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Edited by Dr. Lynne Schrum, University of Georgia
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| formerly Journal of Research on Computing in
Education |
Volume 35 Number 4
Summer 2003
Using
Web-Based Computer Games to Meet the Demands of Today’s High-Stakes
Testing: A Mixed Method Inquiry
Kathleen K. McDonald and Robert D. Hannafin
College of William and Mary
Abstract
The State of Virginia’s Standards of Learning (SOL)
curriculum identifies specific objectives for each grade level in the
subjects of reading, math, science, and social studies, and assesses
student mastery of those objectives at targeted grade levels. The
third-grade social studies curriculum and test represent a particular
challenge for teachers because they cover information taught from
kindergarten through third grade over a wide variety of topics,
including Ancient Civilizations, Famous Americans, Civics, Famous
Explorers, and U.S. Holidays. To assist one school in reviewing for the
third-grade exam, the first author developed a Web-based review tool
using the formats of the popular television game shows Who Wants to Be a
Millionaire? and Jeopardy! that actively engaged students in reviewing
social studies material. This mixed-method study used both a
quasi-experimental and a qualitative approach. In the quasi-experimental
design, scores of students in one third-grade class who used the game to
review for the SOL test were compared to scores of students in another
class who reviewed for the exam using more traditional methods. Students
in the Web-review treatment were extensively observed, recorded, and
analyzed. Students in the Web-based review treatment did score higher in
the SOL exam than students in the control group, but not significantly
so. However, more importantly, the games promoted higher order learning
outcomes such as increased meaningful dialogue among students and the
identification of student misconceptions, both of which contributed to
deeper student understanding.
Contributors
Kathleen K. McDonald is a third-grade teacher in Virginia. She
conducted this research while completing her Masters degree at the
College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. Robert D.
Hannafin teaches preservice teachers at the College of William and Mary.
He earned a PhD in Learning and Instructional Technology at Arizona
State University in 1994.
Contact
Bob Hannafin
College of William and Mary
P.O. Box 8795
Williamsburg VA 23187-8795
rdhann@wm.edu
A PDF file of the full articles is available. Contact: jrte@iste.org.
Please specifiy Volume and Issue number and article name.
Copyright © 2003, ISTE (International Society for Technology
in Education).
All rights reserved.
| standards, testing, review, games |
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