The document discusses research on the educational benefits of games and gamification. Some key findings include: 1) Games lead to 11% higher knowledge retention compared to traditional instruction, particularly for procedural knowledge which saw 14% higher retention. 2) Engagement with interactive game elements, rather than the games themselves, contribute to improved learning outcomes. 3) On-screen characters and avatars can enhance learning and influence off-screen behaviors when they represent the learner. Two characters are more effective than one.

1. The Learning Game:
What Research Tells Us about Games, Gamification and
Immersive Learning
By Karl M. Kapp
Bloomsburg University
Twitter:@kkapp
July 19, 2012 kkapp@bloomu.edu

2. Agenda
1 2
How do you apply game-based strategies
What does research say about to the presentation of learning content?
games and game elements for
learning?
3 4
What are tips for creating
What are some principles for e-learning games and simulations
adding serious games to change behavior?
to learning curriculums?

3. Google “Kapp Notes”
2012 New Book:
“The Gamification of Learning and Instruction”
September 2011 Training Quarterly Article
Improving Training: Thinking Like a Game Developer
July 2012 T&D Article
Games, Gamification and the Quest for Interactive Learning

4. Let’s Play
Fact or Fishy…

5. Rules
• A statement is presented
– If “true” indicate: FactX
– If “false” indicate: FishyX
• Text Response:

6. In a Meta-Analysis…
It was found that knowledge
retention for games was
11% higher than for
traditional instruction.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

7. Fact
Type of % Higher
Knowledge
/Retention
Declarative 11%
Procedural 14%
Retention 9%
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness of computer-based
simulation games. Personnel Psychology .Review of 65 studies

8. Percentages of Impact
It wasn’t the game, it was
Type of
level of activity in the game.
% Higher
Knowledge
/Retention
Declarative 11%
In other words, the
Procedural engagement of the learner in
14%
the game leads to learning.
Retention 9%
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel
Psychology .Review of 65 studies

9. Use game-based mechanics,
aesthetics and game thinking to
engage people, motivate action,
promote learning, and solve
problems.
Gamification

11. Games/Simulations must be
fun to be Educational.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

12. Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness
of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

13. Simulation/games build more
confidence for on the job application of
learned knowledge than classroom
instruction.
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel

14. 20% higher
confidence
Fact levels.
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional effectiveness
of computer-based simulation games. Personnel Psychology .

15. An on-screen character is
distracting to the learner and
does not facilitate learning
as well as simple text.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

16. On transfer tests involving different word problems, the
group who had a character generated 30% more
correct answers than the group with on-screen text.
Animated pedagogical agents (characters) can
be aids to learning. A “realistic” character did
not facilitate learning any better than a
“cartoon-like” character.
Clark, R., Mayer, R. (2011) E-Learning and the Science of Instruction: Proven Guidelines for Consumers and Designers of
Multimedia Learning. New York: Pfeiffer. Pg. 194.

17. Who is more likely to run 24 hours later?
C.Person who watched an avatar that did
not look like them running
D.Person who watched an avatar that
looked like them running
E.Person watching an avatar that looked
like them loitering /hanging out

18. Within 24 hours of watching an avatar
like themselves run, learners were more
likely to run than watching an avatar not
like them or watching an avatar like them
loitering .
Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology,
21 (3), 95-113.

19. If learners watch an avatar that
looks like them exercising & losing
weight, they will subsequently
exercise more in the real world as
compared to a control group.
Fox, J., Arena, D., & Bailenson, J.N. (2009). Virtual Reality: A survival guide for the social scientist. Journal of Media Psychology, 2
(3), 95-113.

20. Avatar as Teacher
Research indicates that learners perceive,
interact socially with and are influenced by
anthropomorphic agents (avatars) even when
their functionality and adaptability are limited.
Baylor, A. 2009 Promoting motivation with virtual agents and avatars: R ole of visual presence and appearance.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal B Society. 364, 3559–3565

21. Two avatars are better
than one?
Motivator
Mentor
Expert Fact or Fishy?

22. Yes, two avatars are
better than one.
Fact Motivator
Mentor
Baylor, A. L. & Kim, Y. (2005). Simulating instructional roles through
pedagogical agents. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in
Education, 15(1), 95-115. Expert

23. Learners remember facts better…
When presented as bulleted
list rather than presented as
a story.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

25. Yep, People tend to remember
Researchers have found that the facts more accurately if they
human brain has a natural affinity encounter them in a story rather
for narrative construction. than in a list.
And they rate legal arguments as
more convincing when built into
narrative tales rather than on
legal precedent.
Carey, B. (2007) this is Your Life (and How You Tell it). The New York Times.
Melanie Green http://www.unc.edu/~mcgreen/research.html

26. NikePlus Stats for Karl

28. Story Elements
1. Characters
2. Plot (something has to happen).
3. Ten s ion
4. Resolution
te rs pr ob le m
C h a ra ct er en co u n
n si on
5. Conclusion P ro bl em bu il d s te
re d
A so lu ti on is of fe
te d /p os it iv e
R es u lt s a re pr es en

29. One way to engage learners is to…
Present them with a difficult
challenge.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

30. Fact.
Provide a challenge
Jones, B., Valdez, G., Norakowski, J., & Rasmussen, C. (1994). Designing learning and technology for educational
reform. North Central Regional Educational Laboratory. [Online]. Available:
http://www.ncrtec.org/capacity/profile/profwww.htm and Schlechty, P. C. (1997). Inventing better schools: An action
plan for educational reform. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass

31. Re-design the Instruction
to Start with a Challenge

32. Investigatory Training
• Course Objectives
– Identify the Forms Required for an
Investigation
– Practice Interview Techniques
– Understand and Follow the Investigation
Model

33. It is your first day on the job as an investigator and
Jane, an employee in Accounting, just accused her
boss of embezzling $10,000.
What is the first thing you should do?

34. Games are effective tools for learning
because…
They provide interactivity to
the learner and force
cognitive processing.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

35. It wasn’t the game, it was the level of
interactivity within the game.
Fact
In other words, the
engagement of the learner in
the game leads to the learning.
Sitzmann, T. (2011) A meta-analytic examination of the instructional
effectiveness of computer-based simulation games. Personnel
Psychology .Review of 65 studies

36. Games can influence
people to behave in a pro-
social manner.
Is that Fact or Fishy?

37. Fact
Greitemeyer, T. & Osswald, S. (2010) Effective of Prosocial games on prosocial
behavior. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Vol. 98 . No. 2.,
211-221.

38. 28% helped
to pick up
pencils

39. 33% helped
to pick up
pencils

40. 67% helped
to pick up
pencils

42. 22%
intervened

43. 56%
intervened

44. Take-Away
1) Interactivity of games leads to higher knowledge
retention for declarative and procedural knowledge.
2) Games/Simulations do not need to be fun to be
educational.
3) On screen characters can enhance e-learning.
4) Two on screen characters (mentor and expert) are
better then one.
5) Onscreen avatars can influence off-screen behavior.
6) Use stories rather than bulleted lists to present facts.
7) Present learners with a difficult challenge to engage
and motivate them.
8) Games can influence people to behave in a pro-social
manner.

45. Questions
? Available at
Amazon.com
Twitter:@kkapp
kkapp@bloomu.edu