The game-based laboratory was vastly different from their
expectations and experiences of a
typical laboratory; this might have
resulted in the students being
disconnected from the learning
aspect of the game. However, the
students' comments suggested that their
discomfort with the video game was due
to the fact that they did not perceive
that a video game could really be
educational. The game became
disruption to their traditional ways
of science learning and interfered
with how they perceived the
learning experience. This perspective
is potentially problematic as it suggests
that pedagogical disruptions such as
video games that are designed to be
N O
Since a game-based laboratory provides
a virtual environment with different
experiences than in a real lab, students
may fail to connect these virtual
experiences to real lab experiences.
Student and teacher beliefs that games
are entertainment tools, not educational
tools, may minimize the potential of
video games intended to help students
learn science.
References:
Anderson, J. L., & Barnett, M. (2013).
Learning Physics with Digital Game
Simulations in Middle School
Science. Journal of Science Education
P