Knew Me and New Me: Facilitating Student Identity Exploration and Learning through Game Integration

Review Of Literature

Investigations have been undertaken for several years now in order to study the ‘effect’ of games on student learning and motivation (e.g. Kebritchi et al., 2010; Papastergiou, 2009). However, this behaviorist approach to game-based learning; that is, assuming that the game alone impacts student academic achievement and motivation or that the effectiveness of game-based learning rests alone on the game has yielded slim evidence (Young et al., 2012; Tobias & Fletcher, 2012). Not surprisingly, the field of game-based learning is undergoing transformation with more researchers arguing the need for an ecological approach. Specifically, an approach where the effect of games on learning and motivation is studied whilst paying equal attention to the process of game integration and the context in which the game is integrated is advocated for the advancement of the field (Klopfer, 2010; Steinkuehler & Squire, In Press). We believe this is the direction to move forward in as well, because games are becoming more interdisciplinary, immersive, and interactive. Thus, game-based learning demands a more process-oriented approach that aims at the multi-dimensional aspects of what it means to learn and engage in an academic domain using games.