Pwning Level Bosses in MATLAB: Student Reactions to a Game-Inspired Computational Physics Course

TL;DR

This study explores student reactions to a gamified computational physics course with game-inspired elements like levels, points, and authentic tasks, finding positive impacts on motivation and learning reflection.

Contribution

It introduces a novel gamified course design in computational physics and evaluates student perceptions and learning outcomes through interviews and evaluations.

Findings

Students found the course effective and engaging.

Gamification elements increased motivation and reflection.

Authentic tasks helped students envision real-world application.

Abstract

We investigated student reactions to two computational physics courses incorporating several videogame-like aspects. These included use of gaming terminology such as "levels," "weapons," and "bosses"; a game-style point system linked to course grades; a self-paced schedule with no deadlines; a mastery design in which only entirely correct attempts earn credit, but students can retry until they succeed; immediate feedback via self-test code; an assignment progression from "minions" (small, focused tasks) to "level bosses" (integrative tasks); and believable, authentic assignment scenarios. Through semi-structured interviews and course evaluations, we found that a majority of students considered the courses effective and the game-like aspects beneficial. In particular, many claimed that the point system increased their motivation; the self-paced nature caused them to reflect on their self-discipline; the possibility and necessity of repeating assignments until perfect aided learning; and the authentic tasks helped them envision using course skills in their professional futures.