The Role of Cognitive Flexibility in Learning With Games

• In Event: AERA Graduate Student Research in Progress Roundtable Session Three
  In Roundtable Session: Learning With Games: Implications for Cognitive Flexibility, Self-Regulated Learning, and Self-Confidence (Table 9)

Abstract

There has been a lot of research on different modalities in learning, especially comparing educational games and traditional instruction. However, few studies have investigated how cognitive traits have an effect on learning outcomes using technology mediums. This study examines how cognitive flexibility as an individual trait plays a role in learning outcomes with two different modalities. A sample of 125 undergraduate students need to learn about epidemiology in 1.5 hours. Students will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: an educational game as multimedia game-based learning or slideshow as traditional schema-like learning. A Cognitive Flexibility Inventory will assess their level of cognitive flexibility and the post-test will measure students' learning outcomes. We anticipate that (1) students have better learning outcomes in a game-based environment than in a schema-like environment. (2) students with high cognitive flexibility learn better than those with low cognitive flexibility. (3) students with high cognitive flexibility will perform better in game-based learning compared to students in the schema-like learning environment with low cognitive flexibility. The study provides an in-depth understanding of the effect of individual differences in learning with different multimedia learning environments, contributing to the research gap and the research fields of cognitive flexibility and multimedia learning with games.

Author

• Qiyang Lin, Michigan State University
  Presenting Author