How are Serious Games used in the Classroom setting? - Based on the Learning Theory

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study is to identify how serious games can be utilized for an educational purpose. Educational psychologists categorize learning theories into three subjects; behaviorism, cognitivism and constructivism. Methods/Statistical Analysis: This study was designed based on the methodology of Design-Based Research (DBR) and for analysis of research, coding technique of grounded theory was borrowed. To analyze the practical educational use of serious game, the researcher designed and applied high school English class that utilizes a serious game. Findings: In the aspect of behaviorism, advantages of serious game were discovered by seeing the fact that students were exposed to the environment where they could easily memorize through getting achievements and retaining memory with repetition. Such compensation was easily implemented due to a strengthening element that serious game itself has and students could be easily immersed through it. In the aspect of cognitivism, the possibility of a cross subject learning through designing game environment by teachers was discovered and the ease of learning could be utilized through taskbased learning. Also, teachers can make use of this method to connect students’ prior knowledge and new information by presenting appropriate amount of work. On the other hand, in the aspect of constructivism, researchers developed a process of meeting students while maintaining anonymity to effectively observe student problem-solving in the game. Multi-dimensional interaction and resolving issues generated by difference of cultural literacy other than difference of language present not only an environment to students but also new task to teachers. Application/Improvements: The results are significant in the study of serious games that it presented the connection between a function of game and a learning type.