Designing a collaborative learning game: Its validation with a turntaking control scheme in a primary science unit

Abstract

This study first attempted to blend the framework of the activity theory for tool and context interaction, some other game design models for pedagogical principles, and collaborative learning issues for promoting shared understanding between learners. The study then outlined a model for designing a collaborative game, accordingly implemented a learning game for elementary science, and examined it with two groups of students under two different play and control schemes: The students played the game collaboratively scored higher in the posttest, and their progress scores were higher than individually playing students. Additionally, in collaborative mode, the students taking control first had similar post-test and progress scores to the ones taking the control second. The result favored players’ turn-taking control over a chain of tasks for desired collaborative learning outcomes.