Puzzle-based Learning Research Articles

Pengembangan Media Puzzle Interaktif untuk Pengenalan Huruf pada Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun di Taman Kanak-Kanak

This research aims to develop interactive puzzle-based learning media that is specifically designed to introduce letters to early childhood in Kindergarten Negeri Madani. Conventional learning media are considered less interactive in the letter recognition process, while visual- and play-based approaches have proven to be more effective for children. This research is a type of Research and Development (R&D) research with a 4-D development model (four-D model). This model consists of 4 stages of development including Define, Design, Develop, Disseminate. This media was developed systematically and tested for validity and practicality using a questionnaire. The results of the validity test reached 87.17% for the material aspect and 86.11% for the media aspect, while the practicality test achieved an average score of 81.25%. This interactive puzzle media is proven to be able to increase children's interest in learning letters with a fun approach and support their motor and cognitive development

“METAPAD” (METAbolic PAthways Decoded) – a gaming innovation to ease the complexity of metabolic pathways by promoting self-directed, active, participatory learning in small groups

BackgroundIn medical education, the conventional didactic lectures make the learning process tedious and cause disinterest among students. To overcome this, an effective experiential learning integrated with game-based approach that intends to make the learning process fun filled, interesting and enhance the active participation of students to understand complex topics in a simple and optimum manner should be adopted.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to assess the efficiency of a puzzle-based innovation, METAPAD (METAbolic PAthways Decoded) in understanding the complexity of biochemical pathways by enhancing the self-directed learning of students through active engagement in small groupsMethodsIn this mixed-method study, 103 first professional year medical students in small groups were enrolled for the METAPAD gaming puzzle-based learning activity. The puzzles were integrated with a relevant clinical case study. Decoding the puzzle after identification of the metabolic pathway involved in the case was conducted in level 1,2 and 3 with increasing complexity of puzzles at every level. Following the puzzle activity, A 21-item questionnaire was administered to evaluate the usefulness of the innovation and students’ perceptions towards different learning styles. Also, students’ feedback was obtained through personal interviews for qualitative analysis and thematic analysis was performed.ResultsOne hundred and three first year undergraduate medical students participated in the study. Most of the students perceived the METAPAD gaming puzzle to be an effective and innovative style of learning. There was not any significant association between age, gender and acceptance towards the METAPAD gaming puzzle. The predominant type of learning style among the students was multimodal (49.5%). Also, there was no great influence of the learning styles on the overall perception towards the METAPAD gaming puzzle. However, learners emphasized the need to focus more while solving the puzzles.ConclusionStudents perceive the METAPAD gaming puzzle as an actively engaging teaching-learning method that enhances their creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving abilities. It promotes self-directed learning of complex pathways in biochemistry which helps in remembering and recalling information and improves their learning skills.

The Penerapan Puzzle-Based Learning untuk Mengajar Sains di Pasantren dengan Kelas Heterogen

The main problem face by teachers in heterogeneous classes is how to choose and teach subjects properly. The subject may too difficult for a low level students (Elementary School) or too easy for a high level students (Secondary School). Puzzle-based learning applied as an alternative solution for teaching in heterogeneous classes in plane geometry topics. Puzzle-based learning can create interesting learning situations for low levels students and not boring for higher levels students. Furthermore, puzzle-based learning can also increase motivation, activity, argument, and conceptual understanding. The understanding of subject indicated by the student's score after attending the lesson with a high average, which is 80.17. In the end, the teacher found that most of the students viewed puzzle-based learning as useful for learning, especially in mathematics and science.

