Efficacy of Gamification to increase the Scientific Concepts Acquisition in science learning and creative problem solving skills for Second Preparatory Grade Students.

Abstract

This study reports on preparatory- stage students in Egyptian language school with a focus on Gamification and Creative problem solving (CPS). The research problem stated in “The shortage of acquiring the scientific concepts in science and retain it, in addition to weakness of creative problem-solving skills for 2nd prep Students”. An oriented module prepared according to gamification principals and CPS skills and introduced in the summer semester of 2018 academic year to 25 candidates students in one of the language schools. They studied for 16 sessions, 2 sessions per week. Throughout the module, students studied through flipped classroom to promote their scientific concepts acquisition that encourage their meaningful understanding of the “Cell module” concepts and develop their creative problem solving skills through the challenges they faced in studding its lessons. To achieve the aim of the research, two learning instruments were built; “The cell module” student’s booklet and teacher guide, in addition to the gamified cell sites through virtual learning environment. The framework that guided this study based on experiential, constructivist methods; their responses’ data analyzed quantitatively and discussed qualitatively. The author developed two quantitative instruments: A Scientific concepts test and Creative problem solving questionnaire. The former was to probe the cognitive of the students had in relation to the scientific concepts of the cell module before and after their studies of the educational module. The second instrument used to measure the impact of the oriented module on promoting the students’ skills in solving the scientific problems creatively. Statistical data analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences indicates that students in their post-results had developed better cognitive organization for the scientific concepts of the cell module; positive responses towards solving the scientific concepts. Gamification has a motivational affordances and psychological outcomes (as well as behavioral, mental and cognitive outcomes).