The Transportability of a Game-Based Learning Approach to Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Education: Effects on Student Conceptual Understanding, Engagement, and Experience

David J. Shernoff, Ji-Chul Ryu, Erik Ruzek, Brianno Coller and Vincent Prantil
Additional contact information
David J. Shernoff: Center for Mathematics, Science, and Computer Education, and Department of School Psychology, Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology, Rutgers University, 118 Frelinghuysen Rd., Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
Ji-Chul Ryu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, 590 Garden Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Erik Ruzek: NWEA, 121 NW Everett St., Portland, OR 97209, USA
Brianno Coller: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Northern Illinois University, 590 Garden Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Vincent Prantil: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Milwaukee School of Engineering, 1025 N Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202, USA

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 17, 1-18

Abstract: Many game-based instructional designs have demonstrated effectiveness for a variety of educational outcomes, although typically in limited contexts. In this article, we report the results of a four-year study testing the extent to which a game-based learning approach to undergraduate engineering education demonstrating promising results in a university course was transportable to other engineering courses and universities. We evaluated students’ conceptual understanding, emotional engagement (with the Experience Sampling Method), and experience when using the video game, Spumone, for their coursework compared to a textbook-based control condition. Multilevel models and other quantitative analyses showed that the effect of the experimental condition (i.e., game-based) on conceptual understanding and student engagement was not significant. Based on a content analysis of students’ feedback, however, the students reported a positive experience with game-based learning for their assignments overall. Areas of need towards successful implementation of the game-based learning intervention were also examined. This study has important implications for the salience of implementation issues including adequate training and continuing teacher professional development, and ongoing supports for instructors and students to aid in the learning of concepts that the game was intended to teach.

Keywords: game-based learning; video games; mechanical engineering; student engagement; conceptual understanding; student experience; intervention; computer-based learning; Experience Sampling Method; undergraduate education (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6986/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/17/6986/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:17:p:6986-:d:404922

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().