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Does cognitive load influence performance in a game-based learning task?
Witvoet, Jessica (2013) Does cognitive load influence performance in a game-based learning task?
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| Abstract: | Does cognitive load influence performance in a game-based learning task? Thirty students of the department of behavioural sciences were instructed to play with one of two versions of a game-based learning task, while cognitive load was measured by electroencephalography. One version of the game was tuned to the anticipated skills of the participants (LT), while the other was not (HT). Videogame experience and knowledge of physics were also taken into account. Performance was defined by changes in conceptual knowledge and the number of completed levels within the game-based learning task. This study found no indications that cognitive load influences learning outcomes. Results indicate that there are no significant changes in conceptual knowledge, and that this does not differ between the LT-group and the HT-group. On the other hand, it was found that the number of completed levels does differ significantly between conditions. The number of completed levels was significantly higher in the LT-group than in the HT-group, which would suggest a difference in task-difficulty between the two conditions. Though, statistical analysis found that cognitive load is not significantly higher or lower in one of the conditions, and that both theta power and alpha power do not significantly change over time. Furthermore, no significant correlations were found between cognitive load and performance. Finally, it was found that videogame experience and knowledge of physics do not influence the number of completed levels. Videogame experience does not influence changes in conceptual knowledge, but knowledge of physics does, as can be expected. Both videogame experience and knowledge of physics do not significantly influence cognitive load. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 77 psychology |
| Programme: | Psychology BSc (56604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/64203 |
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