Making waves, mixing colors, and using mirrors:

The self-regulated learning support features and

procedural rhetoric of three whole-body educational games

Working title

How can the rhetoric of whole-body educational games inform our understanding of self-regulated learning with digital technology?

1. Empirical study of Waves-SRL2. Case study-video, reactions to

scaffolding3. Rhetorical analysis of Waves, Color

Mixer, and Light & Mirrors (SMALLab*) *Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Lab

Dissertation Research (plan)

2-players, 3 waves: 1 wave per player1 wave that both player-waves

influence3 levelsPlayers need to orchestrate their

movements to achieve success in each level (requires much communication)

Waves

Successful End of Level

Level 1: Constructive Interference Players must step side-by-side in sync to

create a large middle wave Level 2: Destructive Interference

Players must step side-by-side in opposite directions to create a small middle wave

Level 3: Standing Wave Players must face each other and step in

opposite directions to create a large middle wave

Waves

Levels 1 & 2

Level 3

SRL is something “good students” naturally do: “mindfully” (vs. mindlessly) complete a task

Plan how they will complete the taskContinually check their progress & understanding

Reflect on the task completed

Self-Regulated Learning (SRL)

A task bar (check-list) of 3 concrete tasks players need to complete for that level Automatically checked off as they are

completed Current task is highlighted, future task is

grayed Prompts (pop-ups) to help the players

reflect on their progress and support self-regulated learning

SRL Modifications

Task Bar

Prompt

Planning Prompt“Can this goal be reached easily?”

Progress Prompt“Is the wave responding to your movements the way you expect it to?”

Additional Prompt(s): “Is there anything different that could be tried here?

Reflection Prompt“How does this level work?”

Prompting for SRL

Taskbar StructureConcrete tasks such as: Move side to side to make a wave Use constructive interference to

make a wave Use constructive interference to

make a large wave

Prompting for SRL

How can a whole-body educational game support self-regulated learning?

How useful are elements designed to support self-regulated learning in a whole-body educational game?

Research Sub-Questions

Both Pre- and Post-tests: Self-Regulation Questionnaire (Brown,

1999) Short-answer content questions (waves) Drawings of waves (what would happen

if…) Post-test only: Scaffolding perception

items Usefulness of prompts (Likert) Usefulness of taskbar (Likert) Comments/Suggestions about

prompts/taskbar

Empirical Measures

Identify one student with a high SRQ score

Identify one student with a low SRQ score

Chart their reactions to scaffolding (video)

Correlation between SRL & reaction to scaffolding?

How can a whole-body educational game support self-regulated learning?

How useful are elements designed to support self-regulated learning in a whole-body educational game?

Case Study

What does the procedural rhetoric of whole-body educational games tell us about our assumptions about learning with these types of digital technology?

Conduct a comparative analysis of the procedural rhetoric of Waves, Color Mixer, and Light and Mirrors

Sub-Question: Rhetorical Analysis

Sim-Game 2: Color Mixer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=uoSAQtz926w

Sim-Game 3: Light and Mirrors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=p52nQmD8KE8

Methodology

Player Action

Computer

Reaction(s)

Concept(s)

Reinforced

Value(s) Reinforc

ed

SRL Suppor

t Feature

(s) Stepping side-to-side in sync (in Level 1) 

 Glowing green wave; success stars

 Constructive interference is when waves go in the same direction to make a bigger wave

 Teamwork

 Green glow & success stars provide positive feedback

How can the rhetoric of three whole-body educational games inform our understanding of self-regulated learning with digital technology?

Primary Research Question

Utilize my teaching experience, passion for research, and interest in technology to expand educational options for learners of all levels.

…Then what?