An implementation of design-based learning through creating educational computer games: A case study on mathematics learning during design and computing

Highlights

• Computer educational game making using Scratch by middle school students.

• Developed significantly more positive dispositions toward mathematics.

• Activated mathematical experience and thinking.

• Mergence and dissection of learning, design, and computing.

Abstract

This mixed-method case study examined the potential of computer-assisted, math game making activities in facilitating design-based math learning for school children. Sixty-four middle school children participated in Scratch-based, math game making activities. Data were collected via activity and conversation observation, artifact analysis, interviewing, and survey. The study findings indicated that participants developed significantly more positive dispositions toward mathematics after computer game making. The study also found that experience-driven game design processes helped to activate children's reflection on everyday mathematical experiences. Mathematical thinking and content experience were intertwined within the process of computer game authoring. On the other hand, children designers were involved in game-world and story crafting more than mathematical representation. And it was still challenging for them to perform computer game coding with abstract reasoning.

Introduction

Constructionists argue that learners actively construct knowledge out of their experiences, especially when they are engaged in building objects (Kafai, 1995, Papert, 1980). That is, learning occurs when the learners' active exploration (i.e., artifact design and creation) makes them develop a knowledge representation of their experience or discover an inconsistency between their current knowledge representation and their experience. Attributed to social constructivism, learning usually occurs within a social context in which interactions between learners and peers will activate collaborative exploration, articulation, reflection, and hence assimilation or accommodation for improved knowledge representation (Piaget, 1957, Vygotsky, 1978). Thus collaborative design can be considered as a mindful approach to learning or a meaningful environment of knowledge construction (Langer, 1997). The previous projects on learning by design also provided empirical evidence for design-based math and science learning (Kafai, 1995, Kafai, 2006, Kolodner et al., 2003).

However, questions remain as to how design thinking and content-specific reasoning or knowledge development interact with each other during collaborative design, especially for novice designers. Therefore, this case study examined an implementation of design-based learning through educational computer games making by middle school children. In particular, it explored the presence and contexts of math learning of middle school children during the processes of collaborative design and computer-assisted game making.