners and instructors.2) Avatars that look like learners are more influential on the learners.3) Two avatars are better than one provided they are stratified in their usage

(one as knowledge, one as coaching)4) Third-person perspective is more powerful for learning than first person.

Stories & Challenges

Provide a challenge

Re-design the Instruction to Start with a Challenge

Researchers have found that the human brain has a natural affinity for

narrative construction.

Yep, People tend to remember facts more accurately if they encounter

them in a story rather than in a list.

And they rate legal arguments as more convincing when built into narrative tales rather than on legal precedent.

1.Characters

Story Elements

5. Conclusion

2. Plot (something has to happen).

3. Tension

4. ResolutionCharacter encounters problem

Problem builds tension

A solution is offered

Results are presented/positive

Challenge and Consolidation– Good games offer players a setof challenging problems and then let them solve these problemsuntil they have virtually routinized or automated their solutions.

Games then throw a new class of problem at the players requiringthem to rethink their now, taken-for-granted mastery, learnsomething new, and integrate this new learning into their old mastery.

James Paul Gee, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Recommendations

1) Use stories and provide challenges in the beginning of the learning process.

2) Use stories that are related to the context of the desired learning outcome.

Levels

Scaffolding: Process of controlling the task elements that initially are beyond the learner’s

capacity.

Guided Practice. Step-by-step instructions and then fading of instruction

Once that task is accomplished, the learner is then led to accomplish another goal which

builds upon the previous.

Level One: Talking with the receptionist.

Level Two: Talking with the nurse gatekeeper.

Level Three: Talking with the physician.

Level One: Demonstration

Level Two: Guided Practice

Level Three: Performance Assessment

Recommendations

1) Provide different entry points into the instruction.2) Provide different learner experiences within the same

e-learning module.3) Consider “leveling up” learner challenges.

Feedback

Games like The Sims provide feedback on many dimensions which provide

opportunities to consider tradeoffs and higher level cognitive thinking.

Leaderboards provide opportunities for players to

receive feedback about their performance as compared to

others.

Putting It AllTogether

Fostering Pro-Social Behavior

28% helped to pick up pencils

33% helped to pick up pencils

67% helped to pick up pencils

22% intervened

56% intervened

Learned Procedure

Inventory Observation

Learners journey through a series of activities designed

to synthesize conceptual learning.

Learning changes from being Disembodied and Transactional to Embodied, Relational and Experiential.

1

Summary

Games/Simulations are effectivefor learning?

Apply stories, avatars, feedback and levels as effective game elements to e-learning.

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3Provide support materials around gamesInclude as part of curriculum, “fun” doesn’t need to be the goal.

4Four motivational aspects of games that improve learning recalland application are: interactivity, context, challenge, and story.

Questions/More Information• http://www.kaplaneduneering.com/kappnotes/

– Recommended books– Samples and Examples

• Learning in 3D– www.learningin3d.info

• Gadgets, Games and Gizmos for Learning– www.gadgetsgamesandgizmos.com

• Email: kkapp@bloomu.edu• Email: karlkapp@gmail.com

“The Gamification of Learning and Instruction” in Spring 2011

published by Pfeiffer.