Arizona State University (2010)
Overview and Method
In 2010, Arizona State University conducted a similar study of middle school and high school students who played iCivics’ Branches of Power game and received instruction on the corresponding lesson plans. Researchers administered a pretest and posttest for all students, and collected qualitative data through surveys.
Results
The Arizona State study showed a 20% improvement in student knowledge between pretest and posttest results. Further, 78% of all students, and 85% of middle school students, felt they had a better understanding of how the government worked after playing the game, and 86% reported enjoying playing the game. Teacher comments also revealed an appreciation for the game, with one middle school teacher noting: “[A]ll students were engaged in learning about how government works.”