Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of non-digital games integrated with digital games for advancing fifth graders’ spatial reasoning abilities

  • Published:
Education and Information Technologies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Game-based learning, which includes non-digital and digital games, highlights the benefits of games in terms of players’ learning and engagement. Whereas contemporary research focuses more on digital than non-digital game-based learning, more studies shall compare the effects between the two types of game-based learning and their integration. This study adopts a design research approach to designing and evaluating a board game and the board game integrated with its digital game for developing spatial reasoning abilities. The games were designed with the enactivist perspective on learning. A total of 94 fifth graders participated in four different experimental groups. It was found that the four experimental groups significantly enhanced their spatial reasoning abilities. The two groups of the digital game prior to the board game and prior to as well as posterior to the board game reported significantly more engagement than the other two groups. The results suggest that the board game integrated with the digital game as a warm-up activity is mostly conducive to enhancing spatial reasoning abilities and to facilitating more engagement.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afari, E., Aldridge, J. M., Fraser, B. J., & Khine, M. S. (2013). Students’ perceptions of the learning environment and attitudes in game-based mathematics classrooms. Learning Environments Research, 16(1), 131–150.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Authors (in submission). Exploring factors affecting cube-folding performance of sixth-graders.

  • Botkin, J. W., Elmandjra, M., & Malitza, M. (2014). No limits to learning: Bridging the human gap: The report to the club of Rome. Elsevier.

  • Bragg, L. A. (2012). Testing the effectiveness of mathematical games as a pedagogical tool for children’s learning. International journal of science and mathematics education, 10(6), 1445–1467.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bruce, C., Davis, B., Sinclair, N., McGarvey, L., Hallowell, D., Drefs, M., Francis, K., Hawes, Z., Moss, J., Mulligan, J., Okamoto, Y., Whitely, W., & Woolcott, G. (2017). Understanding gaps in research networks: Using spatial reasoning as a window into the importance of networked educational research. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 95, 143–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campos, A. (2012). Measure of the ability to rotate mental images. Psicothema, 24(3), 431–434.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y. Z., & Yang, K. L. (2023). Variables for designing cube folding tasks influencing sixth-graders’ performance. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 37(1), 137–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, Y. L., & Mix, K. S. (2014). Spatial training improves children’s mathematics ability. Journal of Cognition and Development, 15(1), 2–11.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Christenson, S. L., Reschly, A. L., & Wylie, C. (Eds.). (2012). Handbook of research on student engagement. Springer Science & Business Media.

  • Connell, J. P., & Wellborn, J. G. (1991). Competence, autonomy and relatedness: a motivational analysis of self-system processes. In M. R. Gunnar & L. A. Sroufe (Eds.), Minnesota symposium on child psychology, 22 (pp. 43–77). Hillsdale: L. Erlbaum Associates.

  • Dondio, P., Gusev, V., & Rocha, M. (2023). Do games reduce maths anxiety? A meta-analysis. Computers & Education, 194, 104650.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eccles, J., Adler, T. F., Futterman, R., Goff, S. B., Kaczala, C. M., Meece, J. L., & Midgley, C. (1983). Expectations, values and academic behaviors. In J. T. Spence (Ed.), Achievement and achievement motivation (pp. 75–146). San Francisco: W. H. Freeman.

  • Embretson, S. (1994). Applications of cognitive design systems to test development. Cognitive assessment (pp. 107–135). Boston, MA: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Embretson, S. E., & Waxman, M. (1989). Models for processing and individual differences in spatial folding. Paper presented at Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society.

  • Ernest, P. (1986). Games. A rationale for their use in the teaching of mathematics in school. Mathematics in school, 15(1), 2–5.

  • Fang, Y. M., Chen, K. M., & Huang, Y. J. (2016). Emotional reactions of different interface formats: Comparing digital and traditional board games. Advances in Mechanical Engineering, 8(3), 1–8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fredricks, J. A., Blumenfeld, P. C., & Paris, A. H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of educational research, 74(1), 59–109.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gough, J. (2000). Game, set and Match: Maths! Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers Incorporated.

  • Harris, J., Hirsh-Pasek, K., & Newcombe, N. S. (2013). Understanding spatial transformations: Similarities and differences between mental rotation and mental folding. Cognitive processing, 14(2), 105–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hussein, M. H., Ow, S. H., Elaish, M. M., & Jensen, E. O. (2022). Digital game-based learning in K-12 mathematics education: a systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies, 1–33.

  • Jensen, E. O., & Skott, C. K. (2022). How can the use of digital games in mathematics education promote students’ mathematical reasoning? A qualitative systematic review. Digital Experiences in Mathematics Education, 8(2), 183–212.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan, S., Francis, K., & Davis, B. (2015). Accumulation of experience in a vast number of cases: Enactivism as a fit framework for the study of spatial reasoning in mathematics education. Zdm Mathematics Education, 47(2), 269–279.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krapp, A., Hidi, S., & Renninger, K. A. (1992). Interest, learning and development. In K. A. Renninger, S. Hidi, & A. Krapp (Eds.), The role of interest in learning and development (pp. 3–25). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liang, K. Y., & Zeger, S. L. (1986). Longitudinal Data Analysis using generalized Linear Models. Biometrika, 73(1), 13–22. https://doi.org/10.2307/2336267.

