10 Things We Know About Video Games for Learning

10 Things We Know about Games for Learning From Research Karl Kapp Professor, Bloomsbug University April 2, 2012 @kkapp

Content torn from the pages of The Gamification of Learning and Instruction

10. Games Can Influence People to Behave in a Pro‐ social Manner

Keep up with latest thoughts and findings by Googling Kapp Notes

First Experiment indicated that playing the game Darfur is Dying resulted in a greater willingness to help the Darfurian people than reading a text conveying same information.Peng, W., Lee, M., & Heeter. (2010) The effects of a serious game on role taking and willingness to help. Journal of Communications. 60, 723‐724. Chapter 5 of “The Gamificaiton of Learning and Instruction.

Second Experiment indicated that playing the game Darfur is Dying resulted in a greater role taking and willingness to help than either game watching or text reading.Peng, W., Lee, M., & Heeter. (2010) The effects of a serious game on role taking and willingness to help. Journal of Communications. 60, 723‐724. Chapter 5 of “The Gamificaiton of Learning and Instruction.

Flying around a virtual world as a superhero made subjects nicer in the real world. physical worldRosenberg, R.S. Baughman, S.L., Bailenson, J.N. (2013) Virtual Superheroes: Using Superpowers in Virtual Reality to Encourage Prosocial Behavior. PLOS One., 8(1), 1‐9.

Greitemeyer, T. & Osswald, S. (2010) Effective of Prosocial games on prosocial behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 98 . No. 2., 211‐221.

28% helped to pick up pencils

22% intervened

56% intervened

9. Games Must be Embedded into the Curriculum to be Effective for Learning.

Instructional games should be embedded in instructional programs that include debriefing and feedback. Engagement Instructional support to help learners Educational understand how to use the game increases Simulation instructional effectiveness of the gaming Game experience. PedagogyHays, R. T. (2005). The effectiveness of instructional games: A literature review anddiscussion. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (No 2005‐004). Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.” Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta‐analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer‐based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies

ExampleWouters, P., van Nimwegen, C., van Oostendorp, H., & van der Sek E.D. (2013), February 4). A Meta‐Analysis of the Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Serious Games. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication. Doi: 10.1037/a0031311 39 Studies.

8. Games are more effective than traditional instruction when multiple sessions are involved.

Conventional instruction for a one‐off is better vs. one game session Multiple game sessions better than multiple conventional sessionsWouters, P., van Nimwegen, C., van Oostendorp, H., & vam der S[el. E.D. (2013), February 4). A Meta‐Analysis of the Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Serious Games. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication. Doi: 10.1037/a0031311 39 Studies.

7. Games are more effective than traditional instruction when players work in groups.

With serious games, both learners playing individually and those playing in a group learn more than the comparison group, but learners who play serious games in a group learn more Wouters, P., van Nimwegen, C., van Oostendorp, H., & vam der S[el. E.D. (2013), February 4). A Meta‐Analysis of the Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Serious Games. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication. Doi: 10.1037/a0031311 39 Studies.

6. Instruction with seriousgames yields higher learning gains than conventional instruction.

Percentages of Impact Type of % Higher Knowledge/ Retention Declarative 11% Procedural 14% Retention 9%Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta‐analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer‐based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studiesWouters, P., van Nimwegen, C., van Oostendorp, H., & vam der S[el. E.D. (2013), February 4). A Meta‐Analysis of the Cognitive and Motivational Effects of Serious Games. Journal of Educational Psychology. Advanced online publication. Doi: 10.1037/a0031311 39 Studies.

5. Third person view in a game is better for changing a person’s behavior than first person.

First Person View

Third Person ViewCarey, B. (2007) This is Your Life (and How You Tell it). The New York Times. And Sestir, M. & Green, M. C. (2010). You are who you watch: Identification and transportation effects on temporary self‐concept. Social Influence, 5, 272‐288 and research by Libby, L.K., Shaeffer, E.M., Eibach, R.P., & Slemmer, J.A. ( 2007) Picture yourself at the polls: Visual perspective in mental imagery affects self‐perception and behavior. Psychological Science. Vol. 18: 199‐203.

