Chapter 2

Introduction

This chapter presents the related studies and related literature from international sources

and local sources for the research topic of “Analyzing the Impact of Online Games Problem-

Solving Skills Among Mataasnakahoy Senior High School Students Across Genders” it includes

ideas, finished thesis, generalization, conclusion methodologies and others. Those were included

in this chapter to help in familiarizing information that are relevant and similar to the present

study.

Foreign literature

With the prevalence of personal computers and the availability of various computer

hardware choices, computer assembly has become a practical skill for daily life. Individuals who

possess the requisite knowledge and skills can assemble a computer in accordance with their

budgets and their requirements for computer performance and functionality. These individuals

can also accurately diagnose computer problems and replace broken components by themselves

to avoid wasting the time that would be required to return the computer to the company for

maintenance. Sufficient time must be devoted to repeatedly reviewing and practicing computer

knowledge and skills to ensure that this learning is appropriately acquired and used. However,

during the course of teaching computer knowledge and skills in school, the opportunities to

engage in hands-on exercises are typically limited because of both the restricted availability of

time and equipment and concerns regarding safety issues. The adoption of information and

computer technology (e.g., simulation software) may provide a solution to overcome the
aforementioned limitations and assist students’ learning of the knowledge and skills that would

be required for computer assembly. However, little research has been conducted to address the

use of information and computer technology for contributing to the learning of this subject.

Although a previous research has used ubiquitous learning technologies to support peer

interactions during computer-assembling tasks (e.g., Hwang, Wu, Tseng, & Huang, 2011), the

approach has been utilized as help-seeking assistants instead of as instructional tools that provide

the direct tutoring of computer assembly.

Simulation learning tools are designed to provide an authentic and secure environment in

which students can repeatedly manipulate learning content and observe the results of these

manipulations (Alessi & Trollip, 2001). Simulations that model various concepts, such as

computer architecture and operating systems, have been designed to support the instruction of

computer science courses (e.g., Mustafa, 2010, Yehezkel et al., 2001). Students who used

simulations experienced better learning outcomes than students who used traditional paper

exercises (Mustafa, 2010). In a meta-analysis conducted by Vogel et al. (2006), researchers found

that better cognitive gains and learning attitudes of students could be promoted by interactive

simulations and games than by traditional instructions. However, as noted by Prensky (2001),

simple and repeated manipulations in simulations might become boring for students. Thus, it has

been suggested that the addition of game elements (e.g., goals, rules, challenges, and stories) to

simulation instructional software could help to create a diverting learning experience (Prensky,

2001). By providing students with an enjoyable learning experience and a specific and

challenging goal, games are thought to be superior to simulations with respect to stimulating

students’ motivations to learn and engaging students in active learning.

 To take advantage of both games and simulations, increasing numbers of researchers have

integrated simulations into their game designs to create simulation games. This type of games

allows students to learn from manipulating simulated content in contexts that include game

elements to make these manipulations challenging and interesting. Simulation games have been

employed to enhance learning through not only helping students understand the basic principles

of either a domain (e.g., physics laws) or design models (e.g., computational models) but also

immersing students in a game-based context that allows them to experience problem-solving

processes as they attempt to complete the goals of the game (e.g., Anderson and Barnett, 2011,

Liu et al., 2011, Squire and Klopfer, 2007).

Game-based learning has become a research trend in the field of educational technology

(Hwang & Wu, 2012). Many researchers have suggested that digital educational games could

facilitate learning (e.g., Gee, 2007, Oblinger, 2004, Prensky, 2001, Squire and Jenkins, 2003).

Digital educational games have increasingly been applied to different learning domains (e.g.,

mathematics learning, health education, language learning, and social science learning), and their

learning effectiveness has been reviewed and discussed by many researchers (e.g., Blakely et al.,

2009, Divjak and Tomić, 2011, Egenfeldt-Nielsen, 2006, O’Neil et al., 2005). From these

reviews, it is obvious that most of the game-based learning studies have focused on evaluations

of learning effectiveness, learning motivation, or game satisfaction. The multi-aspect

investigations of game design elements, game acceptance, and gaming experience (e.g., flow

experience) have been less emphasized by empirical studies in this field. However, these

overlooked considerations are important aspects of designing a game that could better meet the

needs of learners; therefore, these considerations merit the same level of attention that has been

devoted to more extensively studied topics. Among the empirical studies in the literature, there is
also a lack of multi-aspect empirical research that analyzes and evaluates specific digital

educational games.

