The Development and Evaluation of an Educational Game- Shimmer© with Computer Visualization for Optics Learning

Abstract

Learning physics involves the reasoning of abstract, dynamic, and complex that cannot be mapped to learners’ daily experience or observed with naked eyes. with the advancement of computer technologies, nowadays, computer technologies, such as simulation and scientific visualization, are able to depict the scientific phenomena with vivid visualization and rich interaction. Recently, in addition to provide simulation and scientific visualization, many educational games were developed to support learning of various subjects in order to promote the level of students’ engagement in learning. Educational games with clear goals, immediate feedback, and adequate scaffolding were considered as a powerful means of improving students’ learning motivation and subsequent learning performance. Though game-based learning has been a trend in recent years, researchers suggested that research on the application of game-based learning to STEM is still relatively limited. To fill the literature gap, this study developed a game – Shimmer© to support the learning of optical concepts. This study conducted an experiment with 50 seventh-grade students. An analysis of pretest and posttest was conducted to examine the effects of the game on learning. In addition, the participants’ evaluation of game and their gaming experience were assessed via using flow constructs. Furthermore, individual differences were addressed as well. Results showed that the participants generally better capture the concepts of light reflection and refraction in visual way. Besides, further analyses of individual differences indicated that boys and girls as well as students with high and low prior knowledge evaluated the game differently. Implications for the results of this study are to be used as guidance for subsequent game development and design of instructional strategies.