Advancing engineering students’ conceptual understanding through puzzle-based learning: a case study with exact differential equations

AbstractCurrent views on the teaching of differential equations (DEs) are shifting towards the use of graphical and numerical methods. Motivated by recent research suggesting that puzzle-based learning (PzBL) can improve the teaching and learning of STEM subjects and by the lack of relevant studies for DEs, we designed two tasks—sophism and paradox—to explore undergraduate engineering students’ conceptual understanding of a classical topic—exact DEs—and to analyse the process of meaning-making during collaborative learning in small groups. One hundred and thirty-five undergraduate engineering students from a public university in Iran participated. In response to recent research signalling the tendency of the students to procedural learning of DEs, we analyse how the students in our study engaged in small group work on puzzle tasks, gaining a more conceptual understanding of exact DEs and acknowledging the efficiency of PzBL in their responses to a questionnaire and in interviews.

Puzzle Based Learning in Undergraduate Studies

All undergraduate Radiography students require training in image interpretation and evaluation of x-ray images in their second year of studies as part of work integrated learning. The method of teaching pedagogy influences the student's learning process and recall ability during examinations. if the teaching process moves to a student-centred approach, students become responsible for their own learning allowing active engagement and construction of their knowledge systems. Aim/ Objectives The aim of the study is to implement and evaluate the use of puzzle-based learning in the teaching and learning process of undergraduate studies Objectives To determine the efficacy of crossword and jigsaw puzzles as a novel teaching tool for medical imaging education To increase student's interest and involvement with image interpretation topics To improve and assess recognition and recall of medical terminology To improve the understanding of innovative learning Methods The study is a cross sectional qualitative research design. Approval will be obtained from the Research and Ethics Committee of health Sciences. Online consent will be obtained from students involved, by means of Google Form submission, followed by an information session on Blackboard collaborate on the topic "Image evaluation and interpretation of radiographic imaging". Conclusion The research will prove the important collaboration of active teaching methodologies with simple, easy to use didactic material to improve student's understanding of basic concepts in their core module subject

First experiences of creativity in mathematics for a primary school in Italy

ABSTRACT In the early years of school, pupils have a very positive approach towards any new topic. Very often, the first contact with mathematics in the Italian school risks giving a limited and somehow negative impression, generating long-lasting effects. In this paper, we report on a series of experiences carried out in a second-year class of a primary school that allowed us to introduce new concepts and approaches through games and puzzles. The aim was to stimulate the creativity and empower pupils. We have used simple materials and applied the Puzzle-Based Learning method. Despite the limited time devoted to this experience, the outcomes have been extremely positive.

University STEM students' perceptions of creativity in non-routine problem-solving

The primary purpose of this study is to investigate students' perceptions about the characteristics of creativity and engagement in solving non-routine problems. It involved 64 science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) university students, who participated in a two-year research project in New Zealand during which participants were given opportunities to utilise puzzle-based learning in their courses. Comparing open-ended responses of two surveys, this article focuses on student perceptions about attributes of creativity in non-routine problem-solving. These results have pedagogical implications for tertiary stem education.

Bulmaca Temelli Öğrenme Yaklaşımının Ortaokul Öğrencilerinin İngilizce Dersine Yönelik Tutumlarına ve İngilizce Öz-Yeterlik İnançlarına Etkisi

The main aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of puzzle-based learning approach on secondary school students’ attitudes toward English lesson and self-efficacy beliefs in English. In this research, the mixed method, in which both quantitative and qualitative data are used, was preferred and semi experimental design with pre-test/post-test was applied. Two classes including 8 th grade students of one of the secondary schools in Kahramanmaras during the 2017-2018 educational years constitute the study group. The research was applied with two groups, one of which is experimental group and the other one is control group. While lessons were taught based on puzzle-based learning approach in experimental group, in control group the lessons were taught according to the suggested methods of English lesson curriculum. At the end of the study, experimental group students’ attitudes toward English lesson and self-efficacy beliefs in English increased within groups and between groups. The activities which were carried out in the context of puzzle-based learning were evaluated as effective applications by students. As a result of observations which were made during the implementation process of puzzle-based learning in the experimental group, it was reached that the students had fun and learned, and their active participation increased during lessons.

