Relationship between digital game experience and problem-solving performance according to a PISA framework

The authors recruited 267 Taiwanese elementary school students to play digital games in order to investigate the influence of prior game play experience on problem-solving performance, with specific focuses on self-regulated learning, problem-solving processes, problem contexts, and problem characteristics. Data were acquired using a self-regulated learning scale, a game experience questionnaire, a problem-solving process evaluation instrument based on the 2012 Program for International Student Assessment, a computer-based survey focused on seven problem-solving scenarios, and four digital games. Our results indicate a positive and significant effect on problem-solving performance among study participants with seven or more years of game play experience, and positive feelings toward game learning as reflected in negatively skewed self-regulated learning scores. We also found that the “representation and formulation” stage served as a significant performance predictor, the “planning and execution” and “monitoring and reflection” stages were significant predictors of dynamic/technical problems, and the “exploring and understanding” stage was a predictor for static/non-technical problems. Our data indicate significant differences in problem-solving cognitive processes across ranges of contexts and characteristics. We believe our findings will be useful for researchers studying the potential use of digital game frameworks to measure specific learning mechanisms.