University of Missouri, St. Louis IRL @ UMSL Dissertations UMSL Graduate Works 12-13-2011 The ffecE t of Problem-Solving Video Games on the Science Reasoning Skills of College Students Tina Marie Fanetti University of Missouri-St. Louis, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation Part of the Education Commons Recommended Citation Fanetti, Tina Marie, "The Effect of Problem-Solving Video Games on the Science Reasoning Skills of College Students" (2011). Dissertations. 397. https://irl.umsl.edu/dissertation/397 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the UMSL Graduate Works at IRL @ UMSL. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of IRL @ UMSL. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Effect of Problem-Solving Video Games on the Science Reasoning Skills of College Students Tina M. Fanetti M. S., Physics, University of Missouri-St. Louis, 2005 M. S., Astrophysics, Iowa State University, 2001 B. S., Physics, University of Missouri – St. Louis, 1998 A Dissertation submitted to The Graduate School at the University of Missouri – St. Louis in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in Education December 2011 Advisory Committee Charles Granger, Ph.D. Chairperson Sonya Bahar, Ph.D. Cody Ding, Ph.D. Joseph Polman, Ph.D. Randall Sommers, Ph.D. Copyright, Tina M. Fanetti, 2011 Science Reasoning and Video Games 2 Running Head: SCIENCE REASONING & VIDEO GAMES The Effect of Problem-Solving Video Games on the Science Reasoning Skills of College Students Tina M. Fanetti University of Missouri-St. Louis Science Reasoning and Video Games 3 Abstract............................................................................................................................... 7! Chapter 1: Introduction....................................................................................................... 8! Role of Reasoning in Science ....................................................................................... 10! What is Scientific Thinking or Reasoning? .................................................................. 11! Science Reasoning in Schools ...................................................................................... 11! Importance of Reasoning to Society............................................................................. 12! Developing Science Reasoning..................................................................................... 14! Games ........................................................................................................................... 14! Science Reasoning and Games ..................................................................................... 16! A New Approach .......................................................................................................... 17! Statement of the Problem.............................................................................................. 18! Research Questions....................................................................................................... 18! Delimitations................................................................................................................. 19! Significance of Study.................................................................................................... 19! Definitions......................................................................................................................... 21! Chapter 2: Literature Review........................................................................................... 24! Science Reasoning ........................................................................................................ 24! 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B&#)&+-'+,!K,+7!'(!B%)&')*!L+),$('(-................................................................................................... @M! D?%#$9'(-!,%)&')*!#+),$('(-. .................................................................................................................. @M! L+,+)#25!'(!,%)&')*!#+),$('(-................................................................................................................. @N! Relationship between Hypothetical Deductive and Spatial Reasoning ........................ 42! Teaching Thinking........................................................................................................ 43! Games ............................................................................................................................... 45! Science Reasoning and Video Games 4 Defining a Game........................................................................................................... 45! Difference Between Games and Simulations ............................................................... 48! Types of Games ............................................................................................................ 49! Learning Theories Involving Games ............................................................................ 54! Games in Education ...................................................................................................... 57! Studies Pertaining to Games in Education.................................................................... 63! Games and Cognitive Processes ................................................................................... 68! Games and Science Education...................................................................................... 70! Games and Science Reasoning ..................................................................................... 71! Games and Spatial Reasoning....................................................................................... 74! Game Studies ................................................................................................................ 74! Teaching with Games ................................................................................................... 75! Evaluating Games ......................................................................................................... 76! Summary....................................................................................................................... 78! Chapter 3: Methodology .................................................................................................. 80! Site ................................................................................................................................ 80! Recruitment................................................................................................................... 80! Selection of Participants ............................................................................................... 81! Participants.................................................................................................................... 82! L48...................................................................................................................................................................... M/! O)'#'.................................................................................................................................................................... MH! B$#)..................................................................................................................................................................... MH! 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