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Think back to your high school science class. Can you remember what the average class was like? If your school was like most U.S. high schools, sci-

ence class probably consisted of memoriz-

ing terms, watching dated videos of Bill Nye the Science Guy, and participating in group labs. Some of these labs may have been mildly interesting, but many others may have felt repetitive and recycled—follow the

instructions on the handout, write down your hypothesis and observations, and record the end result. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Science classes across the United States have been following the same

Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MPOT.2011.941130 Date of publication: 12 January 2012

Laura J. Ambrosio

Finding the fun and games in science learning

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 43

curriculum and guidelines for decades. Within these rules, there is no room for student experimentation beyond the border of what is safe and what materi-als are available. In the average science class, students can learn to accurately weigh materials on a scale, mix mildly reactive chemicals in beakers, dip paper into different pH levels, and so on. Very rarely will a lab come along that excites each student in the class (unless it’s t-shirt tie-dying day, which happens once a year in some sophomore chemis-try classes).

Now imagine that you are allowed to interact with a video game in class. Each action elicits a reaction—gaining points or losing them—and experimenting with different tools until you have reached a new level or checkpoint. Does this sound more exciting than your regular lectures and labs?

The National Research Council of the National Academies put together a two-day workshop, 6–7 October 2009, that focused on using simulations and games as educational tools in science class. The workshop, “Learning Science: Computer Games, Simulations, and Education,” focused specifically on K–12 science learning and set out to prove that using game technology can motivate students to learn science and improve their con-ceptual understanding.

The workshop consisted of different simulations and games that were utilized in place of standard lectures and labs that would normally be used in class-room settings. The overall view of the study is that simulations and games can have the ability to improve the different aspects of science learning: the motiva-tion to learn, conceptual understanding, processing skills, understanding the nature of science, science discourse, and identification. Within the workshop, committee members met to assess the application of these technologies in sci-ence class learning, explore multiple perspectives, gather information, and deliberate on conclusions of the research.

“Science is [usually] taught through a textbook, which has very little to do with what science is, per se,” explains Margaret Honey, workshop chair and editor of the final report. “With the use of games and simulations we can offer richer, much more interesting and com-plex problem sets.” Honey is the presi-dent and CEO of the New York Hall of Science in Queens, New York, and has dedicated her work to science learning with the use of technology.

All work and all playOne game used in the study, River-

City, is designed to engage players in science exploration. The game takes place in a 19th century American city where all the residents have mysteri-ously fallen ill. A river that runs down the mountain and next to a dumpsite also runs through the center of town. Players are able to observe the towns-people’s symptoms and use tools and other material evidence (i.e., micro-scopes, mosquitoes, etc.) to investigate the situation. Each student has his or her own avatar that can interact with town residents and other student players as they gather evidence and try to figure out the cause of disease (see Fig. 1).

For this game, students work together as a team of investigators to solve the town’s medical problem, but the group interacts with each other through chat as they each participate on their own com-puter. The game educates students on water-, air-, and insect-borne illnesses and teaches them problem-solving skills.

“RiverCity has been around since 2003 and is used in schools around the world,” explains Rick Noll, founder and CEO of ActiveWorlds Inc., the producer of RiverCity and a company that pro-vides computer-generated platforms that enable users to develop their own virtual world content. “The kids enjoy it a lot because the class becomes a simulated field trip.”

A much simpler example used in the study is a simulation from Physics Edu-cation Technology (PhET), an online library of educational simulations de-

signed for physics, chemistry, biology, earth science, and math. In this simula-tion, the student can mix liquids in a vir-tual beaker to learn about acidity, alkalinity, pH balances, and concentra-tion of solutes. The simulation provides a variety of liquids to choose from and when chosen, the liquid will pour from a drain into the beaker (Fig. 2). A display box will then show the changes in the amount of H30+, OH-, and H2O as well as a pH scale.

Benefits and posibilitiesIn 2009, The National Assessment of

Educational Progress (NAEP) tested random U.S. students on their knowl-edge and abilities in physical science, life science, and Earth and space sci-ences. Results at the fourth-grade level showed that 34% of students tested performed at or above the “proficient” (average) level. In comparison, only 21% of twelfth-grade students performed at or above the average level (Fig. 3). These results give the impression that as

Fig. 1 Screen shot from the educational video game, RiverCity. (Image courtesy of ActiveWorlds, Inc.)

Simulations and games can have the

ability to improve the different aspects

of science learning: the motivation to learn,

conceptual understanding, processing

skills, understanding the nature of science,

science discourse, and identification.

44 IEEE POTENTIALS

a student reaches middle and high school age their understanding of science dras-tically drops, and perhaps their interest in learning science as well.

“I think motivation or passion for learning something is a surprising ab sence in how kids need to be engaged in learn-

ing,” says Honey. “Engagement in what you do is critical to how well you do it.”

Studies suggest that using games in the classroom increase student motiva-tion for science learning, and when a stu-dent is more motivated they are more likely to learn and acquire skills. In a 2002

study, a 45-student class was taught with the use of the RiverCity game, and a 36-student class was taught the same type of lesson but using regular curriculum and no game. Students from both classes completed a pre- and post-test on the information taught, and answered ques-tions regarding motivation and self-effi-ciency measurements. Overall, the students that were taught using the video game RiverCity, gained more in compari-son of the pre- and post-testing. The results also showed that the video game students were more engaged in the lesson and seemed more eager to keep learning.

