Digital game-based ICT was associated with significantly smaller effects on writing quality, but the finding rests on a single study¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2026 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Interventions incorporating digital games showed significantly smaller effects (b = −0.463, p = .001), though this rests on one study. → López 2026

Evidence¶

López 2026¶

López, P., Fidalgo, R., Álvarez-Moreno, C., Díaz-Tejedor, R., van den Bergh, H., & Rijlaarsdam, G. (2026). Compositional Analysis of Writing Instructional Practices Performed with Digital Tools: A Meta-Analysis. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-026-10153-4

q3 · i? · quant-synthesis · r2

ICT-type meta-regression across the study corpus; digital games were the least frequently implemented feature (n = 1 study). The article reports "significantly smaller effects" with the unstandardized coefficient b = −0.463, p = .001.

"The use of digital games was associated with significantly smaller effects (Fm(1, 39.76) = 13.79, p = .001; b = − 0.463, 95% CI [− 0.716, − 0.211])."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Writing Skills — moderator: an instructional effect differs with it

Related Claims¶

• ICT-supported writing interventions targeting higher-level writing processes show a large overall positive effect on students' writing quality (g = 1.264) — related
• Digital game conditions produce significantly better learning outcomes than nongame conditions (g = 0.33) in media comparisons — related
• Multi-session game conditions outperform nongame conditions while single-session games do not, though total play duration shows no association with effect size — related
• Multi-session game interventions show significantly larger learning benefits than single-session interventions, while total play duration shows no association with effect size — related
• Single noncollaborative, noncompetitive play shows the largest learning effects, significantly larger than single competitive play — related
• Schematic visual games show larger learning effects than realistic games, which show no significant benefit over nongame conditions — related
• Single noncollaborative, noncompetitive play shows the largest learning effects; single competitive play shows no benefit relative to nongame conditions — related
• Third-person camera perspective games show significant learning benefits while first-person perspective games show no significant benefit — related