The agency effect: The impact of student agency on learning, emotions, and problem-solving behaviors in a game-based learning environment
The agency effect: The impact of student agency on learning, emotions, and problem-solving behaviors in a game-based learning environment
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DOI：
10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103781
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发表时间：
2020-04-01
影响因子：
12
通讯作者：
Lester, James
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Taub, Michelle;Sawyer, Robert;Lester, James
基于游戏的学习环境旨在培养学生在学习复杂主题时的高水平参与度和动机。基于游戏的学习环境允许学生自由地导航空间，与促进学习的游戏元素互动，即代理。代理在学习中的研究已经被证明，学生代理的增加会导致更好的学习结果。然而，目前尚不清楚证明这一效应所需的代理水平是多少，也不清楚这种效应是仅适用于学习，还是同样适用于游戏学习中的问题解决和影响。为了调查学生代理水平如何影响学习、问题解决和情感，对138名大学生进行了一项研究，他们与水晶岛微生物学游戏学习环境进行了互动。这项研究是先前的一项研究的延伸，该研究考察了在水晶岛游戏学习中代理对学习和问题解决行为的影响。学生被随机分配到高代理条件、低代理条件或无代理条件。研究发现，低代理条件下学生的归一化学习成绩显著高于无代理条件下的学生，而高代理条件下的归一化学习收益略高于高代理条件下的学生。对兴趣和存在的事后调查表明，与其他条件下的学生相比，没有代理条件下的学生兴趣较低，他们认为自己在虚拟环境中的存在程度较低。没有代理条件下的学生也比其他代理条件下的学生经历了更少的挫折、困惑和喜悦，这表明对认知的刺激作用更小。总体而言，研究结果表明，在基于游戏的学习环境中为学生提供适度的代理可以在不牺牲兴趣和不产生负面情绪体验的情况下产生更好的学习结果，这表明即使是低水平的代理也可以在基于游戏的学习中对学习、问题解决和情感产生积极影响。
Game-based learning environments are designed to foster high levels of student engagement and motivation during learning of complex topics. Game-based learning environments allow students freedom to navigate a space to interact with game elements that foster learning, i.e., agency. Agency has been studied in learning, and it has been demonstrated that increased student agency results in greater learning outcomes. However, it is unclear what is the level of agency that is required to demonstrate this effect, and whether this effect applies only to learning or to problem solving and affect during game-based learning as well. To investigate how the level of student agency impacts learning, problem solving, and affect, a study was conducted with 138 college students interacting with a game-based learning environment for microbiology, Crystal Island. This study is an extension of a previous study that examined the impact of agency on learning and problem-solving behaviors during game-based learning with Crystal Island. Students were randomly assigned to either a High Agency condition, a Low Agency condition, or a No Agency condition. It was found that students in the Low Agency condition achieved significantly higher normalized learning gain scores than students in the No Agency condition, and marginally higher normalized learning gains than the High Agency condition. Post-surveys of interest and presence indicated that students in the No Agency condition were less interested, and perceived themselves as less present in the virtual environment, than students in the other conditions. Students in the No Agency condition also experienced less frustration, confusion, and joy than the other agency conditions, indicating a less cognitively stimulating experience. Overall the results indicate that a moderate degree of agency provided to students in game-based learning environments leads to better learning outcomes without sacrificing interest and without yielding a negative emotional experience, demonstrating how even low levels of agency can positively impact learning, problem solving, and affect during game-based learning.