Studies of educational games often treat them as "black boxes" (Black and Wiliam in Phi Delta Kappan 80: 139-48, 1998; Buckley et al. in Int J LearnTechnol 5:166-190, 2010; Buckley et al. in J Sci Educ Technol 13: 23-41, 2010) and measure their effectiveness by exposing a treatment group of students to the game and comparing their…

The authors develop an educational simulation game for basic vapour-liquid equilibrium (VLE) to use in chemical engineering education, basing the design on educational guidelines from the active learning literature. The game is tested in three cohorts totalling 84 students, showing significant increase in a knowledge test of VLE, and positive…

Many researchers have explored the impact of digital games on learning effects in different STEM subjects. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to examine the effect of digital game-based STEM education on the learning achievement of K-12 or higher education students. The analysis results of effect sizes from 33 studies (N = 3894) published from…

This text presents an argument that competition, as a pedagogical design element, facilitates students' learning motivation in digital game-based learning environments (DGBLEs). Since competition has long been regarded as an adverse pedagogical element for fostering students' learning motivation, a considerable proportion of educators and…

Background: Performance goal orientations are influential motivational factors for predicting learning performance. However, a lack of attention has been paid to investigating the effects of performance goal orientations on learning performance and in-game performance in the context of digital game-based learning. Objectives: This study…

In recent years, several studies have reported the potential of employing digital games in EFL (English as Foreign Language) courses to promote students' learning motivation. However, scholars have pointed out that students generally lack self-learning ability, which is the key to the success of learning a foreign language. Therefore, it is…

Research involving digital games and language learning is rapidly growing. One advantage of using digital games to support language learning is the ability to collect data on students learning in real time. In this study, we use educational data mining methods to explore the relationship between in-game data and elementary students' Chinese…

Cognitive load theory (CLT) distinguishes three types of cognitive loads: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane, of which the latter is generally imposed in learning activities. To examine the nature of germane cognitive load, the participants engaged in 8-by-8 Reversi games against computerized opponents. The experimental results indicated that…

Digital math apps on touch-screen devices have become popular as effective tools to support mathematics learning. Many apps incorporate gaming elements such as points, stars, coins, or storylines to increase student interest and motivation. However, there is limited research regarding the balance of gaming and mathematics elements and how it…

Evaluating the subjective playing experience and engagement in learning is important in the design of advanced learning technologies (ALTs) that respond to the learners' cognitive and emotional states. This article addresses students' attitudes toward an educational game, Heroes of Math Island, and their responses to the emotional agent, an…

With the advent of technology over the past decade, teachers have started to incorporate live games into second or foreign language (L2) teaching to create an active learning environment and thus keep learners engaged in learning tasks. The present study reports on the findings of an investigation into the impact of the online "Kahoot!"…

Contribution: This research study deploys three serious games with various topics in an entry-level C Programming module and investigates students' learning outcomes. The study also explores whether learners belonging to different subgroups benefit more from the use of serious games than their peers. The subgroups are formed based on learner…

This meta-analysis investigated the effects of learning video games on mathematics achievement of PreK-12th-grade students compared with traditional classroom instructional methods. Results from the 24 collected studies showed heterogeneity among effect sizes, both in magnitude and direction. Using a random effects model, a small but marginally…

The Game Play and Design Framework is a project-based instructional method to engage teachers and students with mathematics content by utilizing technology as a vehicle for game play and creation. In the authors' prior work, they created a technology tool and game editing platform, the Wearable Learning Cloud Platform (WLCP), which enables…

Media use could be detrimental to children's language and literacy skills because it may displace other language-enhancing activities like shared reading and caregiver-child interactions. Furthermore, the extent to which children use media with adults (joint media engagement), the extent to which they use interactive media (apps/games), and the…