Before-the-problem complete worked examples for a game-based puzzle task

Design · All designs
Evidence · 4 claims (3 for, 1 mixed) · 1 study (1 causal), q3 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 4 claims rest on one study

Description

A worked example intervention inserted between two rounds of a commercial computer puzzle game. The article argues "The design or structure of work ed examples plays an important role in their effectiveness" and lists six design dimensions; its own examples were "being given before the problem", "being complete", "not including fading procedure", "using integrated text and diagrams", "using visual-visual instruction", and "using steps". Players studied them after a first game session and before a second.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• Worked examples positioned on six dimensions the article names: before vs. after, complete vs. incomplete, backward vs. forward fading, text vs. diagrams, visual vs. verbal, and steps vs. subgoals
• A game-based problem-solving task (SafeCracker) played before and after studying the examples

Constraints

• The authors report the resulting improvement was small compared to expert performance
• This design omitted fading, verbal instruction and subgoals, which the authors propose adding in future study

Target Learners

• Adults: undergraduate or graduate students playing a computer puzzle game (SafeCracker)

Target Goals

• Content understanding and problem-solving strategies (retention and transfer) in a game-based puzzle task

Claims

• Worked Examples Improve Knowledge Map Content Understanding In A Puzzle Game [+M]
• Worked Examples Improve Problem Solving Strategy Retention In A Puzzle Game [+M]
• Worked Examples Improve Problem Solving Strategy Transfer In A Puzzle Game [+M]
• Worked Example Gains In A Puzzle Game Remain Small Relative To Expert Knowledge Maps [~M]

Related Patterns

• Worked Examples
• Game Based Learning

Examples

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Key Sources

• Shen, C.-Y., & O’Neil, H. (2006). The Effectiveness of Worked Examples in a Game-Based Learning Environment. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Francisco, CA. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED491961

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	design
id	worked-examples-for-game-based-puzzle-problem-solving
title	Before-the-problem complete worked examples for a game-based puzzle task
description	A worked example intervention inserted between two rounds of a commercial computer puzzle game.
status	review
generated	by claude/unspecified on 2026-09-24
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — shen-2006

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