Waves: Scaffolding Self-regulated Learning to Teach Science in a Whole-Body Educational Game

Abstract

This study employed mixed methods to investigate the efficacy of scaffolding self-regulated learning prompts within a whole-body educational game, Waves. This game was designed to teach middle school–aged children basic concepts of waves by moving their bodies to mimic the motions of waves, physically experiencing different velocities and wavelengths. Textual prompts intended to scaffold self-regulated learning behaviors respond to learner actions (or non-actions) within Waves. The adult facilitator reinforced the in-game prompts by speaking them aloud. This study is framed around the research questions: (1) How does a whole-body educational game effectively teach players about STEM concepts? (2) How can self-regulated learning be effectively scaffolded in a whole-body educational game? and (3) Are self-regulated learning scaffolds utilized the same way by all players? A quantitative pre-post assessment of learning and self-regulation skills was further elucidated by a case study analyzing the recorded discourse of two partners while participating in the larger study.