Game Features and Individual Differences: Interactive Effects on Motivation and Performance

To optimize the benefits of game-based practice within Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITSs), researchers examine how game features influence students' motivation and performance. The current study examined the influence of game features and individual differences (reading ability and learning intentions) on motivation and performance. Participants (n = 58) viewed lesson videos in iSTART-2, an ITS designed to improve reading comprehension skills, and practiced with either a game-like activity or a minimally game-like activity. No main effects of game environment were observed. However, there was an interaction between game environment and pretest learning intentions in predicting students' self-reported effort. The correlation between learning intentions and self-reported effort was not significant for students who practiced with the more game-like activity, whereas it was for students who practiced in the less game-like activity. We discuss the implications for this interaction and how it might drive future research.