Computer games can be considered complex learning environments in which players require instructional support to engage in cognitive processes such as selecting and actively organizing/integrating new information. We used meta-analytical techniques to test if instructional support enhances learning in game-based learning (k = 107, N[subscript adj]…

This paper presents two studies of transmedia interventions in the classroom. The two studies address how narrative-based transmedia curricular resources can support student learning in early mathematics. The studies were designed to identify the affordances (features and advantages) of transmedia-based learning in preschool and first grade…

Researchers have recognized the potential of educational computer games in improving students' learning engagement and outcomes; however, facilitating effective learning behaviors during the gaming process remains an important and challenging issue. In this paper, a collaborative knowledge construction strategy was incorporated into an educational…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to introduce MEDIA PROTECT, a multi-modal intervention for parents and teachers with six components preventing problematic, and in the long run addictive, use of screen media by children; second, to present results of a formative evaluation of the teacher training, an important component of the…

"Digital Play for Global Citizens" is an introduction to how educators and parents can use a multitude of innovative technology tools to help their students and children learn about, understand, and engage with our increasingly interconnected world. Educating students to become "macro-minded" (habits of mind that are associated…

There is considerable enthusiasm in many quarters for the incorporation of digital games into the classroom, and the capacity of games to engage and challenge players, present complex representations and experiences, foster collaborative learning, and promote deep learning. But while there is increasing research documenting the progress and…

Teachers who attempt pedagogical innovation with authentic digital games face significant challenges because such games instantiate open systems of learner activity, inviting enquiry learning rather than knowledge acquisition. However, school environments are normatively sanctioned cultural spaces where direct instruction and high-stakes tests are…

In a world where knowledge is a click away, today's students need information delivered in ways that meet their expectations as digital natives. Serious digital games are one way to meet the demand. This particularistic case study sought to understand agriculture teachers' experiences using a serious digital game in an introductory animal science…

Playing in general has a positive effect on child development; yet with the advancement of technology, the way children play has changed, and the effects of their play have changed as well. Some studies have shown an overall negative effect of electronic games, while others have reported the opposite. This study aims to investigate the effects of…

The notion of students as co-creators of content in higher education is gaining popularity, with an ever-increasing emphasis on the development of digital media assignments. In a separate paper, the authors introduced the Digital Media Literacies Framework, which is composed of three interrelated domains: (1) conceptual, (2) functional, and (3)…

This article focuses on the design of digital instructional game (DIG) tasks for young second language (L2) learners. The aim of the study is to identify motivational task elements based on what children respond to positively in games and incorporate into their own L2 vocabulary learning game designs. Eighty-two sixth-grade students (ages 11-12…

Serious games foster the acquisition of complex problem-solving skills. Assessment of such skills should be in line with instruction, and within a serious game environment its content validity should equal face-to-face assessment. Research on assessment in serious gaming has remained rather scarce. This article shows how assessment can be…

"Virtual Clinical Trials" simulations were designed to highlight neuroscience research and reinforce experimental design through the recreation of published clinical trials. This paper reports the effectiveness of "Virtual Clinical Trials" simulations in improving knowledge of concepts related to the experimental design process…

In recent years, considerable concern has arisen over the use of digital games as instructional tools in educational research. However, game-based learning not only enhances students' learning motivation and effectiveness, but also fosters knowledge transfer. Taiwanese people living in rural areas often receive health-related information through…

In this research, the authors present a framework for developing Intercultural Competence (IC) and use Tridimensional Digital Virtual Worlds (3DVW) as environments for developing Intercultural Competence. They developed an artifact, via Design Research, constituted by an educational method using the 3DVW Second Life® as the place for a virtual…