Engaging 6th-Grade Students in Ecosystem Education

Exploring Roles and Relationships in Ecology With an Interactive Gamified Module

Bibliographic Data

ID21347239
AuthorsEmery Bosch (NYU Tandon School of Engineering), Jonathan Sun (NYU Tandon School of Engineering), Andrew Wang (0000-0001-8729-0933, NYU Tandon School of Engineering), Andrew L Wang (0000-0003-4016-9460, NYU Tandon School of Engineering), Jin Kim Montclare (0000-0001-6857-3591, NYU Tandon School of Engineering, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume205
Issue2
Pages130-141
Publication date2025-04-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0022-0574 • E-ISSN: 2515-5741
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/00220574241310877
OpenAlexW4406026178
LanguageEN
References cited36

Gamified simulations, integrating gameplay into education, cater to younger learners’ digital preferences and align with Next Generation Science Standards. Current virtual modules focus on advanced high school classes, leaving a gap for middle school students. This study investigated the impact of substituting recitations in a 6th-grade ecology class with Feed the Dingo , a gamified module. Through quizzes evaluating academic performance and free-response surveys to gauge students’ attitudes, the module appeared to enhance intuitive understanding of core ecological concepts (e.g., ecosystems, food webs, biodiversity, etc.), resulting in commendable academic achievement and positive feedback. Such simulations serve as valuable supplements for K-12 lesson planning

Biology · Class (philosophy) · Mathematics education · Science education · Computer Science · Ecology · Education Practices and Evaluation · Educational Games and Gamification · Mobile Learning in Education · Psychology

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