The Role of New Technologies: The Educational Effectiveness of Video Games, Simulations, and Virtual Reality in the Science Classroom

Type of content
Journal Article
Publisher's DOI/URI
Thesis discipline
Degree name
Publisher
University of Canterbury
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Language
Date
2018
Authors
Moratti, David
Abstract

With the recent advancement of technology, more schools are starting to integrate ICT into their curricula. This review looks at the effectiveness of this integration regarding video games, simulations, and virtual reality, and their role in science education. Numerous benefits were found relating to student engagement, attitudes towards science and in the development of 21st-century skills such as creativity and problem-solving. However, there were inconclusive results regarding the academic potential gained from these tools compared to more traditional science teaching methods. Overall, it was found that the teacher’s pedagogy surrounding technology was the key factor in determining whether the ICT tool resulted in significant learning gains.

Description
Citation
Keywords
game-based learning, virtual reality, simulations, video games, Science education, Digital-technology
Ngā upoko tukutuku/Māori subject headings
ANZSRC fields of research
Field of Research::13 - Education
Rights
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.