Search Results (14)

Mobile technology, especially mobile learning, has long been an emerging and thriving field, and remains a main theme in mobile learning applications and systems. The extensive utilization of mobile learning has prompted the invention of many mobile applications. As a result of rapid advances in application technologies, various learning applications can combine different media or multi-modalities, such as video, audio, images, animated graphics, and text, to create multimedia learning resources that engage learners. However, the most favorable modalities in different learning applications that assist performance are worth exploring. This study employed mixed methods to investigate the current multi-modality situation in learning application utilization among 300 university students in China, where a rapid educational technology revolution is occurring. The findings revealed that the verbal modality (M = 3.99, S*D = 0.79) and the writing modality (M = 3.99, S*D = 0.75) in the learning applications were less enjoyable and less effective at enhancing learning performance. In exam-based or function-based apps, all five modalities in this research were considered important, especially the visual and aural modes. The results of this study also revealed that a majority of university learners were satisfied with the multi-modalities in different types of applications, except for game-based apps, that assist their learning performance (56.7%, M = 3.87, S*D = 0.79), which contrasts with the results of several related studies. Overall, college users perceived that multi-modalities were effective in helping them to complete tasks, and all modalities in current applications satisfied most of the users’ needs to assist their learning performance. In the end, the findings indicated a positive and strong linear relationship [r = 0.766, p < 0.05] between multi-modalities and assisted learning performance with the help of more capable (knowledgeable) others with the use of mobile applications. Full article

Using digital and non-digital card games to teach mathematics is a well-established didactic technique widely applied at different levels of education. Game-based learning strategies are also gaining ground in higher education, but the use of maths card games in university settings remains limited. Generation Z students are true digital natives, members of a hyper-cognitive generation with a learning profile different from any previous generation. In this paper, an original non-digital card game, Blue Yeti, is presented that supports determining the convergence property of improper integrals using the comparison theorems and the Cauchy–Maclaurin test, providing a motivational and effective way of acquiring knowledge for Gen Z students. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the development process, rules, and gameplay mechanics of Blue Yeti, which was created as a key component of a multifunctional didactic framework. In addition, it presents findings from a two-year research study conducted among first-year bachelor’s students in computer science on the benefits of playing Blue Yeti. Quantitative studies were carried out with 63 first-year IT students using a quasi-experimental research design to measure the effectiveness of the game. A pre- and post-test design was used with the experimental group of 31 participants to evaluate the short-term effects of card game-based learning. A t-test for paired samples was used for hypothesis testing. To assess the medium-term impact, the results from the related midterm exam problems were statistically analysed, comparing the outcomes of the experimental group with those of the control group using the Mann–Whitney U-test. The results indicated that the experimental group outperformed the control group, achieving a mean score of 3.03 out of 6 on the designated midterm exam problems, compared to the control group’s mean score of 1.78. Additionally, student attitudes towards the game were measured using a mixed-method approach, which provided not only quantitative data but also qualitative information on student attitudes towards Blue Yeti, complementing the statistics on learning outcomes. The results of the study clearly support the effectiveness of the card game. Full article

This research examines student teachers’ perceptions of a game-based exam conducted in the Genial.ly app in the study course ”Legal Aspects of the Pedagogical Process”. This study aims to find out the pros and cons of game-based exams and understand which digital solutions can enable the development and analysis of digital game data. At the beginning of the course, students were introduced to the research and asked to provide feedback throughout the course on what they saw as the most important aspects of each class and insights on how they envisioned the game-based exam could proceed. The game-based exam was built using the digital platform Genial.ly after its update, which provided the possibility to include open-ended questions and collect data for analyses. It was designed with a narrative in which a new teacher comes to a school and is asked for help in different situations. After reading a description of each situation, the students answered questions about how they would resolve them based on Latvia’s regulations. After the exam, students wrote feedback indicating that the game-based exam helped them visualize the situations presented, resulting in lower stress levels compared to a traditional exam. This research was structured based on design-based principles and the data were analyzed from the perspective of how educators can use freely available solutions to develop game-based exams to test students’ knowledge gained during a course. The results show that Genial.ly can be used as an examination tool, as indicated by positive student teachers’ responses. However, this research has limitations as it was conducted with only one test group due to administrative reasons. Future research could address this by including multiple groups within the same course as well as testing game-based exams in other subject courses for comparison. Full article

