Computer Adventure Games as Problem-Solving Environments

Claims that computer-based adventure games are productive environments for the development of general problem-solving ability were tested in a study of 40 students’ interactions with a novel computer-based adventure game. Two sets of factors that are thought to influence problem-solving performance were identified in the literature – domain-specific knowledge (schema) and general problem-solving strategies. Measures of both domain-specific knowledge and general strategy use were developed and applied in the study. A cognitive model to explain performance is developed in which there are complex relationships among key concepts. General strategies were found to have important influences on problem-solving performance, but schema was negatively related to performance. The implications of these findings for both classroom practice and future research designs are discussed.