Research project of The Future of Learning, Knowledge and Skills Research Programme
THE LEARNING EFFECTIVENESS OF
PHYSICALLY ACTIVATING MULTIPLAYER
GAME ENVIRONMENTS: LEARNING BY
CREATING GAMES VERSUS LEARNING BY
PLAYING GAMES (GAMES TO SCHOOLS)
Principal Investigator: Kristian Kiili
This project studies the learning effectiveness of physically activating
multiplayer game environments.
Previous research has indicated that
learning by playing games may
support knowledge construction,
engage learners, and provide learning methods that correspond better
with students’ requirements, as
well as enhance classroom dynamics, concentration, and self-esteem.
However, the recent research has
proposed that learning by creating
games could even better address the
needs of learners than compared to
just playing existing games. Thus,
the overall purpose of Games to
School -project is to study the effectiveness of learning by creating
games and learning by playing
games approaches in the context of
mathematics learning.
The research focuses on acquisition
of mathematical skills that are crucial for today’s society. The early
number competence and the extent
to which primary school students
master fractions are strong predictors of future success in mathematics. Thus, it is important to develop
more engaging and effective methods that can be used to improve
children’s arithmetical skills as well
as to ensure that all children have
such basic skills that they are able
to learn more advanced mathematics later on. In order to deploy
games into daily school practices,
we should achieve better understanding about game based learning
process, assessment in games, appropriate game technologies and
factors that affect positively to
learning outcomes. To address this
demand, Games to School -project
explores the effectiveness of mathematical game interventions that
incorporate embodied and whole
body interaction, game technologies and learning analytics in pedagogically meaningful ways.
Two empirical experiments that focus on learning of fractions in primary schools are organized. The
first experiment is conducted in
Finnish schools and the second experiment in international contexts
as a part of Massive Open Online
Course (MOOC). The research
studies whether pupils learn and
understand fractions better when
they play author provided multiplayer fraction games or when they
collaboratively create own games
about fractions with a multiuser
game creation tool. From these two
approaches both sedentary and
physically activating game implementations are developed and studied. The rationale for learning in
physically activating environments
is based on research arguing that
increased physical activity has the
potential to positively impact cognitive functioning and academic
achievements. The project will also
develop non-intrusive methods to
study and assess learning and user
experience in game environments.
RESEARCH GROUP:
Kristian Kiili
Senior Research Fellow (Principal Investigator)
Arttu Perttula
Postdoctoral Researcher
Pauliina Tuomi
Doctoral Student
Antero Lindstedt
Project Researcher
CONTACT:
Kristian Kiili, [email protected], +358 40 826 2951
Arttu Perttula, [email protected], +358 40 826 2896
WWW.AKA.FI/TULOS
10/2014