Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the impacts of embedding collaboration into a game with a self-explanation design for supporting the acquisition of light and shadow concepts. The participants were 184 fourth graders who were randomly assigned to three conditions: a solitary mode of the game with self-explanation, a collaborative mode with self-explanation, or the control condition of a single-user game without integrating self-explanation. Students' conceptual understanding was measured through an immediate posttest and a retention test with a three-week delay. Further, students' engagement in answering the prompts was also investigated. The findings showed that having students collaboratively play science-based games with a self-explanation design embedded was not sufficient to help them learn the science concepts. Rather, it was the level of engagement in responding to the self-explanation prompts that mattered.

Citation

Hsu, C.Y., Tsai, C.C. & Wang, H.Y. (2016). Exploring the Effects of Integrating Self-Explanation into a Multi-User Game on the Acquisition of Scientific Concepts. Interactive Learning Environments, 24(4), 844-858. Retrieved March 25, 2023 from https://www.learntechlib.org/p/194341/.

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Keywords

• computer games
• Control Groups
• Cooperative learning
• design
• Elementary School Students
• Foreign Countries
• Grade 4
• Interviews
• Probability
• Prompting
• Retention (Psychology)
• science education
• Scientific Concepts
• Statistical Analysis
• student attitudes
• teaching methods