In our research, we used two different versions of a serious game to realize conceptual change regarding classical Newtonian mechanics. We propose the Serious Gaming Lemniscate Model (SGLM). It states that in an educational game, a player is either in a gaming state, intuitively acting on the feedback in the game, or in a learning state, rationally reflecting on the gaming experience. To test our model, we moved the student from the gaming state to the learning state. Next, we investigated whether this shift was effective in changing the student’s concepts. We did so by suddenly increasing the complexity of the game between consecutive levels, generating authentic learning questions. We compared the learning gain of students who are forced out of the game state to students who played the game through without the sudden increases in difficulty. Both strategies were benchmarked against a control group where no game was used. We developed a physics game to challenge the conceptual knowledge of third-grade secondary school students regarding Newtonian mechanics. We found that students who played the game as part of the physics classes experienced an increase in perceptual knowledge. However, the effect of interrupting the game state to initiate a learning state did not add to the conceptual change compared with the group who played the game through without interruptions.
Background. Many physics concepts can be abstract and difficult to learn from books or lectures. Experiments are frequently used to overcome such difficulties and provide a sound learning experience. However, some concepts may not be experienced through experimentation or may not be experienced in real life. Recently, computer games, based on physics simulations, have been utilized to provide an alternative learning tool.
Aim. Educational games designed to overcome misconceptions have proven to provide an effective alternative learning option. In this research, the authors investigate if commercial entertainment games can be used to overcome misconceptions of Newton’s laws of motion as well.
Method. The application of a commercial entertainment game as an effective learning tool in physics education is compared with a self-designed, 2-dimensional game.
Results. Self-designed educational games induce a significantly higher learning gain than the commercial entertainment game.
Conclusions and Recommendations. For teaching specific concepts using educational games, special-purpose games may produce larger learning gains.
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