MOTIVATING STUDENTS IN THE BIOLOGY CLASSROOM VIA GAMES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v10i10.4993Keywords:
motivating students, genetics, educational game, traditional teaching, learning outcomes, assessing knowledge retentionAbstract
In recent decades, the increased use of digital games by students at all education levels has attracted the attention of many researchers interested in the effect games used in the classroom have on learning. Despite the strong interest internationally in the use of educational games in the teaching of Biology, in Greece the degree of corresponding research is limited. The purpose of our research is to examine the effect that games have on Greek high school students’ acquisition and retention of knowledge relating to genetics concepts. The sample consisted of 32 K-9 students, who were divided into two groups. In the first group, the chosen teaching approach was based on the traditional teaching method, while in the second group, it was based on the use of an educational genetics card game. All students completed the same assessment test both before and immediately after the teaching interventions. Based on the results, it was found that both approaches yielded statistically similar learning outcomes, with students in the group taught by the game-teaching approach performing better on average than those in the control group.
Article visualizations:
References
Abt, C. (1970). Serious games New York: The Viking Press
Annetta, L. A., Minogue, J., Holmes, S. Y., and Cheng, M. T. (2009). Investigating the impact of video games on high school students’ engagement and learning about genetics. Computers and Education, 53(1), 74-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2008.12.020
Athanasiou, K., and Papadopoulou, P. (2015). Evolution Theory Teaching and Learning: What Conclusions Can We Get From Comparisons of Teachers’ and Students’ Conceptual Ecologies in Greece and Turkey?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 11(4), 841-853. https://doi.org/10.12973/eurasia.2015.1443a
Bloom, B. S. (1956). Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, Handbook 1: Cognitive Domain. New York: Longman.
Brits, L., and van Oordt, T. (2018). The Perceived Motivational Impact of Voice-over-PowerPoint™ on Part-time Adult Learners in a Distance Learning Environment. Alternation Journal, (23), 134-168.
Cardoso, F. S., Dumpel, R., da Silva, L. B. G., Rodrigues, C. R., Santos, D. O., Cabral, L. M., and Castro, H. C. (2008). Just working with the cellular machine: a high school game for teaching molecular biology. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Education, 36(2), 120-124. https://doi.org/10.1002/bmb.20164
Cheng, M. T., Chen, J. H., Chu, S. J., and Chen, S. Y. (2015). The use of serious games in science education: A review of selected empirical research from 2002 to 2013. Journal of Computers in Education, 2(3), 353-375. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-015-0039-9
de Lima, J., Adnađević, T., Barstad, J., Georgiou, M., Holm, S., Kenig, B., ... and Milosevic, T. (2023). Developing non-formal learning activities focused on increasing evolutionary knowledge and scientific literacy. https://doi.org/10.5281 /zenodo.7711038
Elliot, S. N., Kratochwill, T. R., Cook, J. L., Travers, J. F. (2002). Educational psychology: effective teaching, effective learning. Bosten: McGraw-Hill.
Gourgiotou, E. (2009). Play and learning: Inseparable concepts in preschool practice, Deltio, 42, 3-7. (in Greek)
Gata, D., Valakos, E., and Georgiou, M. (2023). Engaging and assessing students via a museum educational program. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 19(10), em2334. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/13574
Georgiou M. and Mavrikaki E. (2013). Greek students’ ability in argumentation and informal reasoning about socio-scientific issues related to biotechnology. In C. P. Constantinou, N. Papadouris, and A. Hadjigeorgiou (Eds.), Proceedings of the 10th Conference of the European Science Education Research Association (pp. 1158-1166).
Georgiou, M., Mavrikaki, E., Halkia, K., and Papassideri, I. (2020a). Investigating the impact of the duration of engagement in socioscientific issues in developing Greek students’ argumentation and informal reasoning skills. American Journal of Educational Research, 8(1), 16-23. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-8-1-3
Georgiou, M., Mavrikaki, E., & Constantinou, C. P. (2020b) Is teaching biology through socio-scientific issues enough for the development of argumentation skills? In B. Puig, P. B. Anaya, M. J. G. Quilez, & M. Grace (Eds.), Biology education research. Contemporary topics and directions (pp. 177- 186). Servicio de Publicaciones [Publications Service], Universidad de Zaragoza. https://doi.org/10.26754/uz.978-84-16723-97-3
Georgiou, M., Ziogka, K., and Galani, L. (2020c). Are Pre-Service Teachers Ready to Write Stories in the Sciences?. Interdisciplinary Journal of Environmental and Science Education, 16(4), e2220. https://doi.org/10.29333/ijese/8421
Georgiou, M., Fonseca, M.J., Fortin, C., Turpin, S. and Roux-Goupille, C. (2022). SSI approach out of schools - How can these approaches be used in science museums and other non formal education contexts? In Xa-Pinto X, Bennierman, A., Børsen, T.H., Georgiou, M., Jeffries, A., Pessoa, P., Soussa, B. and Zeidler, D. (Eds) Learning evolution through socioscientific issues. Aveiro, Portugal: UA Editora. https://doi.org/10.48528/4sjc-kj23
Gutierrez, A. F. (2014). Development and effectiveness of an educational card game as supplementary material in understanding selected topics in biology. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 13(1), 76-82. https://doi.org/10.1187/cbe.13-05-0093
Hays, R. T. (2005). The effectiveness of instructional games: A literature review and discussion (No. NAWCTSD-TR-2005-004). Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems, Div Orlando FL
Hogle, J. G. (1996). Considering games as cognitive tools: In search of effective "edutainment". ERIC Clearinghouse
Hwang, G. J., Sung, H. Y., Hung, C. M., Yang, L. H., and Huang, I. (2013). A knowledge engineering approach to developing educational computer games for improving students' differentiating knowledge. British journal of educational technology, 44(2), 183-196. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2012.01285.x
Keller, J. M. (1987). Strategies for stimulating the motivation to learn. Performance and instruction, 26(8), 1-7.
