Students frequently struggled with the mathematizing process -- forging connections between implicit and explicit mathematical thinking -- when solving a context-rich applied problem. The current research investigated how students interact with and leverage purposively designed "mathematizing" supports when solving applied math problems…

Research into student affect detection has historically relied on ground truth measures of emotion that utilize one of three sources of data: (1) self-report data, (2) classroom observations, or (3) sensor data that is retrospectively labeled. Although a few studies have compared sensor- and observation-based approaches to student affective…

Background: Game-based learning can frame problem-solving as a sense-making experience with domain-specific tasks for school students. However, multiple challenges arise when trying to support learners in such a complex, problem-oriented learning environment. Objectives and Methods: With an architecture-themed mathematics learning game, we…

Research on epistemic emotions has often focused on how students transition between affective states (e.g., affect dynamics). More recently, studies have examined the properties of cases where a student remains in the same affective state over time, finding that the duration of a student's affective state is important for multiple learning…

Understanding the relationship between student behaviors and learning outcomes is crucial for designing effective collaborative learning environments. However, collaborative learning analytics poses significant challenges, not only due to the complex interplay between collaborative problem-solving and collaborative dialogue but also due to the…

The development of large language models offers new possibilities for enhancing adaptive scaffolding of student learning in game-based learning environments. In this work, we present a novel framework for automatic plan generation that utilizes text-based representations of students' actions within a game-based learning environment, Crystal…

Understanding students' multi-party epistemic and topic based-dialogue contributions, or how students present knowledge in group-based chat interactions during collaborative game-based learning, offers valuable insights into group dynamics and learning processes. However, manually annotating these contributions is labor-intensive and challenging.…

Embodied cognition and movement-integration (MI) in classroom settings attract the interest of researchers and practitioners. The purpose of this six-week pilot study was to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of a MI approach (PunMoves) focusing on the comprehension of punctuation marks in reading, which was implemented in 12…

Middle school students often enter Computer Science (CS) classes without previous CS or Computational Thinking (CT) instruction. This study evaluated how Code.org's block-based programming curriculum affects middle school students' CT skills and attitudes toward CT and CS. Sixteen students participated in the study. This was a mixed methods action…

Game-based learning (GBL) is increasingly recognized as an effective tool for teaching diverse skills, particularly in science education, due to its interactive, engaging, and motivational qualities, along with timely assessments and intelligent feedback. However, more empirical studies are needed to facilitate its wider application in school…

This study designed a digital teaching game named Kitties' Magic Journey (KMJ). The principle of leveraging in the course of natural technology and life was used as the teaching subject. The game combined design items included animation, narrative story, fun and usability, which integrated ARCS learning motivation theory. The experimental group…

Background: The Situated Game Teaching Through Set Plays (SGTSP) model, a newly proposed curricular model, extends the previous game-based approaches by adopting the "Theory of Situated Learning" as a framework to focus on the relational and situational nature of the changing relations of all game parameters in a specific momentary game…

Studies of educational games often treat them as "black boxes" (Black and Wiliam in Phi Delta Kappan 80: 139-48, 1998; Buckley et al. in Int J LearnTechnol 5:166-190, 2010; Buckley et al. in J Sci Educ Technol 13: 23-41, 2010) and measure their effectiveness by exposing a treatment group of students to the game and comparing their…

Teaching and learning Computational Thinking (CT) is at the forefront of educational interest. In the process of teaching and learning CT, learning strategies and tools play an important role. Efforts have been made to apply several learning strategies for teaching Computational Thinking. Among them, game-based learning and scaffolding are widely…

Extensive research underscores the importance of stimulating students' interest in learning, as it can improve key educational outcomes such as self-regulation, collaboration, problem-solving, and overall enjoyment. Yet, the mechanisms through which interest manifests and impacts learning remain less explored, particularly in open-ended game-based…