Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Development and effectiveness evaluation of a STEM-based game-design project for preservice primary teacher education

  • Published:
International Journal of Technology and Design Education Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to reflect on the lack of developing content knowledge of technology education in Taiwan’s primary teacher education, the main aim of this study was to develop a STEM-based game-design project for helping preservice primary teachers acquire computational thinking concepts in a teacher education course and to evaluate its effectiveness. Preservice teachers were asked to develop a two-player educational game for primary students, using Scratch and Arduino microcontroller boards. All the finished games needed to be played by primary students and they were revised, in accordance with their feedback. To assess the learning effectiveness of the project, this study conducted pre-tests and post-tests to evaluate the improvement of the participants’ knowledge and attitudes. The research results indicate that this project not only helped preservice primary teachers develop workable educational games and Arduino-based game controllers, but that it also enabled them to improve their performance in computational thinking concepts, energy knowledge, and programming attitude. Most of the preservice primary teachers involved in the study were satisfied with this project activity.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adams, A.E., Miller, B.G., Saul, M., & Pegg, J. (2014). Supporting elementary pre-service teachers to teach stem through place-based teaching and learning experiences. Electronic Journal of Science Education, 18(5), 1–22.

  • Bagherzadeh, Z., Keshtiaray, N., & Assareh, A. (2017). A brief view of the evolution of technology and engineering education. EURASIA Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 13(10), 6749–6760.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ball, D. L., Thames, M. H., & Phelps, G. (2008). Content knowledge for teaching: What makes it special. Journal of Teacher Education, 59(5), 389–407.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Banilower, E. R., Smith, P. S., Weiss, I. R., Malzahn, K. A., Campbell, K. M., & Weis, A. M. (2013). Report of the 2012 National Survey of Science and Mathematics Education. Chapel Hill: Horizon Research Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Banks, F., & Barlex, D. (2014). Teaching STEM in the secondary school: Helping teachers meet the challenge. Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Becker, K., & Park, K. (2011). Effects of integrative approaches among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) subjects on students’ learning: A preliminary meta-analysis. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 12(5/6), 23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berlin, D. F., & White, A. L. (2012). A longitudinal look at attitudes and perceptions related to the integration of mathematics, science, and technology education. School Science and Mathematics, 112(1), 20–30.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berry, A., Depaepe, F., & van Driel, J. (2016). Pedagogical content knowledge in teacher education. In J. Loughran & M. L. Hamilton (Eds.), International handbook of teacher education (pp. 347–386). Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (2012). New frameworks for studying and assessing the development of computational thinking. In Proceedings of the 2012 annual meeting of the American educational research association, Vancouver, Canada (Vol. 1, p. 25).

  • Brennan, K., & Resnick, M. (2013). Imagining, creating, playing, sharing, reflecting: How online community supports young people as designers of interactive media. In Emerging technologies for the classroom (pp. 253–268). Springer.

  • Brown, N. C., Sentance, S., Crick, T., & Humphreys, S. (2014). Restart: The resurgence of computer science in UK schools. ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE), 14(2), 1–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bybee, R. W. (2013). The case for STEM education: Challenges and opportunities. Virginia: National Science Teachers Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coe, R., Aloisi, C., Higgins, S., & Major, L. E. (2014). What makes great teaching? Review of the underpinning research. The Sutton Trust.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cunningham, C. M. (2009). Engineering is elementary. The Bridge, 30(3), 11–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • D’Ausilio, A. (2012). Arduino: A low-cost multipurpose lab equipment. Behavior Research Methods, 44(2), 305–313.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Vries, M. J. (2006). Two decades of technology education in retrospect. In M. J. de Vries & I. Mottier (Eds.), International handbook of technology education: Reviewing the past twenty years (pp. 3–11). Sense Publishers.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Denner, J., Werner, L., & Ortiz, E. (2012). Computer games created by middle school girls: Can they be used to measure understanding of computer science concepts? Computers & Education, 58(1), 240–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, M., Noble, J. J., & Hochenbaum, J. (2013). Arduino in action (p. 300). Manning.

  • Falkner, K., Vivian, R., & Falkner, N. (2014). The Australian digital technologies curriculum: Challenge and opportunity. In Proceedings of the Sixteenth Australasian Computing Education Conference-Volume vol. 148, (pp. 3-12).

  • Fan, S. C., & Yu, K. C. (2017). How an integrative STEM curriculum can benefit students in engineering design practices. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 27(1), 107–129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Faugel, H., & Bobkov, V. (2013). Open source hard-and software: Using Arduino boards to keep old hardware running. Fusion Engineering and Design, 88(6–8), 1276–1279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Grover, R., Krishnan, S., Shoup, T., & Khanbaghi, M. (2014). A competition-based approach for undergraduate mechatronics education using the arduino platform. In Interdisciplinary Engineering Design Education Conference (IEDEC), 2014 4th (pp. 78–83). IEEE.

