Higher Order Thinking Skills
in iPad Learning Games
Anthony W. Palmer Ed.D. (Candidate), Researcher
Institutional Review Board Identification: #94-14
It has been a very long journey toward my dissertation.
I have completed all the courses for my doctorate.
I have completed my literature review on learning games and higher order thinking skills.
My research committee has approved my dissertation proposal.
The internal review board at my university has approved my application to conduct the research.
The principal and the teachers have granted me permission to conduct my research at the school.
Over 30 parents have returned their consent forms.
So today…
three students assented to participate in my research on Higher order thinking Skills in iPad learning games!!!
Yay ! ! !
They all did a great job, playing the games and answering my questions.
There would have been more students participating today, but I quickly used up all of the memory on the iPad recording the first three students.
Many students asked if it was too late to turn in their consent forms. I told them that they still have time. It seems that many more will join the project before the end of the school year!
It is so good to have passed the necessary bureaucratic hoops and finally be conducting research with students!
So now, more observations, interviews, analysis, synthesis, writing and rewriting.
Yay!
Gaming and Education 
Videogames as educational research tools Videogamescanclearlyconsumetheattention ofchildrenandadolescents.However,itis important to assess the extent that videogame technology had an impact on childhood education. Since videogames have the capacity to engage children in learning experiences, this hasledtotheriseof“edu-tainment”media.Just bywatchingchildren it becomes very clear that they prefer this type of approach to learning. However,itappearsthatveryfewgamesonthe commercial market have educational value. Some evidence suggests that important skills may be built or reinforced by videogames. For example, spatial visualization ability (i.e., mentally, rotating and manipulating two-and three-dimensional objects) improve with video game playing. Videogames were also more effective for children who started out with relativelypoorskills.Ithasalsobeensuggestedthat videogames may be useful in equalizing individual differences in spatial skill performance. For over 20 years researchers have been using videogames as a means of researching individuals. Many of these reasons also provide an insight as towhytheymaybeusefuleducationally. For instance : Videogames can be used as research and/or measurement tools. Furthermore, as research tools they have great diversity Videogames attract participation by individuals across many demographic boundaries (e.g., age, gender, ethnicity, educational status) Videogames can assist children in setting goals, ensuring goal rehearsal, providing feedback, reinforcement, and maintaining records of behavioural change Videogames can be useful because they allow the researcher to measure performance on a very wide variety of tasks, and can be easily changed, standardized and understood Videogames can be used when examining individual characteristics such as self-esteem, self-concept, goal-setting and individual differences Videogames are fun and stimulating for participants.