This study conducted an exploratory study to compare children's performance on a video game-based task to their performance on an analogous hands-on physical task. The game involved a slide and concepts of height and friction. For both formats, the number of rounds it took to beat a level and the number of steps used within each round were…

Understanding digital supports for early learning is paramount for school readiness and later mathematics learning. We present results from a randomized control trial evaluating a digital app (Measure Up!) and a parent companion app (Super Vision) designed to teach children measurement concepts, a skill that many teachers do not feel comfortable…

Student mathematical errors are rarely random and often occur because students are applying procedures that they believe to be accurate. Traditional approaches often view such errors as indicators of students' failure to understand the construct in question, but some theorists view errors as opportunities for students to expand their mental model…

A large-scale randomized controlled trial tested the effects of researcher-developed learning games on a transfer measure of fractions knowledge. The measure contained items similar to standardized assessments. Thirty treatment and 29 control classrooms (~1500 students, 9 districts, 26 schools) participated in the study. Students in treatment…

In this study we compared the effects of two math game designs on math and game performance, using discrete-time survival analysis (DTSA) to model players' risk of not advancing to the next level in the game. 137 students were randomly assigned to two game conditions. The game covered the concept of a unit and the addition of like-sized fractional…

Analyzing log data from educational video games has proven to be a challenging endeavor. In this paper, we examine the feasibility of using cluster analysis to extract information from the log files that is interpretable in both the context of the game and the context of the subject area. If cluster analysis can be used to identify patterns of…

In this primer we briefly describe our perspective and experience in using data logging to support measurement of student learning in a game testbed ("Save Patch") we developed for research purposes. The goal of data logging is to support the derivation of cognitively meaningful measures and affectively meaningful measures from a combination of…

Appropriately designed technology-based learning environments such as video games can be used to give immediate and individualized feedback to students. However, little is known about the design and use of feedback in instructional video games. This study investigated how feedback used in a mathematics video game about fractions impacted student…

Commercial video games undergo usability studies to determine the degree to which the player is able to learn, control, and understand the game. Usability studies allow game designers to improve their games before they are released to the public. If usability studies could be expanded to include information about the presentation of the…

Though video games are commonly considered to hold great potential as learning environments, their effectiveness as a teaching tool has yet to be determined. One reason for this is that researchers often run into the problem of multicollinearity between prior knowledge, in-game performance, and posttest scores, thereby making the determination of…

The assessment cycle of "evidence-centered design" (ECD) provides a framework for treating an educational video game or simulation as an assessment. One of the main steps in the assessment cycle of ECD is the identification of the key features of student performance. While this process is relatively simple for multiple choice tests, when…

The use of a narrative in educational contexts has been found to increase learners' experience of flow or absorption in a task. This increased experience of flow can in turn result in increased retention and learning outcomes. However, narrative can also be polarizing particularly in the male-dominated realm of video game play due to gender…

The evaluation of educational interventions requires assessments that consistently (reliably) produce data from which accurate (valid) inferences about the test subjects can be made for some stated purpose. Despite codified definitions of all these terms, there remains vibrant debate about the assessment design process and how measures of…

This study provides empirical evidence of a highly specific use of games in education--the assessment of the learner. Linear regressions were used to examine the predictive and convergent validity of a math game as assessment of mathematical understanding. Results indicate that prior knowledge significantly predicts game performance. Results also…