The use of blended learning strategies is increasingly common in health sciences, including veterinary medicine; however, there are very few descriptions of these methods being applied to practicals. We describe here the application of blended learning based on the implementation of flipped classrooms with collaborative learning and gamification to the 2020–2021 veterinary medicine gross anatomy practicals at CEU Cardenal Herrera University (Spain). Students prepared for the sessions by pre-viewing videos and taking a quiz before the start. The sessions were conducted in small groups where students learned through collaborative work and reviewed their learning with a card game. A small but significant increase was observed when comparing the scores of practical exams of the locomotor apparatus with those of 2018–2019 (6.79 ± 2.22 vs. 6.38 ± 2.24, p < 0.05), while the scores were similar (7.76 ± 1.99 vs. 7.64 ± 1.92) for the organ system exams. Students’ responses in a satisfaction survey were mostly positive (>80%) regarding the motivating and learning-facilitating effect of this educational method. Our work shows that the application of blended learning in anatomy practicals based on a flipped classroom and with elements of gamification and collaborative work can be an effective way to improve the learning experience of students. Full article

Physics is a difficult subject in which to trigger interest in pupils, particularly in junior high school classes: this reflects in the results of maturity exams. Therefore, teachers, educators (and authorities deciding on CV contents) should search for new efficient methods, techniques, and contents corresponding to particular topics in physics. What can be done at the level of a single university (even if big) or school is to enrich standard lessons with new elements and observe how the responses of pupils change. In this article, the results of an implementation of interactive plays and games are presented for enhancing pupils’ interest and rate of understanding in physics, astronomy, and engineering. The games were designed by authors and the contents were developed jointly at Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland and al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Kazakhstan. Implementation was carried out both in schools (a secondary school in Almaty and one primary school in Torun) and in extra-school (secondary school students in Almaty, elementary and secondary school students in Torun, during university-based activities) environments. A preliminary analysis of the didactical efficiency is given. We observed a positive reception of the majority of the didactical means that we proposed. These observations will serve us for further (and possibly permanent) enrichment of forms and contents of teaching physics and astronomy. Full article

(1) Background: Cognitive impairment (CI) is more prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients than in the general population. The purpose of this study was to examine if behavioral, clinical, and vascular variables are linked with CI in individuals with HD. (2) Methods: Initially, 47 individuals with chronic HD volunteered to participate in the trial, but only 27 patients ultimately completed the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Computerized Cognitive Assessment Tool (CompBased-CAT). We collected information on smoking, mental activities, physical activity (Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity, RAPA), and comorbidity. The oxygen saturation (rSO2) and pulse wave velocity (PWV; IEM Mobil-O-Graph) of the frontal lobes were measured. (3) Results: Significant associations were discovered between MoCA and rSO2 (r = 0.44, p = 0.02 and r = 0.62, p = 0.001, right/left, respectively), PWV (r = −0.69, p = 0.0001), CCI (r = 0.59, p = 0.001), and RAPA (r = 0.72, p = 0.0001). Those who actively occupied their time during dialysis and non-smokers achieved higher cognitive exam results. A multivariate regression study demonstrated that physical activity (RAPA) and PWV had separate effects on cognitive performance. (4) Conclusions: Cognitive skills are related to inter-dialysis healthy habits (physical activity, smoking) and intra-dialysis activities (tasks and mind games). Arterial stiffness, oxygenation of the frontal lobes, and CCI were linked with CI. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of learning gamification in developing sustainable educational environments. To this end, gamified class data were analyzed to identify students’ learning performance patterns. The study sample comprised 369 data points collected across four point domains: Activity, Game, Project, and Exam Points, which students obtained in their gamified college courses conducted between 2016 and 2019. A K-means data clustering algorithm and silhouette analysis were utilized to evaluate student performances and determine differential learning styles in gamified environments. Cluster analysis revealed three types of learning patterns centered on performance, mastery, and avoidance. Based on our findings, we propose suggestions regarding class design for instructors considering using gamification strategies to support a sustainable educational environment. We also highlight the scope for future research in both in-person and online gamified learning. Full article

