Maximizing learning without sacrificing the fun: Stealth assessment,adaptivity and learning supports in educational games |
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Authors: | Valerie Shute Seyedahmad Rahimi Ginny Smith Fengfeng Ke Russell Almond Chih-Pu Dai Renata Kuba Zhichun Liu Xiaotong Yang Chen Sun |
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Affiliation: | Department of Educational Psychology and Learning Systems, College of Education, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, USA |
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Abstract: | In this study, we investigated the validity of a stealth assessment of physics understanding in an educational game, as well as the effectiveness of different game-level delivery methods and various in-game supports on learning. Using a game called Physics Playground, we randomly assigned 263 ninth- to eleventh-grade students into four groups: adaptive, linear, free choice and no-treatment control. Each condition had access to the same in-game learning supports during gameplay. Results showed that: (a) the stealth assessment estimates of physics understanding were valid—significantly correlating with the external physics test scores; (b) there was no significant effect of game-level delivery method on students' learning; and (c) physics animations were the most effective (among eight supports tested) in predicting both learning outcome and in-game performance (e.g. number of game levels solved). We included student enjoyment, gender and ethnicity in our analyses as moderators to further investigate the research questions. |
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Keywords: | adaptivity game-based learning learning supports stealth assessment STEM education |
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