School level moderates cognitive effects of game-based learning in STEM: games are less effective for secondary than primary school students¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2023 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Secondary school students gain less cognitively from game-based learning than primary school students (g = −0.67, p < .001), with school level accounting for 34% of heterogeneity. → Michaela Arztmann 2023

Evidence¶

Michaela Arztmann 2023¶

Michaela Arztmann, Lisette Hornstra, Johan Jeuring & Liesbeth Kester (2023). Effects of games in STEM education: a meta-analysis on the moderating role of student background characteristics. Studies in Science Education, 59:1, 109-145. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057267.2022.2057732

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r2

Mixed-effects moderator analysis (Knapp-Hartung) for cognition with k = 40 studies; the omnibus test was significant (p < .001) and "accounted for 34% of the amount of heterogeneity". Primary school is the reference category (k = 28) versus secondary (k = 12).

"The findings indicate that games are less effective for secondary school students (g = −0.67, p = <.001) than for primary school students"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• School level shows a marginal moderating effect on motivational outcomes, with secondary students experiencing a lower motivating effect than primary students
• Game-based learning in primary and early secondary STEM education shows moderate positive effects on cognition, motivation, and behaviour compared to traditional classrooms — related
• Effects of game-based learning in STEM education vary substantially across studies, with prediction intervals spanning trivial-to-negative through very strong effects — related