New Vanderbilt University research reveals significant academic gains when using educational games like Legends of Learning in middle school curricula.
A groundbreaking study from Vanderbilt University has demonstrated the powerful impact of digital educational games on student learning. Published in the Journal of the Learning Sciences, the research, titled “Substantial Integration of Typical Educational Games into Extended Curricula,” found that students using game-based learning saw their test scores improve by more than half a letter grade within just three weeks. This extensive study highlights the significant benefits of incorporating engaging digital tools like Www.legends Of Learning.com into classroom instruction, compared to traditional teaching methods without such resources.
Conducted across 10 diverse schools in seven states, the Vanderbilt University study involved over 1,000 students and 13 teachers. Researchers meticulously integrated a set of 55 standard-aligned educational games into the curriculum. Each participating teacher taught two classes – one using the games and another without, allowing for a direct comparison of learning outcomes. The results were compelling: students in classrooms utilizing educational games significantly outperformed their peers in both essay and multiple-choice questions.
Beyond improved test scores, the study revealed other key advantages of game-based learning:
- Increased Student Engagement: Teachers consistently reported a dramatic surge in student engagement when incorporating games into their lessons. The interactive and immersive nature of the games captivated students’ attention and fostered a more enthusiastic learning environment.
- Positive Teacher Reception: An overwhelming 92% of teachers who participated in the study expressed a desire to use educational games again in the future. This enthusiasm stemmed from the observed positive impact on both student performance and classroom engagement, highlighting the practical benefits and teacher-friendly nature of tools like www.legends of learning.com.
Teachers in a classroom setting, one pointing at a screen showing educational content while engaging with students.
Professor Douglas Clark from Vanderbilt University’s College of Education and Human Development, a researcher and co-author of the study, emphasized the findings’ implications: “The results underscore the immense potential of digital games to enhance teaching, particularly given the overwhelmingly positive experiences of teachers and their strong desire to continue using games like these. This research is particularly significant due to its foundation on data collected across numerous school districts, utilizing a broad spectrum of games integrated into extended curricula.”
Driven by these impactful research findings, two of Dr. Clark’s co-authors, Dr. Vadim Polikov and Aryah Fradkin, co-founded Legends of Learning. This online platform, accessible at www.legends of learning.com, now offers thousands of curriculum-aligned educational games and assessment tools specifically designed for middle school science curricula, covering earth and space science, life sciences, and physical science. Educators nationwide are leveraging these standards-aligned games, validated by the Vanderbilt study, to boost student engagement and improve academic performance.
Legends of Learning provides a comprehensive and user-friendly platform designed to seamlessly integrate into classroom settings. Key features include:
- Curriculum-Aligned Short Games: Engaging games, lasting between 5 to 25 minutes, are specifically designed to align with middle school science curriculum standards, ensuring content relevance and supporting student success in their coursework.
- Intuitive and Accessible Platform: Inspired by user-friendly streaming services like Netflix and Amazon, the platform boasts an intuitive interface, making it easy for teachers and students to navigate and utilize games effectively in the classroom.
- Real-Time Teacher Dashboard: A comprehensive dashboard empowers teachers to monitor student understanding in real-time, create customized game playlists for individual students or entire classes, and effectively assess content mastery, providing valuable insights into student progress.
- Quality-Driven Game Development: A unique feedback system allows teachers and students to rate games, creating a feedback loop that rewards game developers based on user ratings. This ensures that the highest quality and most effective games rise to the top, continuously improving the platform’s offerings.
The Vanderbilt University study provides compelling evidence for the effectiveness of game-based learning in enhancing student outcomes. Platforms like www.legends of learning.com are at the forefront of this educational revolution, offering educators research-backed tools to create more engaging and effective learning experiences. As Dr. Polikov presented the study’s findings at the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Conference, it’s clear that game-based learning is poised to play an increasingly vital role in the future of education.