Aim: Adapting “escape rooms” for educational purposes is an innovative teaching method. The aim of this study was to ascertain the degree of learning of the residents. A secondary objective was to determine their degree of satisfaction. Methods: A prospective, observational study took place in October 2019. A sepsis-based escape room was designed and carried out. A mix of paediatric medical residents and paediatric nursing residents were enrolled. A prior knowledge test was carried out, which was repeated right at the end of the escape room and then again three months later. Furthermore, all participants completed an anonymous post-study survey. Results: We enrolled 48 residents, 79.2% of whom were women. The mean score for the pre-escape room exam was 7.85/9 (SD 1.65), that for the post-escape room exam was 8.75/9 (SD 0.53), and for the exam three months later, it was 8.30/9 (SD 0.94). Among the participants, 18.8% did not manage to leave before the established 60 min time limit. The results of the satisfaction survey showed high participant satisfaction. Conclusions: The escape room proved to be a valuable educational game that increased students’ knowledge of sepsis management and showed a positive overall perceived value among the participants. Full article

Digital and physical escape rooms have been suggested as practical and effective approaches to game-based learning and have recently gained momentum. The deficit of scholarly works that simultaneously implement both types of escape rooms legitimizes this study’s significance and appropriateness. The researchers systematically combined digital and physical escape rooms and integrated them into fifth-grade science lessons (experimental group N = 22; control group N = 21). Considering that creative thinking is one of the essential competencies in the competitive world, learning motivation is a crucial factor contributing to students’ learning, and academic achievement is a criterion for learning outcomes. The Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (fluency, flexibility, originality, and elaboration), the Learning Motivation Scale (value, expectation, affect, and executive volition), and the science achievement exam were used to quantitatively investigate students’ learning effectiveness. The results indicated that the experimental group’s creative thinking and learning motivation outperformed the control group significantly. Nonetheless, both groups showed no significant difference in science academic achievement. The present study verifies that a digital–physical combined escape room is an effective and practical approach that has the potential to be widely used in schools to benefit students’ learning. Some discussions, educational implications, and suggestions for future studies and practices are offered. Full article

(1) Background: There is a scarcity of data regarding game-based learning (GBL) in experiential pharmacy education; in addition, the impact of educational games on the attainment of intended learning outcomes and students’ motivation to actively learn and practice through non-traditional pedagogical tools are yet to be explored. (2) Methods: This was a prospective quasi-experimental study that introduced GBL into the Pharmacy Practice Experience course of the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) program at the Lebanese International University in Lebanon. Data collection took place between July and September 2021. The study objectives were to assess the impact of GBL on attaining intended learning outcomes, determine students’ motivation to engage in GBL, and assess the impact of this motivation on the attainment of learning outcomes. (3) Results: GBL was associated with a significantly higher exam average (mean difference = 7.152, p < 0.001). Moreover, an active learning motivation assessment scale (ALMAS) was constructed and validated; it was found to have good reliability as well as high sensitivity and specificity, and it determined a good level of motivation to engage in GBL. Game-based learners with higher motivation scores had significantly higher exam averages compared to those with lower scores (Beta = 0.296, 95% CI 0.110–0.545, p = 0.004). (4) Conclusion: GBL was associated with better attainment of intended learning outcomes. Students appear to be motivated to learn by this style of active learning, and motivation is prognostic of the attainment of learning outcomes. Full article

