Model-based reasoning appears in about one tenth of WoW forum posts, with model testing, mathematical modeling, and explicit computation progressively rarer¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · qualitative r3 · q2
Currency · newest study 2008 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2013: baselines and conditions change

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Roughly one tenth (11%) of forum posts illustrated model-based reasoning; about half of those (5% of posts) included comparison of model predictions to observations, 4% were explicitly mathematical, and 1% included actual computations. → Constance Steinkuehler 2008

Evidence¶

Constance Steinkuehler 2008¶

Constance Steinkuehler, Sean Duncan. (2008). Scientific Habits of Mind in Virtual Worlds. J Sci Educ Technol. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-008-9120-8

q2 · i? · qualitative · r3

Coding of the forum corpus for model-based reasoning codes found proportions the authors call "rather low": 11% model-based reasoning, 5% model testing and prediction, 4% mathematical modeling, and 1% explicit computation, exemplified by posts comparing priest and mage scaling factors (0.687 vs 0.968).

"Generally speaking, the proportion of model-based reasoning, model testing and prediction, use of mathematics, and explicit computation (11%, 5%, 4%, 1%, respectively) were rather low; however, the sophistication of arguments that leverage such models warrants consideration."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• 86% of World of Warcraft forum posts constitute social knowledge construction rather than social banter — related
• Over half of WoW forum posts evince systems-based reasoning, most also showing understanding of feedback among system components — related
• 65% of codable WoW forum posts display an evaluative epistemology, contrasting with Kuhn's finding that only 15% of interviewed Americans held one — related
• Systems-based reasoning and understanding feedback correlate moderately with discussion of the priest talent tree — related
• Poster character level shows no relationship with the quality or quantity of coded scientific habits of mind, apart from a mild negative correlation with social banter — related