Petros Provelengios Georgios Fesakis Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory,...

Petros ProvelengiosGeorgios Fesakis

Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory, University of the Aegean, Rhodes,

Greece

Educational applications of Serious Games: The case of the game “Food Force” in primary

education students

ECGBL Athens, 2011

Purpose of the research

To investigate the effectiveness of using a serious game as a teaching-learning tool in the classroom.

Petros Provelengios & Georgios Fesakis - ECGBL 2011 - Athens

Produced by the UN World Food Program (WFP), released in 2005.

“Food Force” serious game


Helping children learn about :

the struggle against global hunger

the importance of humanitarian aid

Game’s aim


“Food Force” videogame


Case studyCase studyCase studyCase study

Research methodology

ExperimentExperimentExperimentExperiment


QuestionairesQuestionaires

ObservationObservation

Group interviewGroup interview

RecordingRecording

TestTest

Research tools


Experime-ntal

Group

Control Group

5th Grade Ano Syros Primary School(13 students)

5th Grade Hermoupolis 1st Primary School(21 students)

Duration of the instructional interventions: 80 minutes

Students of two primary schools classrooms, aged 10-11 years old:Students of two primary schools classrooms, aged 10-11 years old:

Sample of the research


To investigate “Food Force” effectiveness in knowledge acquisition and the understanding of the procedures required for sending humanitarian aid to areas in a state of emergency worldwide.

1st research question


Experimental group Control group

Test (15 questions)

Pre test and Post test

Playing the game Teaching using text and photos



1st research question – Tests results

Average grades Experimental group Control group

Pre test 8,54 8,05

Post test 11,69 10,38

* Maximum score: 15Petros Provelengios & Georgios Fesakis - ECGBL 2011 - Athens

The statistical analysis of the score achieved in the test given to the experimental group before their engagement with the game (m = 8.54, s = 1.85) and the one given after the game (m = 11.69, s = 2.06) shows a statistically significant difference (t =- 5.588, df = 12-tailed p = 0,000 <0,01).

However, the same result applies to the control group which was taught without the use of the game (t =- 6.468, df = 20-tailed p = 0,000 <0,01).

1st research question– Statistical analysis



Research tool : Questionnaire before and after the game

To investigate whether the use of the game by students can result in a change in students attitudes and views dealing with hunger and sending humanitarian aid to areas suffering from malnutrition.


“How much do you care about the feeding problems in different regions of the earth?"

There is a significant difference (t =- 3,323, df = 12-tailed p = 0,006 < 0.01).



“People who haven’t got anything to eat have only themselves to blame for this problem"

There is a significant difference (t =- 3,282, df = 12-tailed p = 0,007 <0,01)



“After having played the game do you feel more sympathy for people facing food problems?”



“Do you intend to do something to help people facing food problems?”



We could say that, in general, Food Force serious game met its goal to:

Sensitize students about the huge problem of hunger Make them review some of the ideas they had which were proven false. Make them change their attitudes and become more interested. Acquire a positive attitude towards these problems. Feel that they themselves can do something to help.

2st research question - Conclutions


To research if such a game, with the characteristics of serious games (not designed with entertainment as the primary objective), may prove attractive to children and acceptable for use in the classroom.

Research tool: Questionnaire after the game

3rd research question


“Did you like Food Force game?”

3rd research question - acceptance of the game


“Would you play the game again?”



“Compare Food Force with the games you usually play at home”.



“Do you think that the game helped you to learn things you never knew about the feeding problems?”

3rd research question - effectiveness


“Would you like to take part in a real mission by WFP?”

3rd research question – actively involved


“Did you feel satisfied being able to help the people Ceylan?”

3rd research question – actively involved


"I did not expect to play a game at school“

“I enjoyed it! It was something different”

“Through the game you both have fun and learn“

"I liked the fact that we played, not because we missed class, but I believe that, through the game, I learned some things I did not know”

“It was like taking part in actual missions”

“It is not right to care only about ourselves, there are other people who need our help”

Group interview - students’ views


Food Force serious game has achieved its objective to become a learning tool helping primary school students to:

Acquire knowledge on dealing with emergencies and dispatching humanitarian aid to areas suffering from malnutrition.

Become aware of and in some cases change attitudes and perceptions about the global problem of hunger and humanitarian aid.

Research conclusions


The game has managed to absorb and immerse students. It mobilized and triggered them to request further information and want to engage themselves more in the problem of hunger and humanitarian aid.



The views (Szczurek, 1982; VanSickle,1986; Randel et al., 1992, in van Eck, 2006) of those who claim that video games promote learning were verified to a great extent .

All four elements of Keller’s theory (ARCS) (1992) for the development of motivation were confirmed: attention, relevance, confidence and satisfaction.

The students felt very comfortable since engagement with games is part of their daily lives, they are the digital natives of the new digital world, as they are called by Prensky (2009).



The most important thing is that the game was an engaging, attractive and enjoyable activity that, in the words of the students, made them feel that they escaped from the usual and neither tired or bored them.



Serious digital games have, under certain conditions, the potential to support learning purposes.

It is necessary to further investigate the matter in order to draw secure conclusions about the effectiveness of serious games.

Discussion


Discussion

The introduction of digital games for learning purposes in an formal educational context cannot be done unwisely and off hand. A systematic selection of materials, instructor training as well as an orderly implementation of an educational process enriched with digital games, are necessary.


Petros Provelengios Georgios Fesakis Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory,...

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