INTEGRATING LEARNING THROUGH CHILDREN GAME: "GALAH ASIN", ONE PLAY, SEVERAL DISCIPLINES

Purpose of Study: Indonesia, with it's multi-culture and multi-ethnic, has many varieties of the traditional game for children. However, it is quite rare to find primary teachers adopting those games for students learning. Most primary teachers encounter creativity and professional challenges in embracing traditional games as a student-oriented pedagogy. Therefore, this paper discusses the possible implementation of traditional games in primary learning. Specifically, it focuses on GalahAsin as game-based primary teaching and learning. This research further investigates the integration of various primary subjects into GalahAsin through trials and simulations. Six groups of students of PGSD UniversitasMuhammadiyah Surakarta participated in an in-depth qualitative study that investigated their understanding of GalahAsin, S.W.O.T analysis of the game, and the making processes in implementing it into primary learning.
 Methodology: The research gathered students’ framing and reframing of game’s modification, presentation, simulation and reflection through discussions and class observations. The findings discover the possible model of integrated learning incorporating GalahAsin. The structure of the game enables students to modify it into extensive puzzle-based learning models.
 Results: The findings demonstrate how the integration of GalahAsin into primary teaching has boundless potential to become holistic learning.
 Implications/Applications: In recent years, active, meaningful and fun learning has magnetized researchers to consider it as a subject area of importance in primary education. In this investigation, we also interested in how the pedagogical gap between two fields of education might be addressed so that the content knowledge is able to be aligned with active, meaningful and fun learning through traditional game-based teaching model.

Implementation and evaluation of puzzle-based learning in the first MBBS students

Background: Innovative techniques have been employed in medical education to make the process of learning interesting and interactive. Games and puzzles, forms of active learning, are helpful to review, summarize, practice, find out gaps in knowledge, and develop new relationships among concepts. By implementing puzzle-based learning, the learner will be enough competent to understand the basic concepts of complex topic and apply this understanding in the future learning process. Aims and Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the utility and effectiveness of the crossword puzzle, as a novel teaching-learning tool in medical education. Materials and Methods: Puzzle was introduced in routine tutorial class in a group of 60 students. 20 min time was given to solve the puzzle followed by discussion for the next 20 min. The gain in knowledge was assessed by pre- and post-test. Session evaluation done by taking the feedback from students on a Likert scale and analysis was done using SPSS software. Results: There was a significant improvement in knowledge of the students (Overall gain in marks = 120.06%). 73% of students are feeling that method is useful and effective, 22% of students gave a neutral response, and 5% of students are disagreeing. Conclusion: The crossword puzzle was very well appreciated by the students, and significant learning was occurred. The rational use of crosswords was useful to transfer of content, provide an opportunity to discuss and recall essential concepts in undergraduate studies. To make medical education more fascinating and interactive, future development of a computer-based interactive crossword puzzles is suggested.

PUZZLE-BASED LEARNING: AN APPROACH TO CREATIVITY, DESIGN THINKING & PROBLEM SOLVING. IMPLICATIONS FOR ENGINEERING EDUCATION.

This paper will explore research practices already being conducted in various institutions, strengthening this paper's position that puzzle-based learning is a foundational methodology which assists newly admitted undergraduate engineering students, how to best approach critical problem solving. Furthermore, this paper will provide recommendations for an introductory protocol to introduce the incorporation of puzzle-based learning into a seminar-style course for First Year Introductory Engineering, and as a component of the engineering degree. The paper results in an exploratory analysis of what could be a starting place for future studies or classes to be conducted.

Puzzle-based learning in engineering mathematics: students’ attitudes

ABSTRACTThe article reports on the results of two case studies on the impact of the regular use of puzzles as a pedagogical strategy in the teaching and learning of engineering mathematics. The intention of using puzzles is to engage students’ emotions, creativity and curiosity and also to enhance their generic thinking skills and lateral thinking ‘outside the box’. Students’ attitudes towards this pedagogical strategy are evaluated via short questionnaires with two groups of university students taking a second-year engineering mathematics course. Students’ responses to the questionnaire are presented and analyzed in the paper.

