Effects of Digital Educational Games on Students’ Math Attitudes, Achievement, and In-Game Performance

• In Event: Advances in Gamification and Game-Based Learning

Abstract

Children’s math attitudes start to decrees at an early age. Literature and theories have suggested that games with incentive systems have the potential to improve learning outcomes. However, no study to date has used the value-added approach to systematically investigate incentive systems’ effects. The current study used the value-added approach to examine incentive systems’ impact on math outcomes. The findings revealed that games with incentive systems generated higher math attitudes and better in-game performance than games without. However, there were no significant differences on math achievement across groups. Thus, games with incentive systems seem to promote positive math attitudes (e.g., higher value and less boredom), and this yields practical implications for designing quality digital educational games for mathematics.

Authors

• Run Wen, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University

• Adam Kenneth Dubé, McGill University