Single noncollaborative, noncompetitive play shows the largest learning effects; single competitive play shows no benefit relative to nongame conditions¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · quant-synthesis r3 · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2016 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Effects were largest for single noncollaborative/noncompetitive play (g = 0.45), the only player-configuration category with significant gains; single competitive play showed no significant effect (g = −0.06). → Clark 2016

Evidence¶

Clark 2016¶

Clark, D. B., Tanner-Smith, E. E., & Killingsworth, S. S. (2016). Digital Games, Design, and Learning: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Review of Educational Research, 86(1), 79–122. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654315582065

q3 · i2 · quant-synthesis · r3

Meta-regression moderator analysis of player grouping in media comparisons (Table 3: single noncollab g = 0.45, a medium effect; single competitive g = −0.06; collaborative team competition g = 0.22; multiplayer/MMO g = −0.05). The review reports significantly larger effects for single noncompetitive play versus the other configurations.

"average effects were significantly larger for games with single players (with no formal collaboration or competition) relative to those using single/competitive play (b = 0.69, p < .001, 95% CI [0.39, 0.99]), collaborative team competitions (b = 0.29, p = .03, 95% CI [0.02, 0.56]), or multiplayer/MMOs (b = 0.49, p = .001, 95% CI [0.21, 0.78])."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Digital game conditions produce significantly better learning outcomes than nongame conditions (g = 0.33) in media comparisons — related
• Games with irrelevant story context show significantly larger learning effects than games with relevant story context, and games with no story show a larger, untested mean effect — 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
• Single noncollaborative, noncompetitive play shows the largest learning effects, significantly larger than single competitive play — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Digital game-based ICT was associated with significantly smaller effects on writing quality, but the finding rests on a single study — related