Abstract
Number Navigation Game-based learning environment (NNG) is a mathematical game-based learning environment designed to enhance students’ adaptivity with arithmetic problem solving and to increase their motivation towards math. Fourth through sixth grade classrooms were randomly assigned into either an experimental group (students n = 642) which played NNG during a 10-week period or into a control group (students n = 526) which continued with a traditional textbook-based mathematics curriculum. The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of the intervention on students’ motivation and to explore how students’ differing game experiences were related to changes in their motivation and, as an indicator of cognitive outcomes, their arithmetic fluency. Results indicate the intervention resulted in small decreases in the math motivation expectancy-values of interest, utility, and attainment value. Students had mixed game experiences which varied by gender and grade level. When looking at the role of these game experiences on post-test motivation and arithmetic fluency, corresponding pre-test values were the strongest predictive variables. Out of game experiences, only competence was a significant predictor of post-test motivational scores; however, no game experience variable was a predictor of post-test arithmetic fluency.
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Acknowledgments
Gabriela Rodríguez-Aflecht, Centre for Learning Research, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku; Boglárka Brezovszky, Centre for Learning Research, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Finland; Finland; Nonmanut Pongsakdi, Centre for Learning Research, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku; Tomi Jaakkola, Centre for Learning Research, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku; Minna M. Hannula-Sormunen Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Finland and Turku Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Turku, Finland; Jake McMullen, Centre for Learning Research, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Finland; Erno Lehtinen, Department of Teacher Education, University of Turku, Finland.
The present study was funded by grant 274163 awarded to the last author by the Academy of Finland.
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Appendix
Appendix
Correlations of pre-test expectancy-values and the GEQ
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. Pre-test interest | – | |||||||||||
2. Pre-test utility | .46** | – | ||||||||||
3. Pre-test attainment value | .60** | .57** | – | |||||||||
4. Pre-test self-efficacy | .56** | .42** | .56** | – | ||||||||
5. Challenge | −.04 | −.01 | −.11* | −.21** | – | |||||||
6. Competence | .29** | .10* | .32** | .41** | −.00 | – | ||||||
7. Flow | .20** | .01 | .18** | .07 | .49** | .38** | – | |||||
8. Immersion | .20** | .01 | .17** | .12** | .45** | .47** | .73** | – | ||||
9. Negative affect | −.22** | −.01 | −.07 | −.01 | −.28** | −.25** | −.57** | −.55** | – | |||
10. Positive affect | .26** | .02 | .18** | .14** | .44** | .53** | .77** | .79** | −.64** | – | ||
11. Positive value | .19** | .04 | .08 | .06 | .54** | .44** | .66** | .72** | −.51** | .73** | – | |
12. Tension | −.13** | −.07 | −.07 | .00 | −.18** | −.21** | −.36** | −.39** | .69** | −.52** | −.39** | – |
* p < .05, ** p < .01
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Rodríguez-Aflecht, G. et al. (2015). Number Navigation Game (NNG): Experience and Motivational Effects. In: Torbeyns, J., Lehtinen, E., Elen, J. (eds) Describing and Studying Domain-Specific Serious Games. Advances in Game-Based Learning. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20276-1_11
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