Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2015 A game-based learning approach to increase female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields Desmond Carletus Bonner Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Art and Design Commons, Education Commons, and the Industrial Engineering Commons Recommended Citation Bonner, Desmond Carletus, "A game-based learning approach to increase female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields" (2015). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 14781. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14781 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A game-based learning approach to increase female participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields by Desmond Carletus Bonner A thesis submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE Major: Human-Computer Interaction Program of Study Committee: Michael Dorneich, Major Professor Stephen Gilbert Larysa Nadolny Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2015 Copyright © Desmond Carletus Bonner, 2015. All rights reserved. ii DEDICATION The work presented in this Master’s Thesis is dedicated to many people whom I have had the benefit of learning from. To those from Auburn University who helped me become a better version of myself. To my family. To my GDES 12 family. To my former professors Kelly Bryant and Samantha Lawrie. To John Powell for setting me on this path. To those who have seen me succeed, fail, and face palm fabulously. To those who have unintentionally inspired or encourage me. Most importantly, this thesis is dedicated to the kid who just may decide to pursue STEM despite initial reservations. Calculus is challenging, but I promise you’ll get over it. And finally to you the reader “because reasons.” iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page DEDICATION ........................................................................................................... ii NOMENCLATURE .................................................................................................. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ......................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT………………………………. .............................................................. vii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION ................................................................................ 1 The Role of STEM Education.............................................................................. 3 Game-Based Approach ........................................................................................ 5 Thesis Overview .................................................................................................. 7 CHAPTER II RELATED WORK ............................................................................. 8 Barriers to Participation ....................................................................................... 8 Increasing Female Participation ........................................................................... 10 Combating Barriers ........................................................................................ 10 Outreach Programs......................................................................................... 11 Games and Game-Based Learning....................................................................... 13 Games ......................................................................................................... 13 Video Games and Learning ................................................................................. 15 Negative Impacts of Playing Games .................................................................... 17 Game-Based Learning ......................................................................................... 18 Games and Programming ..................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER III SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS ............................................................ 23 Protagonist ......................................................................................................... 23 Narrative ......................................................................................................... 23 Uncertainty ......................................................................................................... 25 Mechanics ......................................................................................................... 25 Social Aspects ...................................................................................................... 25 Fun ......................................................................................................... 27 iv CHAPTER IV SORCERESS OF SEASONS DEVELOPMENT ............................. 29 Overview of the Game ......................................................................................... 29 Introduction .................................................................................................... 29 Game Design Process .......................................................................................... 29 Introduction to Programming ......................................................................... 33 Concepts ........................................................................................................ 34 Variables ............................................................................................... 35 Lists (or Arrays) .................................................................................... 36 If statement............................................................................................ 36 Game Description .......................................................................................... 36 Tutorials ................................................................................................ 37 Level 1: Variables ................................................................................. 38 Level 2: Lists......................................................................................... 40 Level 3: If Statements ........................................................................... 42 Implementation platform ............................................................................... 43 Application of GBL principles............................................................................. 44 CHAPTER V EXPERIMENTAL METHOD ............................................................ 49 Research Objectives ............................................................................................. 49 Hypothesis ......................................................................................................... 49 Participants ......................................................................................................... 49 Tasks/ Scenarios................................................................................................... 50 Dependent Variables ............................................................................................ 51 Requirements Verifications ........................................................................... 51 STEM Attitudes ............................................................................................. 53 Performance ................................................................................................... 54 Workload........................................................................................................ 55 Game Assessments......................................................................................... 55 Procedure ......................................................................................................... 55 Limitations and Assumptions .............................................................................. 57 Testing Environment ............................................................................................ 57 Data Analysis ....................................................................................................... 58 CHAPTER VI RESULTS .......................................................................................... 59 Requirements Results........................................................................................... 59 Baseline Student Opinion on Requirements .................................................. 59 Post-Game Influence of Requirements .......................................................... 61 Performance ......................................................................................................... 62 Overall Performance ...................................................................................... 62 Overall Performance by Gender .................................................................... 64 Performance by Programming Concept ......................................................... 65 v Workload ......................................................................................................... 68 STEM Attitudes