Effects of an instructional gaming characteristic on learning effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement: using a storyline for teaching basic statistical skills

Healthy Communities Research Institute, Department of Psychological Sciences
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  3. Effects of an instructional gaming characteristic on learning effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement: using a storyline for teaching basic statistical skills
Author(s)
Abstract
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.
Format
Article
Identifier(s)
10.1080/10494820.2014.881393
Publication Date
2016-05
Publication Title
Interactive Learning Environments
Volume
24
Issue
3
First Page
523
Last Page
538
Keywords
Subject
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Community
Healthy Communities Research Institute
Department of Psychological Sciences
Permalink https://oaks.kent.edu/hcri/effects-instructional-gaming-characteristic-learning-effectiveness-efficiency-and-engagement
Novak, E., Tenenbaum, G., & Shute, V. (2016). Effects of an instructional gaming characteristic on learning effectiveness, efficiency, and engagement: using a storyline for teaching basic statistical skills (1–). Interactive Learning Environments. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.881393
Novak, Elena, Gershon Tenenbaum, and Valerie Shute. 2016. “Effects of an Instructional Gaming Characteristic on Learning Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Engagement: Using a Storyline for Teaching Basic Statistical Skills”. Interactive Learning Environments. https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.881393.
Novak, Elena, et al. Effects of an Instructional Gaming Characteristic on Learning Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Engagement: Using a Storyline for Teaching Basic Statistical Skills. Interactive Learning Environments, May 2016, https://doi.org/http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10494820.2014.881393.