The document outlines ten key insights from research on the effectiveness of games for learning, emphasizing that games can promote pro-social behavior, enhance learning gains, and increase confidence for job-related applications. It highlights the necessity for games to be integrated into curricula with specific instructional objectives for optimal effectiveness. Additionally, evidence suggests that game sessions and group interactions yield better educational outcomes compared to traditional instruction methods.

1. 10 Things We Know about Games
for Learning From Research
Karl Kapp
Professor, Bloomsbug University
April 2, 2012
@kkapp

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

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

4. Keep up with latest thoughts
and findings by Googling
Kapp Notes

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. Flying around a virtual world
as a superhero made subjects
nicer in the real world. physical
world
Rosenberg, 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.

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

11. 28% helped to
pick up pencils

12. 33% helped to
pick up pencils

13. 67% helped to
pick up pencils

15. 22% intervened

16. 56% intervened

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

18. 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. Pedagogy
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.”
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta‐analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness
of computer‐based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies

19. Example
Wouters, 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.

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

21. Conventional instruction for a one‐off is better vs. one game session
Multiple game sessions better than
multiple conventional sessions
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.

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

23. 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.

24. 6. Instruction with serious
games yields higher learning
gains than conventional
instruction.

25. 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 studies
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.

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

27. First Person View

28. Third Person View
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.

29. 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.

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

31. 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.

32. 4. An experience as an avatar
can change a person's real life
perceptions.

33. An experience as an avatar
can change a person's 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 The
Reduction of Negative Stereotyping in Immersive Virtual Environments.. Proceedings of PRESENCE 2006: The 9th Annual
International Workshop on Presence. August 24 – 26, Cleveland, Ohio, USA

34. Who is more likely to run 24 hours later?
A. Person who watched an avatar not like
them running
B. Person who watch an avatar like them
running
C. Person watching an avatar like them
loitering

35. 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.

36. 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.

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

38. 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 .

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

40. 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 .

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

42. Focusing on non-instructional elements
will make the game “fun” but not
necessarily educational. Clear
instructional objectives must be met in the
game. Game must be designed to meet
the 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.”

43. Take‐Away
1) 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 instruction
4) An experience as an avatar can change a person's 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.

44. 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