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The impacts of peer competition-based science gameplay on conceptual knowledge, intrinsic motivation, and learning behavioral patterns

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Abstract

The present study investigates how the different modes of game-design triggers learning outcomes, focusing on peer learning and intergroup competition. A problem-solving science game was developed to help secondary students to learn about the motion of objects. Participants (N = 110) from an urban middle school were randomly assigned to four game-design conditions (individual-competition, individual-no-competition, peer-competition, and peer-no-competition). The results indicated that the peer-competition and peer-no-competition groups outperformed those in the individual-competition and individual-no-competition groups in terms of conceptual knowledge. Additionally, peer-competition groups exhibited higher interest and value and lower tension than those in the individual gameplay groups. Patterns of learning behavior revealed the emergence of in situ science-related problem solving in the peer-competition mode of GBL. Implications on the effectiveness of game-design for GBL are discussed.

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Funding

This study was funded by Ministry of Science and Technology in Taiwan (grant number MOST 105-2628-S-018-001-MY3).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Industrial Education and Technology, National Changhua University of Education, No. 1, Jin-De Road, Changhua, Taiwan

    Ching-Huei Chen

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  1. Ching-Huei Chen
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Correspondence to Ching-Huei Chen.

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Appendix 1: Samples of conceptual knowledge test

Appendix 1: Samples of conceptual knowledge test

  1. 1.

    The bus moves back and forth along the street; if it is 100 km away from the initial position after 5 h, then:

    1. a.

      The path is 100 km long

    2. b.

      Displacement 100 km

    3. c.

      Average speed − 20 km/h

    4. d.

      Average speed − 20 km/h

  2. 2.

    Running back to the initial position in the playground, the length of the path is 400 m, so the displacement is:

    1. a.

      400 meters

    2. b.

      − 400 m

    3. c.

      0 m

  3. 3.

    If you go 100 m from home to school and then return home, the displacement is how many meters? (You need only fill in the number, not the unit.)

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Chen, CH. The impacts of peer competition-based science gameplay on conceptual knowledge, intrinsic motivation, and learning behavioral patterns. Education Tech Research Dev 67, 179–198 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-018-9635-5

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