Challenges and Opportunities: Using a Science-Based Video Game in Secondary School Settings

Autor/inn/en	Muehrer, Rachel; Jenson, Jennifer; Friedberg, Jeremy; Husain, Nicole
Titel	Challenges and Opportunities: Using a Science-Based Video Game in Secondary School Settings
Quelle	In: Cultural Studies of Science Education, 7 (2012) 4, S.783-805 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1871-1502
DOI	10.1007/s11422-012-9409-z
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Video Games; Teaching Methods; Botany; Barriers; Science Instruction; Secondary School Science; Science Education; Educational Technology; Educational Games; Computer Games; Instructional Effectiveness; Curriculum Implementation; Mixed Methods Research; Interviews; Pretests Posttests; Web Browsers; Web Based Instruction; Canada + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Video game; Videospiel; Videospiele; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Botanik; Teaching of science; Science education; Natural sciences Lessons; Naturwissenschaftlicher Unterricht; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Unterrichtsmedien; Educational game; Lernspiel; Computer game; Computerspiel; Computerspiele; Unterrichtserfolg; Interviewing; Interviewtechnik; Web Based Training; Kanada
Abstract	Simulations and games are not new artifacts to the study of science in secondary school settings (Hug, Kriajcik and Marx 2005), however teachers remain skeptical as to their value, use and appropriateness (Rice 2006). The difficulty is not only the design and development of effective play environments that produce measurable changes in knowledge and/or understanding, but also in their on-the-ground use (Jaipal and Figg 2010). This paper reports on the use of a science-focused video game in five very different secondary school settings in Ontario, Canada. A mixed-methods approach was used in the study, and included data gathered on general gameplay habits and technology use, as well as informal interviews with teachers and students who played the game. In total, 161 participants played a series of games focused on the "life of a plant", and were given both a pre and post quiz to determine if the game helped them retain and/or change what they knew about scientific processes like plant cell anatomy and photosynthesis. Participants showed statistically significant improvement on quizzes that were taken after playing the game for approximately one-hour sessions, despite difficulties in some cases both accessing and playing the game for the full hour. Our findings also reveal the ongoing challenges in making use of technology in a variety of school sessions, even when using a browser-based game, that demanded very little other than a reliable internet connection. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10