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Computer Games in Education.
- Source :
- Annual Review of Psychology; 2019, Vol. 70, p531-549, 19p
- Publication Year :
- 2019
-
Abstract
- Visionaries offer strong claims for the educational benefits of computer games, but there is a need to test those claims with rigorous scientific research and ground them in evidence-based theories of how people learn. Three genres of game research are (a) value-added research, which compares the learning outcomes of groups that learn academic material from playing a base version of a game to the outcomes of those playing the same game with one feature added; (b) cognitive consequences research, which compares improvements in cognitive skills of groups that play an off-the-shelf game to the skill improvements of those who engage in a control activity; and (c) media comparison research, which compares the learning outcomes of groups that learn academic material in a game to the outcomes of those who learn with conventional media. Value-added research suggests five promising features to include in educational computer games: modality, personalization, pretraining, coaching, and self-explanation. Cognitive consequences research suggests two promising approaches to cognitive training with computer games: using first-person shooter games to train perceptual attention skills and using spatial puzzle games to train two-dimensional mental rotation skills. Media comparison research suggests three promising areas where games may be more effective than conventional media: science, mathematics, and second-language learning. Future research is needed to pinpoint the cognitive, motivational, affective, and social processes that underlie learning with educational computer games. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00664308
- Volume :
- 70
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Annual Review of Psychology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 133956306
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-010418-102744