Analyzing Differences in Student Engagement Between a Single Narrative Game Intervention and Multiple Narrative Games Intervention in an Undergraduate Computer Organization and Architecture Course

Abstract

Existing research strongly supports that educational video games have beneficial impacts on student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. However, more still needs to be done to understand the best ways to apply well designed educational games in classroom contexts. This study examines the differences in student engagement between two educational game approaches applied as extra credit opportunities in an online asynchronous computer organization and architecture course at a mid-western R1 university. The study evaluated the relative efficacy of a singular game with one overarching narrative versus multiple games with different narratives where the two treatments both cover the same learning content. The results found no significant differences in engagement between the two groups. The findings are supported by a robust sample of quantitative gameplay data from 336 students across four semesters and two years of course offerings analyzed through a continuation ratio model. The results are additionally supported by pre/post-survey data from a subset of the same student participants that provided their gameplay data. This implies that sets of heterogeneous games can be as effective as a single homogeneous game that integrates all content. While the results found no significant differences in engagement, a pre-post test included in the study had results that suggested future research that should be done to more robustly examine differences in learning outcomes in the two application contexts.