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Lohman, D. F. (1988). Spatial abilities as traits, processes, and knowledge. In R. J. Sternberg (Ed.), Advances in the psychology of Human Intelligence (pp. 181–248). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lozano, M. D. (2017). Investigating task design, classroom culture and mathematics learning: An enactivist approach. Zdm Mathematics Education, 49(6), 895–907.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marks, H. M. (2000). Student engagement in instructional activity: Patterns in the elementary, middle, and high school years. American educational research journal, 37(1), 153–184.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maturana, H. R., & Varela, F. J. (1992). The Tree of Knowledge: The biological roots of human understanding. London: Shambhala Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayer, R. E. (2019). Computer games in education. Annual review of psychology, 70, 531–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulligan, J. T., Woolcott, G., Mitchelmore, M., & Davis, B. (2018). Connecting mathematics learning through spatial reasoning. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 30(1), 77–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naik, N. (2017). The use of GBL to teach mathematics in higher education. Innovations in Education and Teaching International, 54(3), 238–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelder, J. A., & Wedderburn, R. W. (1972). Generalized linear models. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Series A (General), 135(3), 370–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Newcombe, N. S. (2017). Harnessing spatial thinking to support STEM learning. In OECD Education Working Paper, No. 161. OECD Publishing, Paris.

  • Newcombe, N. S., & Shipley, T. F. (2015). Thinking about spatial thinking: New typology, new assessments. Studying visual and spatial reasoning for design creativity (pp. 179–192). Dordrecht: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Newton, P., & Bristoll, H. (2009). Spatial Ability, Practice Test 1. Psychometric Success, www.psychometric-success.com.

  • Okamoto, Y., Kotsopoulos, D., McGarvey, L., & Hallowell, D. (2015). The development of spatial reasoning in young children. Spatial reasoning in the early years: Principles, assertions, and speculations (pp. 15–29). New York: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ramani, G. B., & Siegler, R. S. (2008). Promoting broad and stable improvements in low-income children’s numerical knowledge through playing number board games. Child development, 79(2), 375–394.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rule, A. C. (2016). Spatial thinking skills and STEM connections: How does this issue address them? Journal of STEM Arts Crafts and Constructions, 1(2), 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schneider, W., & Pressley, M. (2013). Memory development between two and twenty. Psychology Press.

  • Sung, H. Y., & Hwang, G. J. (2013). A collaborative game-based learning approach to improving students’ learning performance in science courses. Computers & education, 63, 43–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Skinner, E. A., & Belmont, M. J. (1993). Motivation in the classroom: Reciprocal effects of teacher behavior and student engagement across the school year. Journal of educational psychology, 85(4), 571–581.

  • Talan, T., Doğan, Y., & Batdı, V. (2020). Efficiency of digital and non-digital educational games: A comparative meta-analysis and a meta-thematic analysis. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 52(4), 474–514.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Taylor, H. A., & Hutton, A. (2013). Think3d!: Training spatial thinking fundamental to STEM education. Cognition and Instruction, 31(4), 434–455.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tweedie, M. C. K. (1984). An index which distinguishes between some important exponential families. In Statistics: Applications and New Directions; Proc. Indian Statistical Institute Golden Jubilee Int. Conf (pp. 579– 604).

  • Uttal, D., Meadow, N., Tipton, E., Hand, L., Alden, A., Warren, C., & Newcombe, N. (2013). The malleability of spatial skills: A meta-analysis of training studies. Psychological Bulletin, 139(2), 352–402.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Varela, F. J. (1999). Ethical know-how: Action, wisdom, and cognition. Stanford University Press.

  • von Gillern, S., & Alaswad, Z. (2016). Games and game-based learning in instructional design. The International Journal of Technologies in Learning, 23(4), 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L. H., Chen, B., Hwang, G. J., Guan, J. Q., & Wang, Y. Q. (2022). Effects of digital game-based STEM education on students’ learning achievement: A meta-analysis. International Journal of STEM Education, 9(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, K. L., Lin, F. L., & Tso, T. Y. (2022). An approach to enactivist perspective on learning: Mathematics-grounding activities. The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 31(6), 657-666.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mathematics, National Taiwan Normal University, No. 88 Sec 4 Ting-Chou Rd, Taipei, 11677, Taiwan

    Kai-Lin Yang & Chia-Yang Chen

Authors
  1. Kai-Lin Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chia-Yang Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kai-Lin Yang.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yang, KL., Chen, CY. Effects of non-digital games integrated with digital games for advancing fifth graders’ spatial reasoning abilities. Educ Inf Technol 29, 6341–6356 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12096-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12096-7

Keywords

Search

Navigation