Third Person View“Seeing oneself as acting in a movie or a play is not merely fantasy or indulgence; it is fundamental to how people work out who it is they are, and may become.” Ben Casey Carey, B. (2007) This is Your Life (and How You Tell it). The New York Times. And Sestir, M. & Green, M. C. (2010). You are who you watch: Identification and transportation effects on temporary self‐concept. Social Influence, 5, 272‐288 and research by Libby, L.K., Shaeffer, E.M., Eibach, R.P., & Slemmer, J.A. ( 2007) Picture yourself at the polls: Visual perspective in mental imagery affects self‐perception and behavior. Psychological Science. Vol. 18: 199‐203.

5. While playing a game, learners will voluntarily do harder problems and work.

A math facts game deployed on a handled computer encouraged learners to complete greater number of problems at an increased level of difficulty. Learners playing the handheld game completed nearly 3 times the number of problems in 19 days and voluntarily increased the level of difficulty. Lee, J., Luchini, K., Michael, B., Norris, C., & Soloway, E. (2004). More than just fun and games: Assessing the value of educational video games in the classroom. Paper presented at the CHI 04 Extended Abstracts on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Vienna, Austria.

4. An experience as an avatar can change a persons real life perceptions.

An experience as an avatar can change a persons real life perceptions. In a study conducted by Yee and Bailenson (2006), it was found that negative stereotyping of the elderly was significantly reduced when participants were placed in avatars of old people compared with those participants placed in avatars of young people.Yee, N. & Bailenson, J.N. (2006). Walk A Mile in Digital Shoes: The Impact of Embodied Perspective‐Taking on TheReduction of Negative Stereotyping in Immersive Virtual Environments.. Proceedings of PRESENCE 2006: The 9th Annual International Workshop on Presence. August 24 – 26, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

Who is more likely to run 24 hours later?A. Person who watched an avatar not like them runningB. Person who watch an avatar like them runningC. Person watching an avatar like them loitering

Within 24 hours of watching an avatar like themselves run, learners were more likely to run than watching an avatar not like them or watching an avatar like them loitering .Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 21 (3), 95‐113.

If learners watch an avatar that looks like them exercising & losing weight, they will subsequently exercise more in the real world as compared to a control group.Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 21 (3), 95‐113.

3. Simulation/games build more confidence for on the job application of learned knowledge than classroom instruction.

Simulation/games build more confidence for on the job application of learned knowledge than classroom instruction. 20% higher confidence levels. Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta‐analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer‐based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

2. Games don’t have to be considered “entertaining” to be instructional.

Do simulation/games do not have to be entertaining to be educational? Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta‐analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer‐based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

1. An instructional game will only be effective if it is designed to meet specific instructional objectives and was designed as it was intended.

Focusing on non-instructional elementswill make the game “fun” but notnecessarily educational. Clearinstructional objectives must be met in thegame. Game must be designed to meetthe objectives. Hays, R. T. (2005). The effectiveness of instructional games: A literature review and discussion. Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division (No 2005‐004). Chapter 4 “The Gamification of Learning and Instruction.”

Take‐Away1) An instructional game will only be effective if it is designed to meet specific instructional objectives and was designed as it was intended. 2) Games don’t have to be considered “entertaining” to be instructional.3) Simulation/games build more confidence for on the job application of learned knowledge than classroom instruction4) An experience as an avatar can change a persons real life perceptions.5) While playing a game, learners will voluntarily do harder problems and work.6) Instruction with serious games yields higher learning gains than conventional instruction.7) Games are more effective than traditional instruction when players work in groups.8) Games are more effective than traditional instruction when multiple sessions are involved. 9) Games Must be Embedded into the Curriculum to be Effective for Learning. 10) Games can influence people to behave in a pro‐social manner.

Questions/More Information• Email: kkapp@bloomu.edu• Email: karlkapp@gmail.com• Twitter: @kkapp• Pinterest: Gamification Happenings• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gamificationLI Look for the “how to” field book for The Gamification of Learning and Instruction In Early 2014