GPBL:An Effective Way to Improve Critical Thinking and Problem Solving Skills in Engineering Education

There are various active learning strategies like Game based Learning (GBL), Puzzle based Learning (PBL), Project based Learning, Problem based Learning etc to improve students' knowledge. Puzzle based learning (PBL) can be used to attract, motivate, and retain students as well as to improve the critical thinking and problem solving ability of students. Similarly Game based Learning (GBL) can also be used to promote students' interest and engagement, and provide immediate feedback on performance. Hence in this study, I designed the GPBL(Game and Puzzle based Learning)which is the combination of the PBL and GBL to improve the critical thinking and problem solving ability of students. So in GPBL,Crossword puzzle,word search puzzle, word scramble puzzle and word match puzzle are considered while game considered is snake and Ladder game. This activity was conducted for the course Digital Technique of Second Year Computer Science and Engineering. Twelve puzzles (three Crossword puzzles, three Word Search puzzles, three Word Matching puzzles and three Word Scramble puzzles) and three Snake and Ladder games are considered as a part of this GPBL activity which covers the syllabus of the course Digital Technique. Also the feedback related to this activity is presented.

초등학생의 컴퓨팅 사고력 신장을 위한 퍼즐 기반 컴퓨터과학 수업모형 및 프로그램 개발

초등학생의 컴퓨팅 사고력 신장을 위한 퍼즐 기반 컴퓨터과학 수업모형 및 프로그램 개발

A Development and Application of Puzzle-Based Computer Science Learning Contents for Pre-service Teachers

A Development and Application of Puzzle-Based Computer Science Learning Contents for Pre-service Teachers

퍼즐 기반 학습에서 초등정보영재의 컴퓨팅적 문제 해결 접근법 분석

본 연구에서는 퍼즐 기반 학습에서 이루어지는 초등정보영재의 컴퓨팅적 문제 해결 접근법을 분석함으로써 퍼즐 기반 학습의 체계적 개선을 위한 시사점을 도출하고자 하였다. 이를 위해, 제약조건, 최적화, 확률, 통계, 패턴인식, 전략의 6가지 유형별 교육용 퍼즐을 구성하고 초등정보영재를 대상으로 퍼즐 기반 학습을 수행하였다. 또한 각 퍼즐 유형에 따른 학습자의 문제 해결 접근법을 확인하기 위해 사전 사후검사 결과의 정답률 및 정답자와 오답자의 문제 해결 접근법을 비교 분석하였다. 연구 결과, 각 퍼즐 유형별 빈번한 오류 발생의 원인인 몇 가지 양식 오류와 다양한 직관들을 확인하였으며, 오답자들은 '백트래킹', '동적 프로그래밍', '추상화', '모델링', '문제 축소'와 같은 컴퓨팅적 전략을 적용하지 못함으로 인해 완전한 해법에 도달하지 못한다는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 분석 결과를 토대로 퍼즐 문제 표현 방식의 개선, 인지적 피드백의 적시 제공, 퍼즐 기반 학습 지원을 위한 웹 기반 시스템 개발 등 퍼즐 기반 학습 개선 방안을 제안하였다. The purpose of this study is to propose strategies of puzzle-based learning for Informatics gifted education through analyzing Informatics gifted elementary students' computational problem solving approaches in puzzle-based learning contexts. Six types of educational puzzles, which are constraints, optimization, probability, statistically speaking, pattern recognition, and strategy, were used in teaching 14 Informatics gifted students for 8 sessions. The results of pre and post test and each students' answers were analyzed to identify why students were not able to solve the puzzles. We also analysed what essential computational strategies are needed to solve each type of puzzles, and what students did not know in solving puzzle problems. We identified some problems caused by puzzle representation methods, and various students' intuitions that disturb puzzle solving. Also, we identified essential computational strategies to solve puzzles: backtracking, dynamic programming, abstraction, modeling, and reduction of big problem. However, students had difficulties in applying these strategies to solve their puzzle problems. We proposed the revised puzzle-based learning strategies, which is based on the improved problem representation, just-in-time cognitive feedbacks, and web-based learning system.