  • Grover, S., & Basu, S. (2017, March). Measuring student learning in introductory block-based programming: Examining misconceptions of loops, variables, and boolean logic. In Proceedings of the 2017 ACM SIGCSE technical symposium on computer science education (pp. 267–272).

  • Grover, S., & Pea, R. (2013). Computational thinking in K–12: A review of the state of the field. Educational Researcher, 42(1), 38–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Han, S., & Bhattacharya, K. (2001). Constructionism, learning by design, and project-based learning. In Orey, M. (ed.), Emerging perspectives on learning, teaching, and technology. Retrieved December 20, 2008, from http://projects.coe.uga.edu/epltt/

  • Hava, K. & Cakir, H. (2017). A systematic review of literature on students as educational computer game designers. In Johnston, J. (Ed.), Proceedings of EdMedia 2017 (pp. 407–419). Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE).

  • Henderson, P. B., Cortina, T. J., Hazzan, O., & Wing, J. M. (2007). Computational thinking. In Proceedings of the 38th ACM SIGCSE technical symposium on computer science education (SIGCSE’07) (pp. 195–196). ACM Press.

  • Herger, L. M., & Bodarky, M. (2015). Engaging students with open source technologies and Arduino. In 2015 IEEE Integrated STEM Education Conference (pp. 27–32). IEEE.

  • Honey, M., Pearson, G., & Schweingruber, H. (2014). STEM integration in K-12 education: Status, prospects, and an agenda for research. Committee on Integrated STEM Education; National Academy of Engineering; National Research Council. The National Academies Press

  • Hultén, M., & Björkholm, E. (2016). Epistemic habits: Primary school teachers’ development of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in a design-based research project. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 26(3), 335–351.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, A., & Moreland, J. (2004). Enhancing practicing primary school teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in technology. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 14(2), 121–140.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y. B. (1995). Minds in play: Computer game design as a context for children’s learning. Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kafai, Y. B., & Peppler, K. A. (2012). Developing gaming fluencies with Scratch: Realizing game design as an artistic process. In C. Steinkuehler, K. Squire, & S. Barab (Eds.), Games, learning, and society: Learning and meaning in the digital age (pp. 355–380). Cambridge University Press.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Kalelioglu, F., & Sentance, S. (2019). Teaching with physical computing in school: the case of the micro: bit. Education and Information Technologies, 1–27.

  • Ke, F. (2014). An implementation of design-based learning through creating educational computer games: A case study on mathematics learning during design and computing. Computers & Education, 73, 26–39.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelley, T. (2010). Staking the claim for the 'T" in STEM. Journal of Technology Studies, 36(1), 2–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Korkmaz, Ö., & Altun, H. (2013). Engineering and ceit student’s attitude towards learning computer programming. The Journal of Academic Social Science Studies International Journal of Social Science, 6(2), 1169–1185.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ku, C. J., & Lin, K. Y. (2020). Technology teacher education in Taiwan. In L. S. Lee & Y. F. Lee (Eds.), International technology teacher education in the Asia-pacific region (pp. 263–308). Wu-Nam Book Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Li, Q. (2012). Understanding enactivism: A study of affordances and constraints of engaging practicing teachers as digital game designers. Educational Technology Research and Development, 60(5), 785–806.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, K. Y., Chang, L. T., Tsai, F. H., & Kao, C. P. (2015). Examining the gaps between teaching and learning in the technology curriculum within Taiwan’s 9-year articulated curriculum reform from the perspective of curriculum implementation. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 25(3), 363–385.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Louis, L. (2016). Working principle of Arduino and u sing it. International Journal of Control, Automation, Communication and Systems (IJCACS), 1(2), 21–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maloney, J., Resnick, M., Rusk, N., Silverman, B., & Eastmond, E. (2010). The scratch programming language and environment. ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE), 10(4), 1–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mannila, L., Dagiene, V., Demo, B., Grgurina, N., Mirolo, C., Rolandsson, L., & Settle, A. (2014). Computational thinking in K–9 education. In: Clear, A., Lister, R. (Eds.), Proceedings of the Working Group Reportsof the 2014 on Innovation & Technology in Computer Science Education Conference (ITiCSE ’14) (pp.1–29). New York, NY: ACM.