Several researchers have suggested important game characteristics to consider during the

process of game design. In particular, Prensky (2001) listed a number of game design elements

that make a game engaging and fun, including goals, rules, interactivities, feedbacks, and

challenges. Alessi and Trollip (2001) also suggested that goals, rules, competition, challenge,

fantasy, safety, and entertainment are general features of a game. Moreover, Aleven, Myers,

Easterday, and Ogan (2010) proposed a design framework for educational games. Within this

framework, in addition to learning objectives and instructional strategies, the game design

elements of mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics are essential components of a game. The

aesthetic design of a game would influence a player’s emotional reactions or feelings of pleasure.

Eight general aesthetic elements were suggested for games, including sensation, fantasy,

narrative, challenge, fellowship, discovery, expression, and submission. For the design of a

problem-solving game, Kiili (2007) proposed a problem-based gaming model that emphasized

the importance of context, task, and feedback. According to Kiili, a problem-solving game

should provide a well-designed game context that would allow learners to utilize different

strategies to accomplish game goals (i.e., to solve the problems that they encounter in the game),

and the process of reflection plays a very important role in this problem-solving process. It is

necessary to design a game that could provide learners with appropriate and adequate feedback

and enable them to reflect on their gaming strategies and adjust these strategies as necessary.

Therefore, a problem-solving-based adventure game that incorporates both the challenging

elements of game design and simulated manipulation scenarios may promote students’ learning
motivations, allow students to continuously reflect on their manipulations, and assist their

process of effectively acquiring computer assembly knowledge.

Before an innovative technology can impact students’ learning, students must be willing

to use the technology. In his technology acceptance model, Davis suggested that “perceived

usefulness” and “perceived ease of use” were two critical factors that would predict user

intentions to use technology. Many scholars have used Davis’ model to investigate the

acceptance of various technologies (e.g., wireless technology, Facebook, e-libraries, mobile

games, and online games) and the factors that would affect this acceptance (e.g., Fang et al.,

2005, Hsu and Lu, 2004, Jeong, 2011, Kim et al., 2008, Lee and Tsai, 2010, Suki et al., 2012,

Tao et al., 2009). In a study of game acceptance, Chang, Peng, and Chao (2010) found that the

degree to which students accepted educational games could predict the learning interests of these

students. Another study that investigated student acceptance with respect to the use of

educational games in the classroom concluded that students’ perceptions of the ease of use,

usefulness, and learning opportunities of games and their prior game experiences would

influence their degree of game acceptance (Bourgonjon, Valcke, Soetaert, & Schellens, 2010).

Moreover, Liu and Li (2011) found that perceived usefulness, perceived enjoyment, and

cognitive concentration positively affected university students’ attitudes towards mobile gaming

and that this attitude would then affect their intention to use mobile games. These studies

suggested that the investigation of game acceptance would provide important information for

game evaluation. Given the dearth of research that investigates the acceptance of simulated,

problem-solving-based type of educational games, it is necessary to evaluate different aspects of

the user acceptance of educational simulation games to understand the characteristics and

limitations of this type of games.In addition to the degree of game acceptance, the game-playing
experiences of players have also been stressed by researchers that have studied game-based

learning. The flow experience has commonly been used to describe a player’s psychological state

during the course of playing a game. According to the flow theory that was introduced by

Csikszentmihalyi, flow is “the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing

else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost,

for the sheer sake of doing it.” When people enjoy doing a particular activity, they can obtain

control over the quality of their experience and can thereby achieve the optimal experience. To

promote students’ quality of learning, the question of how to achieve certain flow states of

students during their learning processes has recently drawn attention from many researchers. The

flow experience has been found to either directly or indirectly influence learning outcomes (e.g.,

