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The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions

The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions

Marilyn Ault, Jana Craig-Hare, Bruce Frey
Copyright: © 2016 |Volume: 6 |Issue: 3 |Pages: 16
ISSN: 2155-6849|EISSN: 2155-6857|EISBN13: 9781466692688|DOI: 10.4018/IJGBL.2016070102
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MLA

Ault, Marilyn, et al. "The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions." IJGBL vol.6, no.3 2016: pp.18-33. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJGBL.2016070102

APA

Ault, M., Craig-Hare, J., & Frey, B. (2016). The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions. International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL), 6(3), 18-33. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJGBL.2016070102

Chicago

Ault, Marilyn, Jana Craig-Hare, and Bruce Frey. "The Impact of a Racing Feature on Middle School Science Students' Performance in an Educational Game: The Effect of Content-Free Game-Actions," International Journal of Game-Based Learning (IJGBL) 6, no.3: 18-33. http://doi.org/10.4018/IJGBL.2016070102

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Abstract

Reason Racer is an online, rate-based, multiplayer game designed to engage middle school students in the knowledge and skills related to scientific argumentation. Several game features are included as design considerations unrelated to science content or argumentation. One specific feature, a competitive racing component that occurs in between challenging tasks, is the subject of this analysis. The effect of two conditions on 72 ninth grade students' performance was analyzed: game play with a competitive racing component (Race) and game play without a competitive racing component (No-Race). A counterbalanced design was used with two randomly assigned groups playing the game using two different science scenarios. When students played with a racing component interspersed between challenging tasks they completed the tasks more quickly and accurately than when they did not experience the racing component. These findings are discussed in terms of game design and the use of game features not related to academic content.

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