Investigating the impact of an adventure-based 3D solar system game on primary school learning process

Abstract

Teachers face many difficulties in the motivation, engagement, and improvement of learning outcomes for students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). In this paper, we present a research study on the learning experience of a new interactive educational 3D video game called Final Frontier, designed for primary school students. This game supports student knowledge acquisition on two Solar System planets Mercury and Venus, and a satellite - Moon through direct experience, interactive challenges and fun. This article compares the learning impact of the computer game-based learning approach with a classic teacher-based learning approach. User experience with the game and game usability are also evaluated. A case study that involved 53 children was conducted for the evaluation. Among the most important findings, include the facts that the experimental group that used the game in their learning activity have performed much better than the control group and the students had a great learning experience when using the Final Frontier game.

https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2020.12.009