Effectiveness of Debugging-design in 2D Simulations to Facilitate STEAM Learning

Abstract

In our previous paper we discussed reports of the declining interest in STEM subjects of high school students in Malaysia and proposed a framework and methodology that uses 2D simulation application to facilitate learning physics in STEAM. In this small pilot case study, we present our hypothesis using a debugging-design approach with 2D simulation applications and the development of scaffolds and gamification for the learning environment. A preliminary experiment was conducted with middle school students to test the system’s effectiveness. We present a breakdown of the student assessments and analyze the questionnaire responses. Findings indicate that although the system needs a bit more work on scaffolding features, it is effective in helping students increase their interest in STEAM and move up Bloom’s Taxonomy.