Puzzle-based Learning of Mathematics in Engineering

AbstractPuzzle-based Learning is under-used in the teaching of mathematics to engineers. It is argued here that embedding puzzles in the teaching of other subjects enhances students’ learning by developing their problem-solving and independent-learning skills, whilst increasing their motivation to learn mathematics.The authors have defined a puzzle to be a problem that is perplexing and either has a solution requiring considerable ingenuity – perhaps a lateral thinking solution – or possibly results in an unexpected, even a counter-intuitive or apparently paradoxical solution.Engineering specific puzzle variants may help student learning, but specificity can also conflict with desirable simplicity, undermining the pedagogic value of a puzzle.It is not easy to categorize puzzles by level of difficulty, whether of the puzzle as a whole or the underlying mathematics, because this depends on the background and experience of the student.Classroom experiences of using puzzles in engineering teaching are describ...

Teaching puzzle-based learning: development of transferable skills

While computer science and engineering students are trained to recognise familiar problems with known solutions, they may not be sucien tly prepared to address novel real-world problems. A successful computer science graduate does far more than just program and we must train our students to reach the required levels of analytical and computational thinking, rather than hoping that it will just 'develop'. As a step in this direction, we have created and experimented with a new rst-y ear level course, Puzzle-based Learning (PBL), that is aimed at getting students to think about how to frame and solve unstructured problems. The pedagogical goal is increase students' mathematical awareness and general problem solving skills by employing puzzles, which are educational, engaging, and thought provoking. In this paper we continue sharing our experiences in teaching such a course. Whereas a brief discussion on our pedagogical objectives were covered in the rst paper together with the material of the rst of two lectures on pattern recognition, this follow-up paper presents the material of the second of two lectures, in which additional exercises are discussed to reinforce the lesson. Along the way we provide a glimpse of some foundational ideas of computer science such as incomputability and general system development strategies such as incremental and iterative reasoning. This paper discusses the outcomes of PBL courses, which include expected improvement in the overall results achieved by students who have undertaken PBL courses, compared to those students who have not.

Teaching puzzle-based learning

While computer science and engineering students are trained to recognise familiar problems with known solutions, they may not be sufficiently prepared to address novel real-world problems. A successful computer science graduate does far more than just program and we must train our students to reach the required levels of analytical and computational thinking, rather than hoping that it will just 'develop'. As a step in this direction, we have created and experimented with a new first-year level course, Puzzle-based Learning (PBL), that is aimed at getting students to think about how to frame and solve unstructured problems. The pedagogical goal is increase students' mathematical awareness and general problem solving skills by employing puzzles, which are educational, engaging, and thought provoking. We share our experiences in teaching such a course – apart from a brief discussion on our pedagogical objectives, we concentrate on discussing the presented material which covers (in two lectures) just one selected topic (pattern recognition). In this paper we present the ideas behind foundations for PBL and the material of the first of two lectures on pattern recognition, in which we address core concepts and provide students with sufficient exemplars to illustrate the main points.

An Empirical Evaluation of Puzzle-Based Learning as an Interest Approach for Teaching Introductory Computer Science

This correspondence describes an adaptation of puzzle-based learning to teaching an introductory computer programming course. Students from two offerings of the course-with and without the puzzle-based learning-were surveyed over a two-year period. Empirical results show that the synthesis of puzzle-based learning concepts with existing course content improves students' learning experience by increasing their interest and participation in the course and developing their critical thinking skills.