Methods Proposal V 1

Several researchers have started exploring the possibility of games in education, but not just educational games. Immersive, massive multi user role-playing games have brought a new spin on learning within education that is still in the early phases of research. This study is intended to explore the role and capacity (which games play in the classroom, through the implementation of a quasi-experimental design at McKinley Technology High School in Washington, D.C.. A control group and an experimental group of students will be tested on the same material 3 times through the semester, but have the information presented in two different formats. One format will be in lecture format, with a text-based curriculum. The other delivery method will be game-based curriculum with facilitation from the teacher.
The content mastery will be measured to show the effect of game play on content knowledge and accuracy.
“The purpose of this mixed methods research study is to study how the use of an online networked MMORPG game (like Civ 4) can improve test scores of high school sophomores as well as increase engagement in the classroom.
This study is part of a five-study project (cite) intended to make a contribution to the educational experience by understanding the design opportunities in commercial multi-user virtual worlds (games and other applications) that make learning a natural process of developing expertise, supported by tools, artifacts, and people in a meaningful environment, in order to create more vital and engaging virtual learning environments for formal school learning.
As part of the overall project, this study will use as its aligning context a conceptual framework for inquiry that the six cooperating researchers will develop during the first six months of the 30 month project.
This study will focus on how a role playing game can be used to increase student achievement. The dependent variable will be student achievement in history….
Research Design
The design of this mixed-methods research is a quasi-experimental pre-post design. The qualitative aspect of the study will focus on understanding how games actually impact student learning as well as attitudes regarding this type of learning activity . The setting will be within two high school classrooms and will involve observing students in both a control and experimental group and testing for mastery of the history curriculum for the tenth grade unit . Students achievement and attitudes in the experimental group will be compared to those in a traditional classroom to assess differences in learning and attitudes.
Definitions
For the purpose of this study, the following definitions will be used:
• Student- tenth grade student at Public High School in the Disctrick of Columbia..
• Teacher- Certified by the involved District of Columbia Public School teacher at)
• DCPS Curriculum- Curriculum mandated by the district to be taught by the public school teacher.
• Student Achievement- student scores based on testing in the study related to curriculum content mastery.
Sources of Data and collection strategies
One of the most innovative schools incorporating gaming into curriculum is one high school located in….McKinley High School. McKinley is in the heart of Washington, D.C. only 12 blocks from the Capitol, sitting on the corner of T Street, three stories high, consuming 200,000 square feet. The school was recently re-opened with state of the art technology in every classroom. Several cross-platform labs, a motion-capture studio and even a game design program for high school students are on the roster at this school. Two groups of tenth graders with the same teacher will be tested. Instruction in one class will be delivered without games, the other with the use of Civilization IV. Students will take a pre-test before the semester begins, based on content objectives for the county curriculum guidelines. Students will then be tested at midterm, and at the end of the study to assess content mastery.
Data Collection Tools
The test to measure mastery of content Iwill be created based on the DCPS curriculum for the tenth grade history class and validated with other teachers familiar with the curriculum. The teacher involved with the study will be included in this validation process to ensure ….. used and evaluated in this will be
A pilot test of the test’s ability to measure learning will occur with individuals similar to those who will be in the study. The test will be administered three times, pre-, midterm, and posttest for students for evaluation of content mastery. The DCPS content objectives will be considered and correlated to the tests (See Appendix A).
Considerations for use of human subjects
As this study poses minimal risk to subjects it meets Federal Criteria for studies consider to be be exempt from full IRB review. Subjects will only be identified by category (teacher, student, etc.). No specific names or titles will be used.
Other considerations
Things such as validity and reliability of instrumentation, scoring, and achievement of research purpose are areas that I am still working on and will continue to develop up until the research is conducted.