Search

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is known to be widely used for improving learning in various fields. Among the elements of DGBL, competition has been very controversial. This meta-analysis, which included 25 articles written between 2008 and 2019, revealed that DGBL has produced improvements for learning outcomes with an overall effect size of .386. In addition, we explored multiple moderators to understand how competition in DGBL influenced student learning for different learners, contexts, game types, and learning outcomes. We found that competition in DGBL was effective for math, science and language, but not for social science and other subjects. It was effective for K12 students and college students. It was effective for puzzle, strategy, role-playing, and simulation, but not for action games. Finally, competition in DGBL was equally effective for cognitive and non-cognitive outcomes. Through the results of this study, we fill a critical gap in the research left by recent reviews, which do not examine the role of competition; a key gaming element. In addition, we offer a number of suggestions for future studies.

In a game-based learning (GBL) environment for seventh-grade students, this study investigated the impact of competition, engagement in games, and the relationship between the two on students’ in-game performance and flow experience, which, in turn, impacted their science learning outcomes. Structural equation modeling was employed to test a hypothesized path model. The findings showed that students’ engagement in games not only predicted their in-game performance, but also had an impact on science learning outcomes via the mediation of in-game performance. While competition alone did not have a direct effect on either in-game performance or flow experience, it was indirectly related to in-game performance via the moderation of students’ engagement in games. The study concludes with implications for future GBL interventions and studies.

Research suggests that scaffolding is an important element when gaining problem-solving skills. However, very little research has investigated the role of fading and explored its implications in the context of deep learning. To address this gap, we investigated the effects of fading question prompts on argumentation as learners were given two fading schedules, (1) sustained scaffold schedule, and (2) faded scaffold schedule. We employed three different measurements of argumentation quality to triangulate the results. When using the rubric assessment method, we found no significant differences between the two conditions in argumentation quality. However, when using learning analytics to examine the conceptual linkages of students' knowledge structure, we found that students in the sustained scaffolding condition performed significantly better than the students in the faded condition. The results indicated that (a) scaffolds should not be faded before students have acquired the necessary problem-solving processes and (b) that novices might need a fuller set of scaffolds for a longer period to support their problem-solving performance. Implications for theory and methods are discussed.

The Community of Inquiry (CoI) model provides a lens to examine online learning through three elements: teaching presence (the design and facilitation of learning experiences), social presence (the extent to which learners project themselves as real people) and cognitive presence (the extent to which learners are able to construct meaning through inquiry and reflection activities). While research to date has established the importance of these essential presences in online learning environments, recent research on the CoI model calls for the need to explore the role of learner characteristics. The current study responded to the call by examining the role of learners' epistemic beliefs (EB) (ie, individuals' fundamental beliefs about the nature of knowledge and knowing) in an online CoI. Multiple linear regressions analyses revealed that EB moderated the relationship between learners' perceived teaching presence and cognitive presences. Future studies on CoI should take learners' epistemic beliefs into consideration, especially in the case of low teaching presences. Theoretical and practical implications for designing and investigating online learning are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] uracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Much is known about help seeking in face-to-face classrooms, but there is a limited understanding about how learners seek and provide help online. This study implemented a peer-help forum in an onl...

The present study examined the relationships between perceived leadership, group cohesion, online engagement, self‐regulation and learning outcomes. Data included surveys and online discussion logs from 171 students in an undergraduate online course. Through correlation analysis and structural equation modeling, the results revealed unique contributions of task and relationship leadership in small group collaborative learning. Each form of leadership may translate into greater use of self‐regulation strategies that align with students' focus on either the instrumental or interpersonal resources related to academics but may bring about a corresponding lower utilization of other types of self‐regulation strategies. Further, results indicate that students' perceptions of group cohesion provided the most robust and multifaceted positive associations with learning engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of different modes of competition on science learning in a game-based learning (GBL) environment. Some key motivational constructs such as learni...

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the types of question prompts (Knowledge vs. Application Prompts) and feedback types (Knowledge of Correct Response (KCR) vs. Elaborated Response (ER) on science learning outcomes in a game-based learning environment. One hundred and five students from a secondary school in Taiwan were randomly assigned into four conditions: Knowledge-KCR, Knowledge-ER, Application-KCR, and Application-ER in a game-based learning environment to learn the concepts of force and motion. The results suggested that students with the knowledge prompts outperformed students with application prompts. In addition, we found that the types of question prompts and the types of feedback had an interaction effect on students' learning. Specifically, students with ER feedback performed better than those with KCR feedback when knowledge prompts were given; however, students with KCR feedback performed better than those with ER feedback when application prompts were given. Knowledge prompts better promote learning performance than application prompts.Knowledge prompts with ER feedback better than knowledge prompts with KCR feedback.Application prompts with KCR feedback better enhance learning performance.

