It's Good to Explore: Investigating Silver Pathways and the Role of Frustration During Game-Based Learning

Nidhi Nasiar, Andres Felipe Zambrano, Jaclyn Ocumpaugh, Stephen Hutt, Alexis Goslen, Jonathan P. Rowe, James C. Lester, Nathan L. Henderson, Eric N. Wiebe, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer, Bradford W. Mott

Abstract: Game-based learning offers rich learning opportunities, but open-ended games make it difficult to identify struggling students. Prior work compares student paths to a single expert’s “golden path.” This effort focuses on efficiency, but additional pathways may be required for learning. We examine data from middle schoolers who played Crystal Island, a learning game for microbiology. Results show higher learning gains for students with exploratory behaviors, with interactions between prior knowledge and frustration. Results have implications for designing adaptive scaffolding for learning and affective regulation.