An adaptive educational computer game: Effects on students' knowledge and learning attitude in computational thinking

• Published in: Computers in human behavior 2021-01, Vol.114, p.106575, Article 106575
• Main Authors: Hooshyar, Danial, Malva, Liina, Yang, Yeongwook, Pedaste, Margus, Wang, Minhong, Lim, Heuiseok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adaptive educational computer game; Adaptive game-play; Adaptive learning; Attitudes; Computational thinking knowledge and skills; Computer & video games; Education; Knowledge; Learning; Skills; Students
• ISSN: 0747-5632; 1873-7692
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chb.2020.106575

Several studies have reported that adaptivity and personalization in educational computer games facilitate reaching their full educational potential. However, there is little effort to develop adaptive educational computer games for promoting students' computational thinking (CT). In this study, an adaptive computer game is introduced, called AutoThinking, that not only promotes both CT skills and conceptual knowledge, but also provides adaptivity in both game-play and learning processes. To evaluate the possible effects of the game, an experimental study was carried out with 79 students in an elementary school in Estonia. AutoThinking and a conventional technology-enhanced learning approach were used for teaching CT to the experimental and control group, respectively. Our results reveal that AutoThinking improved students’ CT skills and conceptual knowledge better than the conventional approach. It was also found that students with a low and high level of prior knowledge made higher improvement in knowledge gain using the adaptive game compared to the traditional approach, especially those students with lower prior knowledge. Finally, our findings show that the adaptive game could also improve students' learning attitude toward CT better than the conventional approach, especially those students with higher prior learning attitudes. •We developed an adaptive educational game for promoting computational thinking.•The game improved students' CT conceptual knowledge and skills.•The game improved students' learning attitude toward CT.•Students with lower prior knowledge benefited more from the game.•Students with higher prior learning attitude benefited more from the game.