As our first presentation in a series of academic program profiles, we are pleased to present the Organization, Information, and Learning Science (OILS) program at the University of New Mexico (UMN). The OILS program began in the 1980s as a vocational education program and has evolved into a program that focuses on human performance technology (HPT), instructional design (ID), and learning sciences. The OILS program is organizationally a part of the College of University Libraries and Learning Science. The library faculty brings positive synergy to OILS in terms of data management and information technology, research, education, and applied practices. The program offers an undergraduate degree as well as masters and doctoral degrees. It is very rare to provide an undergraduate degree in the HPT and ID fields, and the OILS program is proud of these pioneering efforts. OILS has a pragmatic tradition. The faculty members of OILS and its graduate students have conducted scholastic and practical research projects in HPT, ID, and learning sciences. Coursework emphasis is on cultivating students’ capabilities for excellent performance in the workplace. The program has a strong network within the local community with local employers as well as with local chapters of professional societies. The present demographics in the State of New Mexico in terms of the majority-minority status are similar to the overall demographics that the United States as a whole will face within the next 30 years. OILS is an innovative program. – Sung “Pil” Kang, PhD and Yeol Huh, PhD, column editors

Self-regulation has been shown as a critical factor in learning in a regular classroom environment (e.g. Wolters and Pintrich in Instr Sci 26(1):27–47, 1998. doi: 10.1023/A:1003035929216 ). However, little research has been conducted to understand self-regulation in the context of collaboration (Dinsmore et al. in Educ Psychol Rev 20(4):391–409, 2008. doi: 10.1007/s10648-008-9083-6 ). Recently, researchers have been exploring how learners regulate themselves in collaborative problem-solving environments using qualitative methods (e.g. Chan in Metacogn Learn 7(1):63–73, 2012. doi: 10.1007/s11409-012-9086-z ; Lajoie and Lu in Metacogn Learn, 2011. doi: 10.1007/s11409-011-9077-5 ). However, there is a lack of instruments to measure self-regulation in a collaborative context (SRCC). Therefore, the current study was intended to propose a new instrument to measure SRCC. One hundred and thirty-one college students from a Midwestern university completed a survey for SRCC after participating in a collaborative problem-solving task. The exploratory factor analysis yielded four factors: clarification and resolution, elaboration, refuting, and summarization. Three of the four factors were moderately correlated. The results contribute to our understanding of self-regulation in a collaborative context, which allows researchers to study this phenomenon quantitatively.

Although the proponents of game-based learning argue that educational games engage students and afford better learning outcomes, the impact of educational games on motivation and learning performance is still unclear. Research suggested that the addition of scaffolds in computer-supported environments may improve students' learning. Therefore, this study examined the effects of scaffolding on secondary students' individual and collaborative game-based learning. A total of 254 secondary school students from eight different classes participated in the study and they were randomly assigned to four conditions: (a) individual-control (IC), (b) individual-scaffold (IS), (c) collaborative-control (CC), and (d) collaborative-scaffold (CS). The results of the structural equation modeling revealed that scaffolding had an impact on students' motivation and learning performance. In addition, hard scaffolding moderated the relationship between soft scaffolding and students' learning performance. The results provided empirical supports for the use of collaborative game-based learning environments. However, in order to maximize the effects of collaborative game-based learning, hard scaffolds should also be introduced to guide students' learning experience. This study offers directions in designing scaffolding in game-based learning environments. Hard scaffolds and soft scaffolds enhance learning performance.Hard scaffolds and soft scaffolds hinder students' motivation.The relationships between soft scaffolds and motivation change from negative to positive when hard scaffolds were provided.The effect of soft scaffolds on learning performance was strengthened when hard scaffolds were presented.

