(20d) Game-Based Learning for Fostering the Weak

Game-based learning (GBL) in general, and digital GBL in particular, are increasingly being studied. The generation of so-called Digital Natives and the paradigm change in learning and interacting are the background for this. The promises are clear: by self-directed, immersive, problem-based learning in specially designed computer games, contents may not only be learnt easier, but retention may also increase significantly.

The focus of the present paper is how this approach may benefit differently strong candidates. In an extensive literature survey, a handful of references can be found that permit to gauge how strong and weak groups of peers benefit from GBL. Even though those studies may not have been designed as such, and hence lack some rigor, one trend is common and most noteworthy: it seems that weak students benefit more from this new approach than the strong ones. A number of reasons for this observations are discussed and setups are proposed to generate reliable data on this hypothesis.

The work was supported by an ETS award that was financed by the Stifterverband in the Wettbewerb Exzellente Lehre.