TY - JOUR
T1 - Videogame construction by engineering students for understanding modelling processes
T2 - The case of simulating water behaviour
AU - Pretelín-Ricárdez, Angel
AU - Sacristán, Ana Isabel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Vilnius University.
PY - 2015
Y1 - 2015
N2 - We present some results of an ongoing research project where university engineering students were asked to construct videogames involving the use of physical systems models. The objective is to help them identify and understand the elements and concepts involved in the modelling process. That is, we use game design as a constructionist approach for promoting a modelling activity and the learning of the elements involved. In this paper, we focus on the case studies of two students, in their last year of studies, who built a videogame where they had to model liquid water behaviour while working within the restrictions of the game engine. By analysing students' written work and group discussions, we observed that students, through this videogame-building task, were able to deepen and refine how they conceive the process of mathematical modelling, in a fun and engaging way in which they were receptive and open to experimentation, and learned from other students, as well as from making mistakes.
AB - We present some results of an ongoing research project where university engineering students were asked to construct videogames involving the use of physical systems models. The objective is to help them identify and understand the elements and concepts involved in the modelling process. That is, we use game design as a constructionist approach for promoting a modelling activity and the learning of the elements involved. In this paper, we focus on the case studies of two students, in their last year of studies, who built a videogame where they had to model liquid water behaviour while working within the restrictions of the game engine. By analysing students' written work and group discussions, we observed that students, through this videogame-building task, were able to deepen and refine how they conceive the process of mathematical modelling, in a fun and engaging way in which they were receptive and open to experimentation, and learned from other students, as well as from making mistakes.
KW - Constructionism
KW - Model-eliciting activities (MEAs)
KW - Modelling
KW - Videogames
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84946041127&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.15388/infedu.2015.15
DO - 10.15388/infedu.2015.15
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:84946041127
SN - 1648-5831
VL - 14
SP - 265
EP - 277
JO - Informatics in Education
JF - Informatics in Education
IS - 2
ER -