Sylke Vandercruysse

“Zeldenrust”: A Mathematical Game-Based Learning Environment for Prevocational Students

In this contribution, we present a game-based learning environment for 12–16-year-old vocational students in which they can practice proportional reasoning problems. The learning content and goals, as well as the specific game features are discussed. We can conclude that developing a serious game implies many choices and decisions led by theoretical foundations, as well as by practical limitations and pragmatic considerations.

The Role of Curiosity-Triggering Events in Game-Based Learning for Mathematics

In this study, we investigate whether cognitive conflicts induced by curiosity-triggering events have a positive impact on learning and motivation. In two experiments, we tested a game about proportional reasoning for secondary prevocational students. Experiment 1 used a curiosity-triggering vs. control condition pretest–posttest design. The control condition received the game without curiosity-triggering events. The results provided evidence that the game improves proportional reasoning skills. Although game performance was positively related to posttest performance, the hypothesized higher increase in learning and motivation after curiosity-triggering events was not found. Based on the results of Experiment 1, the game was adapted. Experiment 2 showed basically the same pattern of results, but we did not find a learning effect after playing the game. In the Discussion, we suggest additional research with think-aloud and/or eye-tracking to map the actual thoughts after the curiosity-triggering events. In addition, we propose some alternative implementations to evoke cognitive conflicts.

The effectiveness of a math game: The impact of integrating conceptual clarification as support

This study investigates the impact of integrating conceptual clarifications as support in an educational math game, and explores the impact of adding this (internal vs. external) support on students game and mathematical performance, intrinsic motivation, and game perception. Three conditions are established: a condition in which internal support is offered, a condition in which (identical) external support is offered, and a control condition in which no support is added to the game. One hundred twenty-two vocational secondary education students participated in this study. The results of this study indicate that students benefit from playing with an educational game in order to enhance their proportional reasoning skills. Adding conceptual clarifications as instructional support in an intrinsically integrated game is not recommended. If the support is given to the students anyhow, it is advised to offer it externally because internally integrating this support leads to a decrease in performance and motivation. Hence, not only support as such, but also the way it is integrated in the game-based learning process, might be decisive for its effectivity. Obviously, further research is warranted in order to replicate these findings also for other types of support, other game-based learning environments and other target groups. Playing with the GBLE stimulated students proportional reasoning ability.Conceptual clarifications in an intrinsically integrated GBLE are not recommended.Support, and the way it is integrated in a GBLE, are decisive for its effectivity.

Integration in the curriculum as a factor in math-game effectiveness

While numerous claims are made about the effectiveness of games, the studies that examine their educational effectiveness often contain flaws resulting in unclear conclusions. One possible solution for these shortcomings is to focus on separate game elements rather than on games as a whole. A second solution is to take into account students’ perception as this is likely to affect students’ interpretations and learning outcomes. This study investigated the effect of the integration of an educational game in the curriculum on students’ motivation, perception, and learning outcomes. Forty-nine vocational track students participated, all working in a game-based learning environment for learning calculations with fractions. The results demonstrate that integrating the learning content in the game with the learning content in the classroom is related to students’ in-game performance, but not to students’ math performance on a paper-and-pencil test, postgame perception and postgame motivation. To conclude this chapter, practical and theoretical implications for the fields of instructional design and educational games research are discussed.

Serious Games: The Challenge

In dialectic tension with the immense growth in digital information and communication media, Internet information and communication technologies have amplified conventional communicative practices in the areas of breadth, impact, and speed and also have enabled the emergence of new communicative, cultural, and cognitive practices. These practices emerge within distinctive cultures-of-use—that is, the process wherein communication tools and the practices they mediate co-evolve (Thorne, 2003). With these aforementioned issues as context, this article begins by describing contradictory appraisals of the perceived value and complexity of new and ‘sociable media’ (Donath, 2004) environments. This is followed by a discussion of the diverse semiotic ecology comprising the widely played massively multiplayer online game World of Warcraft (hereafter WoW), including routine player engagement with written texts and exposure to multiple languages, assessment of the linguistic complexity of texts designated as highly important by players, and consideration of attendant textual and expressive activity occurring outside of the game, with the purpose of better understanding the potential usefulness of online gaming, and WoW in particular, as a setting for language use and learning.

Towards a Game-Based Learning Instructional Design Model Focusing on Integration

This chapter focuses on a new instructional design model for game-based learning (GBL) that pinpoints the elements that are to be considered when designing learning environments in which GBL occurs. One key element of the model is discussed more in detail, being the integration of instructional elements in a GBLE. Based on different studies, the chapter concludes with emphasizing the importance of the design of the GBLE in the GBL processes. More specifically, the interplay between the instructional elements and the game elements is an important aspect in the GBL-process. Several decisions have to be made when designing a GBLE, and these decisions are of influence on GBL outcomes.

The Role of Surprise in Game-Based Learning for Mathematics

In this paper we investigate the potential of surprise on learning with prevocational students in the domain of proportional reasoning. Surprise involves an emotional reaction, but it also serves a cognitive goal as it directs attention to explain why the surprising event occurred and to learn for the future. Experiment 1 - comparing a surprise condition with a control condition - found no differences, but the results suggested that surprise may be beneficial for higher level students. In Experiment 2 we combined Expectancy strength Strong vs. Weak with Surprise Present vs. Absent using higher level students. We found a marginal effect of surprise on learning indicating that students who experienced surprises learned more than students who were not exposed to these surprises but we found a stronger positive effect of surprise when we included existing proportional reasoning skill as factor. These results provide evidence that narrative techniques such as surprise can be used for the purpose of learning.

Description of the Educational Math Game “Monkey Tales: The Museum of Anything”

In this contribution, we present the game-based learning environment Monkey Tales in which pupils and students can practice mathematics. The learning content and goals, as well as the story line and game design are discussed. The environment can be used for several research purposes, such as studies which focus on the effects of the use of educational games in the classroom (e.g., effect on performance, motivation) as well as studies which focus on learners’ behavior in the game and their mathematical performances during game play.