Integrating Serious Educational Gameplay in Primary STEM Classrooms to Improve and Assess Science Practice

• In Event: Poster Session 9
  In Poster Session: Research in Science Learning and Teaching Poster Session 2

Abstract

Serious educational gameplay continues to gain traction in K-12 educational settings, which has led educators to examine how to design these learning environments as well as how to measure learning gains associated with the gameplay. This study stems from a larger project that created a serious educational game for primary students designed to teach the human body systems through immersive gameplay. Primary learners treated patients and applied the scientific practices of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data during gameplay. We used mixed methods to analyze multiple data sources from students (n=88) that include telemetry data, pre- and post-test, interviews, and drawings for science content and practice growth. Significant conceptual and science practice learning gains were associated with gameplay.

Authors

• Georgia Wood Hodges, University of Georgia

• Kayla Pritchard, University of Georgia - Athens

• Sandhya Krishnan, University of Georgia