Choi et al., 2007, Ho and Kuo, 2010, Schuler, 2007, Skadberg and Kimmel, 2004). In a study

that used a simulation game to facilitate students’ learning of computational problem-solving, it

was found that students who played the game in question could experience higher levels of flow

states than students who used traditional learning methods (Liu et al., 2011). Moreover, this

previously published study also revealed that when students experienced flow in the game, they

would perform multiple problem-solving strategies, including both deep and surface-level

approaches, whereas students who felt bored or anxious during the performance of a game

primarily utilized surface-level problem-solving strategies. Another study that explored students’

flow experiences during gameplay concluded that a flow state was more readily achieved by

boys than by girls (Inal & Cagiltay, 2007). The challenge of a game was stated by the children as

the most important element that influenced their flow experiences (Inal & Cagiltay, 2007).

Local literature
 Students use online games to relieve them of their stresses but the excessive use of online

games may lead to worsened learning ability, concentration problems, poor academic

performance and decreased interactions with other people. One most common effect of online

gaming addiction is withdrawal from social interactions (Jongco, 2022)

Along with entertainment from games, students are able to socialise with their peers from

around the world while forming communities, and friendships (Jongco, 2022). On the other

hand, overindulgence in the activity of playing online games can also lead to negative activities

like delay in accomplishing tasks, neglect of obligations, and dropping down in academic

achievements. This is further disturbing regarding students who may spend more time gaming

than studying, which in turn will affect their grades and lessen their attention in class (Dumrique

& Castillo, 2018).

The effects of internet gaming and social media use. With the rapid increase in the

prevalence of the Internet and/or smartphone usage worldwide in the last decade, engagement in

internet gaming and social media may be problematic and may lead to negative consequences on

mental and physical health among young adults (Kwok, et al., 2021).

Several reviews have reported the alarming potential of online games to be addictive

which in the case of students can lead to playing for long hours, often interfering with a student’s

daily schedule and even disrupting sleep, meals, and study (Kwok et al., 2021). That being said,

addiction to games not only involves usage but can also lead to a situation in which students can

become dependent on these games and ignore all other useful or social engagements.

In the Philippines, online gaming is one of the widely used leisure activities by many

people. For some people it is said that playing video games has a number of reasons to be played,
 for it can be a stress reliever, challenge and competition, relaxation, enjoyment, social

Interaction, and even mentally escaping from the real world. For most people, online gaming is

one of the best past times that they acquire specially for teenagers, youngsters and students

(Dumrique and Castillo, 2018)

As for the Filipino youth, online games have been a source of fun and an escape from

stress, but it should be emphasized that too much of it can also lead to negative effects. Thus, it is

important to moderate gaming and foster positive online behavior to avoid the adverse effects

linked with gaming disorder (Santiago & Torres, 2020).

Conceptual Framework

IPO Method

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Senior high school  Administer  Findings on the

students (gender, surveys and effects of online
gaming frequency). assessments to game addiction on
 Online gaming habits gather data on students’ social
(time, type of games, gaming habits, behavior and
addiction indicators). social behavior, psychological well-
 Assessments for social psychological being.
behavior, well-being, well-being, and  Comparison of
academics, and academic problem-solving
problem-solving skills. performance. skills between
 Analyze regular gamers
responses to and non-gamers.
categorize
students into
regular gamers
and non-gamers.
 IVDV Method

IV DV

Students’ usage of online Problem Solving Skills

gaming (specifically, the operationalized with particular
kind or quantity of online quizzes, assignments, or
games they play) Students’ assessments meant to gauge
gender (whether they are how well students can handle
male or female) The problems following their
independent variable participation in online games) In
includes the participants’ order to investigate the impact of
sex as well as the online online gaming on gender
games they play, which regulating the connection, the
measuring the frequency dependent variable in this
and duration of online have instance—that is, students’
different cognitive problem-solving abilities—is
demands. modified. This variable refers to
the cognitive abilities of students
to identify, define, and solve
problems. It is measured using a
standardized problem-solving
test.