Seattle, Washington
June 14, 2015
June 14, 2015
June 17, 2015
978-0-692-50180-1
2153-5965
Engineering Physics & Physics
Diversity
10
26.1335.1 - 26.1335.10
10.18260/p.24672
https://peer.asee.org/24672
682
James G. O'Brien is an associate professor of Physics at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA. James is currently pursuing educational pedagogies in engineering education through game-ification of education and the design of competitive table top games which engage students in an exciting atmosphere to help facilitate learning of essential physics concepts. Aside from a love of gaming and its role in education, James is also the Vice President of the International Association of Relativistic Dynamics, an international organization of physicists whose research revolves around the study of relativity and gravitational research.
Dr. Rueckert is an experimental physicist specializing in condensed matter. His research interests include magnetic and electronic properties of perovskite materials and, more recently, novel approaches to physics education.
In recent years, gamification of education has proven to be an effective paradigm in modern pedagology. Following the success of the author’s previous work with "Sector Vector”(citation for last ASEE), they now present a new interactive game based laboratory to highlight the basic manipulation and calculation of resistors in circuits. The power of disguising the lesson in a game based exercise is discussed in this paper. In Resistance is Futile the lesson of basic resistor combinations is delivered in a game based exercise in which a circuit continually evolves. As the game progresses students are forced to make short and long term plans to modify an evolving circuit which meets primary and secondary objectives (such as total resistance). They are forced to make on the fly calculations of resistor combinations in each turn of the game. Students are also exposed to the creation of a modular circuit which does not always conform to a standard view as might be expected in textbook examples. Together, in an interactive fashion, they must evaluate and analyze a potentially complex overall circuit diagram. Results of student engagement and concept retention have been shown to increase due to the dynamic environment and competitive nature established in the gaming environment. In this paper, we will discuss both the concept of the lab-‐based game itself, as well as the pedagogical implications of the implementation of this gaming medium versus the traditional resistor combination laboratory exercise.
O'Brien, J. G., & Sirokman, G., & Rueckert, F. J., & Cascio, D. (2015, June), Resistance is Futile: A New Collaborative Laboratory Game-based Lab to Teach Basic Circuit Concepts Paper presented at 2015 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Seattle, Washington. 10.18260/p.24672
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