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Research on Learning with Media. John B Black Teachers College Columbia University. Learning Academic Content from Video Games. A Lot of Hype Around Video Games as Learning Environments Interested in Using Games to Master Academic Content Not Just Playing Game
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Research on Learning with Media John B Black Teachers College Columbia University
Learning Academic Content from Video Games • A Lot of Hype Around Video Games as Learning Environments • Interested in Using Games to Master Academic Content Not Just Playing Game • We Studied Two Popular Games with Academic Content – • Civilization • Sim City
Civ/Sim Study • Recruited “experts” in either Civilization or Sim City From Online Discussion Boards of the Games (179 completed -- 9 were girls, high school) • They Participated Online • Chosen so that Civilization Experts were Sim City novices and vice versa – but all expert game players
Civ/Sim Study (2) • “Pre-Test” on academic content from game and from college text to be read • Read the college text for other content • “Post-Test” on academic content from text • Questions focused on – propositions (facts) procedures (condition—action) images (pictures and maps) systems (if one entity changes how do other entities change)
Conclusions • Game Experts showed no initial direct learning from their playing of the game compared to non-experts • But Game Experts Showed Better Preparation for Future Learning on all four knowledge types • Thus, Playing Games May Provide Experiential Base That Makes Later Formal Academic Learning More Meaningful
Learning from Business Simulation Game and TV Show • Students Played a Business Simulation for Entrepreneurship Several Times (HBS) • Minimal Learning from Just Game Play • Get Most Learning When Asked Reflective Questions About Strategies and Relating to Background Readings • Similar Findings in Earlier Study of Learning from Watching Young Indiana Jones Chronicles TV Show
Learning From Physical Science Simulations • Created Our Own Simple Graphic Simulation Games for Physical Science (Middle School) • One Example is Roller Coaster Simulation for Kinetic and Potential Energy • Looked at Student Learning from Several Types of Learning Support Materials— Text, Text+Diagrams, Animated Movie, Slide Show, DMA Animation
Direct Manipulation Animationand Grounded (Embodied) Cognition • DMA (Direct Manipulation Animation) Worked Best for Memory and Problem Solving • Simple Example of Embodied Cognition Reasoning by Perceptual Simulation in Addition to Symbolically (Feel in addition to Know) • New Generation of Simulations and Games Use Motion Sensors for This (Wii, Guitar Hero – Augmented Reality)
Using Media for Learning • To Provide Experiences to Ground Formal Symbolic Learning • To Provide Experiences for Reflection and Relation to Background Readings • Full Perceptual Experience (Embodiment) in Initial Learning Provides Feel (Imagine Perceptual Simulation) in Addition to Knowing • (Dan McVeigh Presentation on Young McDonald’s Farm is Another Example of This)