In today's Technology Age, where communication technologies are gaining momentum, social, cultural, and technological competencies draw attention from individual and societal perspectives. Along with technological innovations, transformations are experienced in the societal development process in many areas, including education, communication,…

Classroom engagement is critical to academic success for high school students (Marks, 2000). Increasing student classroom engagement can improve academic performance and student self-confidence (Reeve, 2013). This study aims to determine how student classroom engagement is impacted by the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) video. This study…

Game-based learning has entered the mainstream, yet little research has examined its influence within an early elementary setting, in the subject of history, or within the context of entire curricular unit. This dissertation examines two years' worth of data during which an augmented reality, geolocated mobile game was embedded within a…

In 2014, Virginia's Montgomery County school division adopted a place-based social studies curriculum titled "My Place in Time and Space" for fifth grade students. The curriculum promotes an awareness of the impact of place on local knowledge and disciplinary understandings in southwest Virginia, while also connecting local history to…

Scholarly literature attesting to the benefits of role play in teaching international relations or political science subjects is abundant and universally positive. However, despite many case studies presenting snapshots of single examples, long term data concerning a role play exercise is difficult to find. This study presents student feedback…

This research examined the change in the perceptions of preservice teachers regarding the use of digital minigames to support middle school level social studies learning. The results of a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test for matched pairs revealed that participants' (N = 18) perceptions were positively modified by participation in a series of digital…

The article presents a brief overview of the Neighbourhood Game Design Project, a studio-based curriculum intervention aimed at engaging students in the design of place-based mobile games and interactive stories using geo-locative technologies (for example, GPS enabled cell phones). It describes the three curricular components that defined the…

Describes a class project where children found ways to adapt to routines, situations, and events of a real community to a simulated society in the classroom. (GB)

Provides a simulation based on Marco Polo's journey. Demonstrates the hardships of 13th century travel by presenting students with difficult choices under challenging and primitive environmental conditions. Includes suggestions for class activities prior to using the simulation. (LS)

This study discusses the effectiveness of the use of simulations in a social studies classroom. The purposes were to: (1) define a simulation; (2) discuss its origin and underlying educational philosophy that advocates its uses in the classroom; and (3) analyze the current literature available and answer some of the controversial questions posed…

A microeconomic simulation game, called Micro-Economy, is discussed. The game approach was developed to provide students and educators an opportunity to express the aspirations, values, and principles of the people living in an environment. By following a microeconomic model, Society School, students create microinstitutions for their society at…

Maintains that stock market games are designed to provide students with a background for investing in securities, especially stocks. Reviews two games used with secondary students, analyzes statistical data from these experiences, and considers weaknesses in the games. (CFR)