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Research Report: Digital Game-based Learning for Early Childhood

The use of digital game-based learning for early childhood is growing rapidly with technological enhancement, but without the academic research to determine its effectiveness.

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Count me to Sheep by Sesame Workshop

Despite the challenges of designing developmentally appropriate games with sound pedagogical bases, games are being published at an unprecedented rate, albeit with little or no scientific study on their impact and effectiveness.

To address these challenges, the Learnovate Centre has completed a state-of-the-art research report that focuses on the use of digital game-based learning for children aged 3-6 years.

The report, which is 42 pages long, covers the following aspects:

The Pedagogy and Design of Games for Early Childhood – including content areas most suited to game-based learning, appropriate gaming strategies and underpinning pedagogies
Evidence of Effectiveness and Impact of Game-based Learning – including a survey of the academic research and the impact on learning performance
Cost-effectiveness – including the advantages and disadvantages to developing appropriate games for early childhood learning

Download a copy of the report here [PDF].

Findings of the research report will be presented by Neil Peirce on Thursday, 6^th June at the Irish Symposium on Game Based Learning 2013

The Learnovate Centre will also hold a lunchtime briefing on the subject on Friday, 17^th June from 12.30-14.00.

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