Wheel-spinning in a game-based learning environment for physics

• Main Authors: Palaoag, Thelma D, Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T, Andres, Juan Miguel L, Andres, Juliana Ma. Alexandra L, Beck, Joseph E
• Format: text
• Published: Archīum Ateneo 2016
• Subjects: Wheel-spinning; Physics playground; Persistence; Detector; Computer Sciences
• Online Access: https://archium.ateneo.edu/discs-faculty-pubs/125; https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-39583-8_23
• Institution: Ateneo De Manila University

We study wheel-spinning behavior among students using an educational game for physics. We attempted to determine whether students wheel-spin, and to build a wheel-spinning detector. We found that about 30 to 40 % of students are unable to successfully complete a level when attempting it 8 times or more, or when working on it for more than 160 s. We also found that past performance is predictive of wheel-spinning, and that persistence increases both the likelihood of success and of wheel-spinning. Finally, we found that wheel-spinning in this context is different from wheel-spinning exhibited in prior work in that it is relatively easy to detect and does not suffer from cold starts.