Younger students get the most out of digital learning games when the game combines elements of both the real and virtual worlds, finds new research from Carnegie Mellon University.
Researchers tested three different approaches to teaching simple physics principles through educational gaming to a group of 92 students ages 6 to 8: a screen-based format; one with simple controls, such as shaking the tablet to simulate an earthquake, and a “mixed-reality” version that incorporated physical observation and interactive feedback.
“Students learned five times more using the mixed-reality game, and also enjoyed the game significantly more,” said researcher Nesra Yannier.