Keller, J. M. (2009). Motivational design for learning and performance: The ARCS model approach. Springer Science and Business Media
Li, M. C., and Tsai, C. C. (2013). Game-based learning in science education: A review of relevant research. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 22(6), 877-898. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-013-9436-x
Maniatakou, A., Papassideri, I., and Georgiou, M. (2020). Role-play activities as a framework for developing argumentation skills on biological issues in secondary education. American Journal of Educational Research, 8(1), 7-15. 15. https://doi.org/10.12691/education-8-1-2
Onisiforou, M. (2014). Digital games in education: motivation and learning. Retrieved 3/5/23 https://ktisis.cut.ac.cy/bitstream/20.500.14279/458/2/Miranda_Onisiforou.pdf (Bachelor's thesis, Department of Communication and Internet Studies, School of Communication and Media Studies, Cyprus University of Technology, in Greek)
Papadakis, S. (2018). The use of computer games in classroom environment. International Journal of Teaching and Case Studies, 9(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTCS.2018.090191
Papazoglou, M. (2016). The use of board games in the teaching of physics concepts in primary school: exploring the effects on achievement and motivation. Retrieved 3/5/23 https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/45862/15108.pdf?sequence=1andisAllowed=y (Master's thesis, Department of Primary Education, University of Thessaly, in Greek)
Paxinou, E., Georgiou, M., Kakkos, V., Kalles, D., and Galani, L. (2022). Achieving educational goals in microscopy education by adopting virtual reality labs on top of face-to-face tutorials. Research in Science and Technological Education, 40(3), 320-339. https://doi.org/10.1080/02635143.2020.1790513
Rastegarpour, H., and Marashi, P. (2012). The effect of card games and computer games on learning of chemistry concepts. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 31, 597-601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.12.111
Sadler, T. D., Romine, W. L., Menon, D., Ferdig, R. E., and Annetta, L. (2015). Learning biology through innovative curricula: A comparison of game‐and nongame‐based approaches. Science Education, 99(4), 696-720. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.21171
Sá-Pinto, X., Bennierman, A., Børsen, T.H., Georgiou, M., Jeffries, A., Pessoa, P., Soussa, B. and Zeidler, D. (2022) Learning Evolution through socioscientific issues. Aveiro, Portugal: UA Editora. https://doi.org/10.48528/4sjc-kj23
Spiegel, C. N., Alves, G. G., Cardona, T. D. S., Melim, L. M., Luz, M. R., Araújo-Jorge, T. C., and Henriques-Pons, A. (2008). Discovering the cell: an educational game about cell and molecular biology. Journal of Biological Education, 43(1), 27-36. https://doi.org/10.1080/00219266.2008.9656146
Sung, H. Y., and Hwang, G. J. (2013). A collaborative game-based learning approach to improving students' learning performance in science courses. Computers and education, 63, 43-51. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.11.019
Telner, D., Bujas-Bobanovic, M., Chan, D., Chester, B., Marlow, B., Meuser, J., and Harvey, B. (2010). Game-based versus traditional case-based learning: comparing effectiveness in stroke continuing medical education. Canadian Family Physician, 56(9), e345-e351
Tentolouri, A. M. (2015). Characterization of Serious Games with educational metadata. (Master's thesis, University of Piraeus, in Greek)
van Gaalen, A. E., Brouwer, J., Schönrock-Adema, J., Bouwkamp-Timmer, T., Jaarsma, A. D. C., and Georgiadis, J. R. (2021). Gamification of health professions education: a systematic review. Advances in Health Sciences Education, 26(2), 683-711. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10459-020-10000-3
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).
