Toward Understanding the Impacts of Role Model Avatars on Engagement in Computer Science Learning
Studies show that using role models can boost academic performance of learners (Lockwood, 2006; Marx & Roman, 2002). In this paper, we describe an experiment (N=1067) exploring the impacts of varying types of avatar on engagement in an educational game. The different conditions include role mode...
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
American Educational Research Association
2018
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/113092 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7732-6258 https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4992-2201 |
| Summary: | Studies show that using role models can boost academic performance of learners (Lockwood, 2006; Marx & Roman, 2002). In this paper, we describe an experiment (N=1067) exploring the impacts of varying types of avatar on engagement in an educational game. The different conditions include role models and (c) the non-role model case of simple geometric shapes (for baseline comparison). Using the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) (IJsselsteijn, Kort, Poels, Jurgelionis, & Bellotti,
2007), we find that female participants using role model case (scientist avatars) had significantly higher engagement than female participants using non-scientist or shape avatars. This result suggests that STEM role model avatars have the potential to enhance engagement in educational games, which could in turn influence learning outcomes (Blumenfeld, Kempler, & Krajcik, 2005). |
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