Threads of Interest: Case Studies of Interest Development in a Game-Based STEM Summer Camp

• In Event: Technology, STEM Learning, and Contexts

Abstract

Our research question is: How does a digital sandbox game (Minecraft) provide opportunities to build on prior STEM interest in adolescent learners? To explore whether and how digital learning experiences enable learners to build on their prior interest in STEM, we present two case studies of adolescent learners participating in an astronomy-themed summer camp, one exhibiting high and one exhibiting low STEM interest. Borrowing a model from Azevedo (2018) we frame situational interest as a combination of prior experiences influencing interest (continuities), as well as novel experiences through Minecraft that modify learner interest (discontinuities). Our work contributes to interest research literature by showing digital games can be used to activate learners’ prior STEM interest, while furthering interest through novel experiences.

Authors

• Matt Gadbury, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Sherry Yi, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• H. Chad Lane, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign