Measuring engagement to stimulate critical thinking

Abstract

This research is a theoretical study of game-augmented instruction for learning and playing mathematics challenges. We wanted to extend our work with a unique Studio-Based Learning (SBL) model for peer-critiques of project designs. SBL had been used successfully in 15 universities as an approach for helping undergraduate computer science students improve their programming skills and code reviews. We piloted the model in a 9th-grade spatial studies class with some success in teaching freshmen how to critique their work and participate in peer reviews across teams. From those experiences we developed a framework for an interactive mobile application of the studio experience. Research with a group of student athletes revealed that before mobile development, we needed to consider the constraints of learner characteristics on the mobile environment. This study sets out the design for a pilot test of our finding that learning style may drive game features for instruction. © 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.