In May of this year, Arizona State University researchers conducted an independent evaluation of Branches of Power. Students from middle and high school classes in Phoenix completed tests both before and after playing Branches of Power, along with submitting qualitative feedback about the game. Additionally, researchers observed both classrooms firsthand.
The middle school students' test scores improved 20 percentage points after playing the game once, jumping from an average pre-test score of 43% to a post-test of 63%. This improvement was more pronounced in specific areas: for example, students' knowledge of the legislative branch in particular jumped from 37% average pre-test scores to 70% on their post-tests.
78% of all the students (and 85% of the middle school students) surveyed reported a better understanding of how the government works after playing Branches of Power, with most of them (55%) agreeing that their interest in U.S. government increased because of playing the game.
The marked benefits seemed to extend to special needs students as well. Said one teacher: "Within my classroom, both special needs and ELL students benefited from the Branches of Power game. I found these students to be engaged throughout the entire experience. In fact, both the ELL and special needs students were some of the most enthusiastic about playing the game in the entire class. The Branches of Power game provides rich visuals to help make government concepts - which can be challenging to comprehend - understandable and relevant to young adults. Pupils that often struggle with oral or written communication benefit from the interactive nature of the game. The game allows students to gain instant, individual feedback and work through applicable and real world government challenges."
The iCivics games are still games, though, and most of the students (86%) reported they had fun playing, with a majority (80%) also agreeing they would rather learn from a game than a textbook (big surprise there). Half the kids went so far as to say they intended to play the game again in their free time, and an equal number indicated wanting to give the other iCivics games a try.
