This Work-In-Progress falls within the research category of study and, focuses on the experiences and perceptions of first- and second year engineering students when using an online engineering game that was designed to enhance understanding of statics concepts. Technology and online games are increasingly being used in engineering education to help students gain competencies in technical domains in the engineering field. Less is known about the way that these online games are designed and incorporated into the classroom environment and how these factors can ignite inequitable perspectives and experiences among engineering students. Also, little if any work that combines the TAM model and intersectionality of race and gender in engineering education has been done, though several studies have been modified to account for gender or race. This study expands upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by exploring perspectives of intersectional groups (defined as women of color who are engineering students). A Mixed Method Sequential Exploratory Research Design approach was used that extends the TAM model. Students were asked to play the engineering educational game, complete an open-ended questionnaire and then to participate in a focus group. Early findings suggest that while many students were open to learning to use themore »
Exploring perspectives and experiences of diverse learners' acceptance of online educational engineering games as learning tools in the classroom
This Research Full paper focuses on perceptions and experiences of freshman and sophomore engineering students when playing an online serious engineering game that was designed to improve engineering intuition and knowledge of statics. Use of serious educational engineering games has increased in engineering education to help students increase technical competencies in engineering disciplines. However, few have investigated how these engineering games are experienced by the students; how games influence students' perceptions of learning, or how these factors may lead to inequitable perspectives among diverse populations of students. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, appeal, and opinions about the efficacy of educational online games among a diverse population of students in an engineering mechanics statics course. It was hypothesized that compared to majority groups (e.g., men, White), women of color who are engineering students would experience less connections to the online educational game in terms of ease of use and level of frustration while playing. It is believed that these discordant views may negatively influence the game's appeal and efficacy towards learning engineering in this population of students. Design/Method: The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is expanded in this study, where the perspectives of women of colour more »
- Award ID(s):
- 1830812
- Publication Date:
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10400765
- Journal Name:
- Conference proceedings Frontiers in Education Conference
- ISSN:
- 1539-4565
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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The perceptions and experiences of freshman and sophomore engineering students when playing an online serious engineering game are explored. The engineering game of interest was designed to improve engineering intuition and knowledge of engineering mechanics in a statics course. Use of serious educational engineering games has increased in engineering education to help students increase technical competencies in engineering disciplines. However, few have investigated how these engineering games are experienced by the students; how games influence students’ perceptions of learning, or how these factors may lead to inequitable perspectives among diverse populations of students. A mixed method sequential analysis informed by the Technology Acceptance Model was performed to ascertain the experiences of one hundred and thirty-two students. Women of colour indicated that going to the next challenge level in the game made them feel as though they had increased their engineering knowledge to a higher degree than their male counterparts, this group also indicated higher levels of frustration than their male and Caucasian woman counterparts. Additional studies are need to more definitive conclusions.
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