GaMINLab - Meaningful gamification to engage students in science inquiry practices through simulation labs

Abstract

Practical labs in science are expected to foster disciplinary practices of “doing science” in learners. Simulation-based labs which provide the convenience of conducting practical lab experiments online however, come with their own set of challenges such as steep learning curves, learner working in isolation, lack of personalization which may adversely affect learner engagement and motivation. OLabs is a set of simulation-based labs for schools widely used in India. The main goal of this work is to redesign simulation-based labs like OLabs to engage learners in science practices and to motivate learners to engage in science practices. Meaningful gamification is one of approaches that focuses on intrinsically motivating learners to find meaning in the given learning context. GaMINLab, which is this proposed redesign of simulation-based labs like OLabs, was informed by literature recommendations for fostering disciplinary practices, addressing challenges in simulation-based labs, and meaningful gamification. We discuss the design features of GaMINLab.