Game-based collaborative scientific inquiry learning using realistic context and inquiry process-based multidimensional scaffolding

ABSTRACT

Integrating multidimensional scaffolding into digital game-based learning is expected to address scientific inquiry teaching challenges, simulating real-world complexities to ignite learner interest. This study stands out by using realistic scenarios and multidimensional scaffolding to develop an online collaborative scientific inquiry game, designed based on the scientific inquiry process to create corresponding game mechanics and processes. It leverages cloud technology integration as scaffolding, accompanied by a train maintenance scenario with non-player characters (NPC) to enhance electromagnetism learning for learners. This study involved 90 college students divided into three groups: game scaffolding group (remote gaming teaching activities with NPC-based scaffolding), document scaffolding group (remote case study activities with document-based scaffolding), and no scaffolding group (remote case study activities without scaffolding). The results indicate that providing scaffolding in remote scientific inquiry teaching enhances learning outcomes compared to activities without scaffolding. Learners in the game scaffolding group reported a high level of flow experience, perceived that remote gaming teaching was helpful for scientific inquiry learning, and experienced lower anxiety. Furthermore, learners provided highly positive feedback on the usefulness of multidimensional scaffolding in the game. There were no significant differences among the three instructional activities in terms of flow state, activity anxiety, and the usefulness of scientific inquiry.

KEYWORDS:

• Scientific inquiry learning
• collaborative learning
• scaffolding
• realistic context
• digital game-based learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the projects from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, under contract number MOST-110-2511-H-011-004-MY3 and MOST-111-2410-H-011-004-MY3. This work was also financially supported by the ‘Empower Vocational Education Research Center’ of the National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST) from the Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan.