Evaluating the Cognitive Consequences of Playing Portal for a Short Duration

• Published in: Journal of educational computing research Vol. 54; no. 2; pp. 173 - 195
• Main Authors: Adams, Deanne M., Pilegard, Celeste, Mayer, Richard E.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.04.2016
• Subjects: California; Cognition; Comparative Analysis; Computer Games; Computer Simulation; Construction; Correlation; Education; Educational Games; Games; Intuition; Learning; Motion; Newton Theory; Perspective Taking; Physics; Pretests Posttests; Problem Solving; Puzzles; Questionnaires; Science Instruction; Simulated Environment; Skills; Spatial Ability; Statistical Analysis; STEM Education; Teaching Methods; Technology Uses in Education; Thinking Skills; Undergraduate Students; Video Games; California; cognitive consequences; spatial orientation; physics learning; perspective taking; video games
• ISSN: 0735-6331; 1541-4140
• DOI: 10.1177/0735633115620431

Learning physics often requires overcoming common misconceptions based on naïve interpretations of observations in the everyday world. One proposed way to help learners build appropriate physics intuitions is to expose them to computer simulations in which motion is based on Newtonian principles. In addition, playing video games that require spatial processing may also facilitate the development of spatial skills that have been associated with learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics areas. Two studies were conducted to examine whether playing the first-person perspective puzzle game Portal causes improvements in physics intuitions and spatial cognition skills. In Experiment 1, college students played Portal, the two-dimensional puzzle game Tetris, or the anagram game TextTwist for 75 minutes. There were no significant differences on measures of naïve physics reasoning (selected from the Force Concept Inventory) or measures of spatial cognition (mental rotation and perspective taking). To determine whether Portal could influence formal physics learning, in Experiment 2 participants viewed a brief lesson on Newton’s laws of motion after playing one of the three games for 1 hour. The groups did not differ on subsequent tests of physics learning. This study shows that Portal was not successful in priming intuitions about motion or spatial abilities related to physics learning.