Gamification of education is considered to have the capacity to increase students’ engagement in a learning process; to drive learning and skills acquisition; and creates changes for more sustainable behavior. Sustainable behavior is especially important in studying the initial courses at a university. Object-oriented programming (OOP) is such a course in the studies for a programmer’s diploma. We applied four elements of gamification: experience points, interactive content, local team, and global team. A local team is dedicated specifically to the OOP course, but all other game elements can be applied to any course. The course was implemented in a Moodle platform, where two additional plugins for experience points and interactive content were employed. Research using the implemented gamified course in the teaching process was carried out during the fall semester in 2020 and results compared to two previous non-gamified course years. A statistically insignificant increase in the mean grade was observed. Nevertheless, the gamified course resulted in a 7% decrease in the number of students who had to retake the OOP course compared to the year 2019. The gamified course also resulted in a drastic decrease in the number of students requiring a second attempt to pass the course’s exam. The obtained results demonstrate that the gamification of OOP course resulted in more sustainable behavior of the students. Based on the results of students’ questionnaires, we highly recommend using global team game element as it showed a positive effect on students’ engagement when the number of participating students is large. Full article

The use of educational digital games as supplemental tools to course instruction materials has increased over the last several decades and especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. Though these types of instructional games have been employed in the majority of STEM disciplines, less is known about how diverse populations of students interpret and define the value of these games towards achieving academic and professional pursuits. A mixed-method sequential exploratory research design method that was framed on the Technology Acceptance Model, Game-Based Learning Theory and Expectancy Value Theory was used to examine how 201 students perceived the usefulness of an intuitive education game that was designed to teach engineering mechanics used in designing civil structures. We found that students had different expectations of educational digital games than games designed for entertainment used outside of classroom environments. Several students thought that the ability to design their own structures and observe structure failure in real-time was a valuable asset in understanding how truss structures responded to physical loading conditions. However, few students thought the educational game would be useful for exam (14/26) or job interview (19/26) preparation. Students associated more value with engineering games that illustrate course content and mathematical calculations used in STEM courses than those that do not include these elements. Full article

The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become a fundamental tool in all areas of today’s society, including higher education. Lessons cannot be envisaged without the use of tools such as computers, tablets or mobile devices. Many lecturers use audience response systems (ARS) to keep their classes engaged. ARS software allows teachers to interact with students via polls, text responses, or multiple-choice questions displayed via their mobile devices. A new example of the use of this type of devices in education is gamification, a technique that uses a set of activities with ludic character as a learning methodology in order to facilitate the acquisition of knowledge and competences. One of the most used gamification tools is Kahoot!, a free learning application based on a mixture of game and creativity, which encourages attention and participation of students through questions and answers formulated by the teacher and designed in a way that students respond via their mobile phones. This paper examines the use of Kahoot! in a subject belonging to the chemistry area. In order to assess the benefits of this tool, it was tested in a group of students to review the knowledge and skills acquired during the theoretical lessons prior to the exams, and the academic results were compared with those of a control group of students who did not use the tool. The results demonstrate that the use of Kahoot! led to an improvement in the teaching–learning process of the students and a noteworthy rise in their marks, and that its positive effects rise with increasing the frequency of use of this didactic tool. Full article

To improve education regarding sustainability and green buildings, we designed a multiplayer (2–4 people) green building strategy game called GBGame to deliver knowledge of and introduce applied technologies for green buildings. To verify the game’s learning effect, we conducted separate measurements using the ARCS motivation model and a paper-based exam among 72 students majoring in architecture. These students were divided into an experimental group (who played the game) and a control group (who underwent lecture-based instruction). Results indicate that (1) game players had stronger learning motivation than those who attended the lectures; (2) players who learned through the game generally exhibited better learning effectiveness than non-players; (3) following cross-validation, we discovered a highly significant correlation between the learning effect and players’ attention, perception of relevance, confidence, and satisfaction during the game; and (4) the game system was found to be attractive to the students, implying that it can be an effective instructional and recreational material to use during green building education. Full article