  • Mentzer, N. (2011). High school engineering and technology education integration through design challenges. Journal of STEM Teacher Education, 48(2), 7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ministry of Education (2018). Curriculum guidelines of 12-year basic education for Technology domain. Retrieve from https://www.k12ea.gov.tw/files/class_schema/課綱/13-科技/13-1/十二年國民基本教育課程綱要國民中學暨普通型高級中等學校─科技領域.pdf

  • Ministry of Education (2020a). The curriculum baseline for preservice teacher education. Retrieve from https://edu.law.moe.gov.tw/Download.ashx?FileID=81999.

  • Ministry of Education (2020b). The reference instructions of curriculum development for the primary living technology and information technology education. Retrieve from http://www.msps.tp.edu.tw/board3/upload/14475514_1093067007_ATT1.pdf

  • Nadelson, L. S., Seifert, A., Moll, A. J., & Coats, B. (2012). i-STEM summer institute: An integrated approach to teacher professional development in STEM. Journal of STEM Education: Innovations and Research, 13(2), 69.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Academy of Education. (2014). STEM integration in K-12 education: Status, prospects, and an agenda for research. The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nepal, K., & Tubesing, A. (2014). Development of a fundamentals of electrical and computing systems course for in-service K-12 Teachers. In 2014 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition (pp. 24–416).

  • Neumann, K., Kind, V., & Harms, U. (2019). Probing the amalgam: The relationship between science teachers’ content, pedagogical and pedagogical content knowledge. International Journal of Science Education, 41(7), 847–861.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next generation science standards: For states, by states. The National Academies Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papavlasopoulou, S., Giannakos, M. N., & Jaccheri, L. (2017). Empirical studies on the Maker Movement, a promising approach to learning: A literature review. Entertainment Computing, 18, 57–78.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Papert, S., & Harel, I. (1991). Constructionism. Ablex.

    Google Scholar 

  • Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, computers, and powerful ideas. Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Portelance, D. J., Strawhacker, A. L., & Bers, M. U. (2016). Constructing the ScratchJr programming language in the early childhood classroom. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 26(4), 489–504.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prensky, M. (2008). Students as designers and creators of educational computer games: Who else? British Journal of Educational Technology, 39(6), 1004–1019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Price, T., & Barnes, T. (2015). Comparing textual and block interfaces in a novice programming environment. In Proceedings of the eleventh annual international conference on international computing education research (pp. 91–99). Omaha, USA: ACM.

  • Ranalli, J., & Ritzko, J. (2013). Assessing the impact of video game based design projects in a first year engineering design course. In Frontiers in Education Conference, 2013 IEEE(pp. 530–534). IEEE.

  • Reeve, E. M. (2015). STEM thinking! Technology and Engineering Teacher, 75(4), 8–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rennie, L. J. (2001). Teacher collaboration in curriculum change: The implementation of technology education in the primary school. Research in Science Education, 31(1), 49–69.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Resnick, M. (1996). Distributed constructionism. In Proceedings of the 1996 international conference on Learning sciences (pp. 280–284). International Society of the Learning Sciences.

  • Riofrio, J. A., & Northrup, S. (2013). Teaching Undergraduate Introductory Course to Mechatronics in the Mechanical Engineering Curriculum Using Arduino. In Proceedings of the 2013 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference.

  • Robertson, J. (2012). Making games in the classroom: Benefits and gender concerns. Computers & Education, 59(2), 385–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Robertson, J., & Howells, C. (2008). Computer game design: Opportunities for successful learning. Computers & Education, 50(2), 559–578.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodríguez-Martínez, J. A., González-Calero, J. A., & Sáez-López, J. M. (2020). Computational thinking and mathematics using Scratch: An experiment with sixth-grade students. Interactive Learning Environments, 28(3), 316–327.

  • Roehrig, G. H., Wang, H.-H., Moore, T. J., & Park, M. S. (2012). Is adding the E enough? Investigating the impact of K-12 engineering standards on the implementation of STEM integration. School Science and Mathematics, 112(1), 31–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rohaan, E. J., Taconis, R., & Jochems, W. M. (2012). Analysing teacher knowledge for technology education in primary schools. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 22(3), 271–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosicka, C. (2015). Game changer: The Australian STEM video game challenge. Teaching Science, 61(1), 47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sáez-López, J. M., Román-González, M., & Vázquez-Cano, E. (2016). Visual programming languages integrated across the curriculum in elementary school: A two year case study using “Scratch” in five schools. Computers and Education, 97, 129–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sáez-López, J. M., del Olmo-Muñoz, J., González-Calero, J. A., & Cózar-Gutiérrez, R. (2020). Exploring the effect of training in visual block programming for preservice teachers. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction, 4(3), 65.

  • Seow, P., Looi, C. K., How, M. L., Wadhwa, B., & Wu, L. K. (2019). Educational policy and implementation of computational thinking and programming: Case study of Singapore. In Computational thinking education (pp. 345-361). Springer, Singapore.

