Discussion
Due to the brief exposure students had to the game Revolution, little content knowledge was gained. However, the survey results and teacher comments did indicate that engagement by the students was enhanced, particularly for students who were identified as having special educational needs. The results of the survey also found that girls in general showed an increase in interest for the Revolutionary War period and wanted to play the game again. Further, both male and female students expressed more interest in the topic and the game after playing the role of one of the two slave characters. The engagement of the students did not appear to be affected by group or individual play.
Conclusion
Possibilities created by technology, expectations of society, parents, and employers--combined with a highly competitive job market and economy--require educational institutions to provide opportunities for students to gain practical knowledge in addition to theoretical knowledge. The 21st century model of teaching and learning embraces and supports opportunities that enable students to obtain practical knowledge through the integration of digital tools. Games like Revolution can provide these opportunities by enabling students to experience and respond to social, economic, and political issues.
Students also enjoyed the experience of playing Revolution, as indicated by the fact that many of them wanted to play the game after the lesson had been completed. Another interesting finding was that the female participants’ interest in the Revolutionary War increased after playing the game. The American Association of University Women Educational Foundation Report, How Schools Shortchange Girls (1992), describes the ways in which the prevailing educational system does not adequately meet the needs of girls and presents strategies to make formal education more relevant to the lives of girls, such as emphasizing real-life situations and offering hands-on experience (Inkpen et al., 1994). Further studies might provide insight into how the integration of these types of learning experiences increases girls' interest in otherwise male-dominated content areas such as math, science, and technology.
Another interesting finding was that students who played the role of the slave demonstrated an increase in posttest scores. It is not yet clear why this is so and this finding may warrant further study. However, student interviews suggest that these characters presented more “new information” about life in this period than other characters.
Among the most interesting data obtained were the teacher observations of students with learning disabilities. In their opinion, these students were more engaged and focused. The online and interactive activities seemed to eliminate the reluctance of the individual student who might be intimidated in face-to-face discussions and group learning activities. Standen, Brown, and Cromby (2001) suggest that virtual environments appear to be a fruitful method of teaching skills for independent living to people with intellectual disabilities. Initial studies demonstrate that learning in this way transfers to the real life environment in which the skills are required. More research is needed to confirm that this is, in fact, the case.
We believe that as more games are designed in collaboration with educators for use in the classroom the potential for dramatic results is great. The hands-on, problem-based, and cooperative digital learning environment will dominate teaching and learning methodologies in the coming years, and we are encouraged by our early findings.
About the Authors
O’Neal Smitherman, Vice President for
Information Technology
Ball State University, Muncie Indiana |
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Dr. Smitherman is the Vice President for Information Technology and is responsible for assisting and encouraging faculty to use technology to enhance teaching and learning. He supervises University Computing Services, University Libraries, and the Ball State University Teleplex. As executive assistant to the president, Smitherman serves as ex-officio member of the Professional Affairs Council and the Governance Committee and assists the president with administrative tasks. Smitherman came to Ball State in 2001 as one of the nation’s leading administrators in information technology. He received a doctorate in educational psychology in 1977 from the University of Alabama and completed additional advanced graduate study at Florida State University and the University of Tennessee. Smitherman received his master’s degree in sociology from the University of Alabama in 1973 and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Alabama in 1971.
Gail Ring, Director for the Center for
Technology in Education
Ball State University, Muncie Indiana
glring@bsu.edu |
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Gail Ring received her Ph.D. in Instructional Technology from the School of Teaching and Learning at the University of Florida. She is the Director of the Center for Technology in Education at Ball State University. Prior to joining the faculty at Ball State she implemented and managed the electronic portfolio project and faculty development activities in the College of Education at the University of Florida. Dr. Ring has consulted with universities and school districts across the US on the implementation of electronic portfolios in teacher education. Dr. Ring’s research interests involve the study of innovation diffusion in an academic setting, and has recently begun working with K-12 schools on the implementation of electronic portfolios in the K-12 curriculum. She is also interested in examining the effects of the integration of a digital learning environment into the middle school science classroom and has partnered with schools in Muncie and Indianapolis on furthering this line of inquiry.
James Jones, Assistant Director of Research and Design in University Computing Services
Ball State University, Muncie Indiana |
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Dr. James A. Jones is Assistant Director of Research and Design in University Computing Services at Ball State University. In this role, he provides consultation and data analysis services for academic researchers in a variety of fields. His previous publications have included the fields of gerontology, dietetics, higher education administration, nursing, counseling psychology, and psychological measurement. Dr. Jones has also served as a statistical consultant on several federal and state research grants primarily concerned with topics in gerontology and education. Currently, he is involved with development of interactive media for the teaching and learning of science and scientific principles.
| Bizhan Nasseh, Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology |
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Dr. Nasseh is the Special Assistant to the Vice President for Information Technology and adjunct professor of computer science. He has written over 40 papers on the utilization of computers in education and staff development. Over the years he has taught many courses and developed workshops for the university and the community. In his current position he collaborates with the Vice President of Technology on the University’s technology vision and planning and is responsible for coordinating cross-functional teams from three IT units (library, teleplex and computing services). His research interests include intersection of technology and learning and artificial intelligence and the Internet. Nasseh received a doctorate in adult and community education in 1996 from Ball State University.
