educational gaming middle school children’s preferences dolly joseph, ph.d. mable kinzie, ph.d....
TRANSCRIPT
Educational Gaming
Middle School Children’s Preferences
Dolly Joseph, Ph.D.
Mable Kinzie, Ph.D.
University of Virginia
Prior Findings
Games provide opportunities for:• Serious Play Rieber, Smith, & Noah• Flow Csikszentmihalyi• Identification, sequencing & classification
Henderson, et al• Skill based, declarative, procedural, strategic
& affective learning Garris et al• Game creation: evaluation, content mastery,
problem-solving practice Kafai
Research Questions
What attributes of computer games are appealing to middle school students?
How can these attributes be successfully incorporated into educational games?
What gender differences exist in middle school children’s preferences?
Methodologies
Got Game! Camps• Two 2-week camps to investigate game playing
preferences of middle school students• Qualitative research methodology~ in-depth case
study and cross-case analysis
Survey• Multiple choice and likert scale survey• Administered to 44 middle school students• Analyzed for gender differences
Got Game?
SettingResearch ParticipantsAnalysisResults
Setting
Two locations• GMS- Public suburban school
– Predominately White– 16% free or reduced lunch– 10 participants, 5 boys & 5 girls
• TASK- Local not-for-profit organization– Predominately African-American– 100% free or reduced lunch– 11 participants, 7 boys & 4 girls
StructureExploration, Reflection & Creation
• Game play • Discussion• Video Closet “Confessional”• Journaling• Game modification• Game creation
Thematic Elements• Functional,• Aesthetic, • Character & • Educational Design
Participants
Anthony 6th grade, African American & Caucasian
from TASKLoved the Myst-like game BioscopiaGravitated towards games that had clear
goals and procedures- Oregon Trail was too complex
Liked to know that he had solved problems correctly
Participants
Diana7th grade, Mexican American from TASKEnjoyed games with a problem solving
componentFavorite games included driving gamesPreferred games with clearly identifiable
goals
Participants
Megan8th grade, Caucasian from GMS Loved to collaborate during play and
creationEnjoyed complex play and adaptable
goalsLiked controlling social interactions of
characters
Participants
Paul7th grade, African American from TASKLiked complex, realistic problemsWanted “action” and “conflict” in gamesLiked to set own goals
Analysis
In-depth case studies & cross-case analysis structured by:• Participation Style• Preferred Activity types• Thematic Elements
Activity types
Alternative to industry classificationsEmphasizes player’s experiences within
gameplayEmerged during analysis of children’s
gameplayTested and refined through follow up
survey6 types are usually found in combination
Active Play
Time pressured playRapid character death and rebirth Dichotomous storylines
All studied campers were proficientEducational games which included active
play were rated highly
Explorative Play
Physical space and travel are simulated through game board layout
Players discover new areas and challenges in turn
Most often found in combination with other activity types
Was a preferred mode for one camperSeveral highly rated games include
explorative aspects, including Zoombinis and Osmosis Jones
Problem-solvingDiscreet challenges with set goals, specific rules
and correct solutionsMultiple challenges games are generally
independentCan be fast- or slow- paced
Enjoyable for all studied participantsClear challenges and readily apparent success
and failure appealingReviewed educational games often contain
problem solving activities, but insufficiently challenging
Strategic Play
Long-term manipulation of resourcesFlexible goalsMultiple pathways through the game
2 of the 4 campers enjoyed this modeGreater complexity may be overly
challengingFew educational games incorporate this
mode
Social Play
Intra-game~ players control game’s character in social interactions
Multi-player~ players compete against othersCollaborative~ players work together
Intra-game play was a preferred mode of only one campers
Multi-player & collaborative play were compelling to three of the four campers
Social play was not a component for any surveyed games
Creative PlayCreation or personalization of artifacts within
the game environmentManipulation of “skins” found within The
Sims, the Tycoon series and othersMay not be seen as a game-like due to lack
of obvious competition
Only 1 camper demonstrated a strong preference for creative play
Few of the surveyed educational games contained this element
Results
4 game design suggestions Designed for a “type” of playerAlternate gameplay for other “types”Exciting gameplay with integrated content
Cures of the Rainforest
Goal: find plants with potential curative properties within the rainforest
Activity types: social, strategy, creative, problem-solving, active
Gameplay: select a team of experts best suited to reach the goal, while managing emergencies and negotiating challenges
Content: flora/fauna of region, botany, geography
Vigilante PI
Goal: solve crimes and bring corrupt businessmen to justice
Activity types: strategy, problem-solving, active
Gameplay: solve crimes in an urban neighborhood, using mental powers, as well as a bit of muscle
Content: forensics, chemistry, health-hazards
Butterfly Babies
Goal: collect, breed, and “grow” butterfliesActivity types: problem-solving, active,
creativeGameplay: choose a variety of butterflies,
breed them for a variety of phenotypesContent: biology, genetics, lab procedures
Zoo Rescue
Goal: free a trapped zookeeper by traveling through a maze-like zoo
Activity types: Explorative, problem-solving, active
Gameplay: travel through a series of passageways in order to progress, the player must answer questions and solve puzzles
Content: biology, ecology
Survey
SettingResearch ParticipantsAnalysisInitial Results
Setting
Suburban Middle School• Two heterogeneously grouped homerooms• 6th- 8th grades• 42 of 44 surveys returned• 64% White, 12% Asian, 10% African
American, 2% Hispanic, and 12% Other
Survey
Demographic/ Game Play ExperienceCharacter/Setting/Help PreferencesActivity Mode PreferencesActivity Mode Attitudes
Analysis
Statistical significance- gender differences• One way ANOVAs• Pearson Chi-Square Tests
Game Play Experience
Significant gender differences• Type of hardware p<.01
– Boys= Consoles / Girls= Computer
No significant gender difference:• How often• How long• Access to Internet• Play with others
Character
Significant gender differences:• Preference for own gender p<.001• Girls prefer thinner female characters p<.05
No significant gender differences• Character age• Male build
Significant ethnicity difference• Whites prefer White characters, Other
races/ethnicities prefer other ethnicities p<.001
Setting
Significant gender differences• Boys prefer games set in the “street” or sports fields,
Girls prefer games set in a mall or meadow p<.01• Boys prefer warlords as opponents, girls prefer rival
kids p<.05• Boys have greater interest in saving adults and senior
citizens, Girls would rather save young children p<.05
No significant gender difference• Animals vs. people- individual vs. groups• Method of meeting challenge
Mode Preference
In a game I most like to:a) Fight an enemy active
b) Design objects like cars or clothes creative
c) Control individuals social
d) Work out puzzles problem-solving
Mode Preference
Significant gender difference• Girls prefer
– Creative p<.01
• Boys prefer– Explorative p<.05– Active p<.001– Strategy p<.01
No significant gender difference– Problem-solving– Social
Activity Attitudes
If I had a telescope in a game I would like to watch the neighbors,
1 2 3 4
Activity Attitudes
Significant gender differences• Girls prefer
– Creative p<.01
• Boys prefer– Active p<.01– Strategy p<.01
No significant gender differences• Explorative• Social• Problem-solving
Recommendations
Testing of activity types with larger populations of children
Prototypical game design with the inclusion of activity types
Game designs which also address the interests of girls