  • Severance, C. (2014). Massimo banzi: Building arduino. Computer, 47(1), 11–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shulman, L. S. (1986). Those who understand: Knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher, 15(2), 4–14.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shute, V., Sun, C., Asbell-Clarke, J. (2017). Demystifying computational thinking. Educational Research Review, 22, 142–158.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smeets, E. (2005). Does ICT contribute to powerful learning environments in primary education. Computers and Education, 44(3), 343–355.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sohn, W. (2014). Design and evaluation of computer programming education strategy using arduino. Advanced Science and Technology Letters, 66(1), 73–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stanley, R. J., & Baur, S. (2016). Assessing the impact of project lead the way high school pre-engineering curriculum on Missouri University of Science and Technology Student Academic Experience and Career Choices. Transactions on Techniques in STEM Education, 1(2), 101–112.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stein, S. J., Ginns, I. S., & McDonald, C. V. (2007). Teachers learning about technology and technology education: Insights from a professional development experience. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 17(2), 179–195.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tai, R. H. (2012). An examination of the research literature on Project Lead the Way. Retrieved from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.361.548

  • Troiano, G. M., Snodgrass, S., Argımak, E., Robles, G., Smith, G., Cassidy, M., & Harteveld, C. (2019). Is my game OK Dr. Scratch? Exploring programming and computational thinking development via metrics in student-designed serious games for STEM. In Proceedings of the 18th ACM international conference on interaction design and children (pp. 208–219).

  • Tsai, F. H., Tsai, C. C., & Lin, K. Y. (2015). The evaluation of different gaming modes and feedback types on game-based formative assessment in an online learning environment. Computers & Education, 81, 259–269.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Overschelde, J. P. (2013). Project Lead The Way students more prepared for higher education. American Journal of Engineering Education, 4(1), 1.

    Google Scholar 

  • Voogt, J., Fisser, P., Good, J., Mishra, P., & Yadav, A. (2015). Computational thinking in compulsory education: Towards an agenda for research and practice. Education and Information Technologies, 20(4), 715–728.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, H. H., Moore, T. J., Roehrig, G. H., & Park, M. S. (2011). STEM integration: Teacher perceptions and practice. Journal of Pre-College Engineering Education Research (j-PEER), 1(2), 2.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weintrop, D., & Wilensky, U. (2015). To block or not to block, that is the question: students' perceptions of blocks-based programming. In Proceedings of the 14th international conference on interaction design and children (pp. 199–208).

  • Wells, J. G. (2016). Efficacy of the technological/engineering design approach: Imposed cognitive demands within design-based biotechnology instruction. Journal of Technology Education, 27(2), 4–20.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe, E. N., Williams, L., Yang, K., & Carol Miller, C. (2003). Computer science attitude survey. (Report No.: NCSU CSC TR-2003–1). Raleigh: Dept. of Computer Science, NC State University.

  • Wing, J. M. (2006). Computational thinking. Communications of the ACM, 49(3), 33–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, Y. T. C., & Chang, C. H. (2013). Empowering students through digital game authorship: Enhancing concentration, critical thinking, and academic achievement. Computers & Education, 68, 334–344.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yukselturk, E., & Altiok, S. (2017). An investigation of the effects of programming with Scratch on the preservice IT teachers’ self-efficacy perceptions and attitudes towards computer programming. British Journal of Educational Technology, 48(3), 789–801.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This study was financially supported by the “Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences” of National Taiwan Normal University from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan, and sponsored by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, under Grant no. MOST 107-2511-H-003-046-MY3, 109-2511-H-003-048-MY2, 109-2622-H-003-004, 107-2511-H-415-008-MY2, and 109-2511-H-415-008-MY3.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Teacher Education Center, National Chiayi University, 85, Wunlong Village, Minsyong Township, Chiayi County, Taiwan

    Fu-Hsing Tsai

  2. Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development and Institute for Research Excellence in Learning Sciences, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, HePing East Road, Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan

    Hsien-Sheng Hsiao & Kuen-Yi Lin

  3. Department of Technology Application and Human Resource Development, National Taiwan Normal University, 162, HePing East Road, Section 1, Taipei, Taiwan

    Kuang-Chao Yu

Authors
  1. Fu-Hsing Tsai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hsien-Sheng Hsiao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Kuang-Chao Yu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kuen-Yi Lin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kuen-Yi Lin.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Tsai, FH., Hsiao, HS., Yu, KC. et al. Development and effectiveness evaluation of a STEM-based game-design project for preservice primary teacher education. Int J Technol Des Educ 32, 2403–2424 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09702-5

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09702-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation