The Effect of Adaptive Difficulty Adjustment on the Effectiveness of a Game to Develop Executive Function Skills for Learners of Different Ages

Autor/inn/en	Plass, Jan L.; Homer, Bruce D.; Pawar, Shashank; Brenner, Corinne J.; MacNamara, Andrew P.
Titel	The Effect of Adaptive Difficulty Adjustment on the Effectiveness of a Game to Develop Executive Function Skills for Learners of Different Ages
Quelle	(2019), (35 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	Weitere Informationen
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
Schlagwörter	Executive Function; Difficulty Level; Teaching Methods; Video Games; Age Differences; Preadolescents; Early Adolescents; Program Effectiveness; Late Adolescents; Intervention; Middle School Students; High School Students; Educational Technology; Technology Uses in Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schwierigkeitsgrad; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Video game; Videospiel; Videospiele; Age; Difference; Age difference; Altersunterschied; Pre-adolescence; Präadoleszenz; Halbstarker; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; High school; High schools; Oberschule; Studentin; Unterrichtsmedien; Technology enhanced learning; Technology aided learning; Technologieunterstütztes Lernen
Abstract	Research suggests that gains in executive function (EF) skills training are strongest when task difficulty increases progressively, yet findings on the effectiveness of adaptive approaches for EF training are inconsistent. This study compared the effectiveness of an adaptive vs a non-adaptive version of a digital game designed to train the EF sub-skill of shifting. Results showed increases in shifting skills for all learners between pretest and posttest measures, with adolescents scoring higher than pre-adolescents and early adolescents on posttest measures. Data analysis uncovered a trend suggesting that the adaptive treatment may be more effective than the non-adaptive treatment for adolescents. User logs showed that adaptivity helped customize players' gameplay based on their performance, by making game play easier for younger learners, and making game play more difficult for older learners. Results support the use of digital games to train EF for a broad range of learners. [This paper was published in "Cognitive Development" v49 p56-67 2019.] (As Provided).
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2021/2/06