classrooms
over extended periods of time with a teacher-led (rather than a researcher-led) implementation. The results of the
trial suggest that game-based learning holds much promise for classroom-based science education. The findings support
the notion that game-based learning environments not only increase student engagement, but also positively impact content
knowledge on science topics and problem-solving skills. A key finding was that both genders consistently showed significant
gains across studies, despite initial gaming experience on the part of boys prior to interaction with CRYSTAL ISLAND. This result
supports emerging trends in gameplay as reported by Papastergiou [54], in which high school students (both boys and girls)
performed better on a computer application that emphasized a gaming versus a non-gaming approach. In order for gamebased
learning technologies to scale to national adoption, they must be easily integrated into the classroom with accessible
teacher training and minimal hands-on support. We believe that CRYSTAL ISLAND represents a promising first step toward this
objective, which could play an important role in creating more effective and engaging science education for all learners.