“It takes it one step further because now you can be in there and collabo-rate with your friends and still be learning,” says Noll. “The retention of information is much higher then when using a text book.”

Using games can also help keep science teaching up to date. Textbook publishers take years to come out with a new edition, but video games are rapidly advanced and reworked. The world of technology works

100

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40

20

0Grade 4 Grade 8 Grade 12

34

72 63

3021

60

121

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% at Advanced

% at or Above Proficient% at or Above Basic

Fig. 3 Results of NAEP 2009 science report, showing the achievement levels of grades 4, 8, and 12. (Image courtesy of U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Science, National Center for Education Statistics, NAEP, 2009 Science Assessment.)

Fig. 2 Screen shot of an educational simulation from PhET that allows students to experiment with mixing solutions. (Image courtesy of PhET Interactive Simulations, University of Colorado at Boulder.)

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 45

at a very fast pace and will be able to keep up with changing society as well as stu-dents’ learning abilities.

For instance, the number of children being diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder or Aspergers has increased greatly in recent years, and with it, so have the methods of connecting with and teaching students. Using technology in everyday science classes could make it easier to update teaching material and provide better tools for successful learn-ing. Through this technology, students can learn at their own pace, letting over-achievers go a few steps ahead while stu-dents with difficulty understanding can take it slow and steady. Teachers will be better able to measure each individual’s progress, instead of giving one grade to a lab group of several students (some of whom may not have done much work). As a result, students and teachers will become better connected through educa-tional technology.

Also, a big problem that is now hitting schools across the country is budgeting. A partnership between schools and the video game industry could be the answer to every teacher’s prayers. Imagine if the wealthy world of technology decided to act as a school’s badly needed benefac-tor. It could open up a world of opportu-nity for science learning.

Bugs and glitches The virtual world of video games

and simulations is ever changing, and therefore, so is its overall definition. This makes it difficult for researchers to keep an accurate focus on the educational use and effectiveness of games when the material is constantly being updated and revamped. Findings on such a study will only hold value for several years before they become outdated, and therefore irrelevant.

A significant problem with studies like these is that records are usually not kept about the specific outline of class time. For instance, what percentage of the class were the students being taught through the simulations only and what amount of time were they listening to the teacher’s instruction or lecture. Therefore, there is no accurate way to determine how much of the results are due to using the game. If a class tests better after learning through simulations, is it solely in regards to the game? Or does part of the credit go to teacher-stu-dent and peer interaction as well?

“This is just one tool in the tool kit,” explains Margaret Hilton, senior pro-

gram officer at the National Research Council, when speaking of educational games and simulations. “But we don’t know enough as to if it is a better tool than the other tools. We need better research and better designed studies to tell us for sure.”

Science learning is considered to be a very complex process. Even though edu-cational games have proven to increase motivation and conceptual understand-ing, will they be able to increase a stu-dent’s ability to identify with science, use processing skills to formulate results, or score well on a standardized test? After all, the only aspect that will convince a school to adopt a gaming curriculum in science class would be that it is proven to significantly increase test scores.

Into the futureIf more studies are conducted, and

research is expanded on the idea of edu-cational gaming, it can open the door to a larger and more efficient future for sci-ence. Society is dependent on the next generation being science intelligent in order to deal with issues om a state, national, and global level.

According to the National Assessment of Education Progress, U.S. 15-year-olds scored below average among 30 indus-trialized nations on the 2006 science test of the Program for International Student Assessment.

“Everyone involved recognizes that we have tremendous shortfalls in train-ing STEM [science, technology, engi-neering, and mathematics] professionals,” notes Honey. “If we don’t reshape and rethink how we are teaching science, and don’t do a better job of engaging more students in it, I think we are going to find ourselves at an increasing disad-vantage in this world.”

If using educational technology in science class can prove to enhance stu-dent motivation and understanding then perhaps it will help to shape more engi-neers, chemists, biologists, and other sci-ence professionals and help expand the future world of science.

Read more about it • National Research Council, Learn-ing Science: Computer Games, Simula-tions, and Education. Committee on Science Learning: Computer Games, Simulations, and Education, M. A. Hon-ey and M. Hilton, Eds. Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2011. • University of Colorado at Bolder. (2011). PhET: Interactive Solutions.

University of Colorado, CO. (Online). Available: http://phet.colorado.edu/ • National Center for Education Sta-tistics, “The nation’s report card: Science 2009,” Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washing-ton, DC, NCES 2011–451, 2011. • C. Dede, D. J. Ketelhut, and K. Ruess. “Motivation, usability, and learn-ing outcomes in a prototype museum-based multi-user virtual environment,” in Proc. 5th Int. Conf. Learning Sciences, 2002, pp. 406–408. • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2007). Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006: Science Com-petencies for Tomorrow’s World, vol. 1 (Online). Available: http://www.oecd.org/document/2/0,3343,en_32252351_32236191_39718850_1_1_1_1,00.html

About the authorLaura J. Ambrosio (l.ambrosio@

ieee.org) is an editorial assistant in the IEEE Magazines Department. She earned her B.A. in communication arts with a concentration in journalism from Ramapo College of New Jersey in 2009.

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