The purpose of this chapter is to provide some practical guidance and theoretical basis on designing simulated learning environments to researchers and instructional designers, medical educators, instructional design students, and others who are committed to improving learning and instruction in medical education. This chapter will benefit those who are interested in designing simulated learning environments and facilitating simulated learning experiences in instructional settings. The chapter first defines various types of simulations and their cognitive functions in support of students' authentic learning experiences. Following this, the chapter highlights critical components for designing simulated learning environments, including identifying learning objectives, developing problem scenarios, and facilitating students' learning experiences. It is hoped that this chapter will be a useful tool and resource for medical educators, researchers and instructional designers, and graduate students who are pursuing an advanced degree in instructional design and technology.

The Problem Today’s organizations compete for top talent in a global marketplace. Employees seek work that is interesting and meaningful, where they can be engaged and continuously learning. While much is written about employee engagement, leaders need a model for structuring workplaces where employees can be passionate about their work and where there are opportunities for employees to learn and grow. The Solution This article contends that the time is right for developing workplaces that are humane, positive, and challenging. Drawing on the Organizational Intimacy (OI) framework and incorporating ideas from positive psychology, leaders can create positive environments by promoting a nurturing workplace, encouraging meaningful work, and fostering environments where employees love their work. The Stakeholders The primary stakeholders for this article are senior leaders and Human Resource and Organizational Development practitioners seeking to build humane and positive workplaces. In addition, HRD scholars studying frameworks that incorporate ideas from positive psychology will also find this article of interest.

One of the goals for problem-based learning (PBL) is to promote self-regulation. Although self-regulation has been studied extensively, its interrelationships with ill-structured problem solving have been unclear. In order to clarify the interrelationships, this article proposes a conceptual framework illustrating the iterative processes among problem-solving stages (i.e., problem representation and solution generation) and self-regulation phases (i.e., planning, execution, and reflection). The dynamics of the interrelationships are further illustrated with three ill-structured problem-solving examples in different domains (i.e., information problem solving, historical inquiry, and science inquiry). The proposed framework contributes to research and practice by providing a new lens to examine self-regulation in ill-structured problem solving and offering guidelines to design effective tools and strategies to scaffold and assess PBL.

Following a design-based research framework, this article reports two empirical studies with an educational MMOG, called McLarin's Adventures, on facilitating 9th-grade students' complex problem-solving skill acquisition in interdisciplinary STEM education. The article discusses the nature of complex and ill-structured problem solving and, accordingly, how the game-based learning environment can facilitate complex problem-solving skill acquisition. The findings of the first study point to the importance of supporting cognitive regulation of students for successful complex problem-solving skill acquisition in digital game-based learning. The findings of the follow-up study show that when scaffolded by dynamic modeling, students made significant improvement in their complex problem-solving outcomes. Implications drawn from the findings of these two studies are discussed related to: (1) educational game design strategies to effectively facilitate complex problem-solving skill development; and (2) stealth or embedded assessment of progress in complex problem solving during digital game-based learning.

This chapter presents a design framework of scaffolding that can be applied in designing adaptive e-learning systems. The framework is primarily grounded in socio-cultural theory and built on a critical analysis of literature on scaffolding. It addresses three key processes in scaffolding (i.e., diagnosis, supporting, and fading) and four conditions for designing scaffolding (i.e., who, what, how, and when). From the historical perspective, this chapter also provides a literature review of adaptive systems. The characteristics of adaptive systems from different paradigms are specifically examined through the lens of scaffolding. To illustrate the application of the scaffolding framework in system adaptation, four web-based e-learning systems are described to demonstrate how various scaffolding strategies are implemented through the design of the systems. In conclusion, issues related to designing scaffolds for adaptive e-learning systems are discussed, and research gaps are identified for future investigation.

Complex problem solving and motivation are often argued as the most important benefits of massively multiplayer role-playing online games. However, little empirical research exists to support these assertions. Current research and educational game design theory are insufficient to explain the relationship between complex problem solving, motivation, and games; nor do they support the design of educational games intended to promote motivation and complex problem-solving skills. For the past few years, we have been engaged with design-based research (DBR) to address this gap in the literature. In this chapter, we present the findings of this study in a framework for designing and assessing educational MMORPGs for facilitating learners’ motivation and complex problem-solving skill acquisition. This game design and assessment framework bridges three levels of interactivity that were identified in a series of DBR studies as being crucial for effective educational game design: (1) interface interactivity, (2) narrative interactivity, and (3) social interactivity. In this chapter, we present Interactivity3 design and assessment framework and discuss the findings of a study that shows the validity of this framework for designing and assessing educational MMORPGs.