About
Creating a Gamified Physics Classroom: An Action Research Project
by Alec Akerson
M.S.Ed in Teaching, Learning, and Curriculum; STEM and Arts Innovation Track
Biography: Alec Akerson is a High School Physics Teacher at Martinsville High School. He is the eSports sponsor at his high school. His undergraduate studies included Physics Education and Education Policy. He is passionate about ensuring all of his students are scientifically literate.
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Creating a Gamified Physics Classroom: An Action Research ProjectIn physics education, students struggle to see the applicability of physics to their lives, and
traditional methods of teaching may not foster the deep learning that is necessary for long-term retention. This action research project explores the development of a gamified physics classroom as a novel pedagogical method to address these problems.
Founded upon gamification theory (Deterding et al., 2011), meaningful learning theory (Nicholson, 2015), and educational motivation theory (Hamari et al., 2014), the current study seeks to develop an understanding of the effect of gamification on extrinsic and intrinsic motivation in high school physics students.
This research aims to create a model of gamification that is scalable and can be tested and refined for broader use. This project will contribute to the growing body of literature on game-based learning and offer practical guidance for educators who aim to enhance student engagement in STEM learning.