ERIC Number: EJ1099684
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1049-4820
EISSN: N/A
Effects of an Instructional Gaming Characteristic on Learning Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Engagement: Using a Storyline for Teaching Basic Statistical Skills
Novak, Elena; Johnson, Tristan E.; Tenenbaum, Gershon; Shute, Valerie J.
Interactive Learning Environments, v24 n3 p523-538 2016
The study explored instructional benefits of a storyline gaming characteristic (GC) on learning effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement with the use of an online instructional simulation for graduate students in an introductory statistics course. A storyline is a game-design element that connects scenes with the educational content. In order to examine the interactions between the storyline GC and human performance, a storyline was embedded in a simulation. The goal of the simulation was to engage students in problem-solving and data analysis in the context of basic statistics by using real-world examples. The authors developed two different versions of the simulation: (1) Simulation+No GC, and (2) Simulation+Storyline GC. Both versions shared the same instructional content but differed in the presence or absence of a storyline GC. The results indicated that adding a storyline to a simulation did not result in significant improvements in learning effectiveness, efficiency, or engagement. However, both instructional methods (simulation and simulation with a storyline) showed significant learning gains from pre- to post-test. The findings of this study offer future directions for embedding a storyline GC into learning content.
Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Statistics, Educational Games, Instructional Effectiveness, Learner Engagement, Electronic Learning, Computer Simulation, Graduate Students, Problem Solving, Data Analysis, Story Telling, Program Effectiveness, Pretests Posttests, College Mathematics, Integrated Learning Systems, Intervention, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A