The Problem Solving Skills and Learning Performance in Learning Multi-Touch Interactive Jigsaw Game Using Digital Scaffolds

Abstract

Multi-touch technology has become increasingly popular interactive technology of applied in digital game and education. The displays with multi-touch technology are responsive enough to support a wide variety of applications. Digital game offers instant feedback and interactivity in a game-based learning environment. In this study, we have designed a multi-touch interactive jigsaw game for learning the geographical location of cities in Taiwan by providing the effective instant feedbacks and interactivity as the digital scaffolds for learners in order to reduce their frustration. Based on the combination of the multi-touch operations and the digital scaffolds, the learners could use the different operated scaffolds to learn and play this game. We have classified three scaffolds: demonstration, reduction in degree of freedom, and frustration control in this jigsaw game, and have investigated the learning effects of learners according to their problem solving skills and learning performance. Our data indicated that the jigsaw game combining with scaffolding supports would increase the learning performance. Among these three scaffolding types, demonstration would reduce the potential for players to feel stuck, but may increase learner reliance, thereby reducing learning opportunities. On the other hand, providing learners with the reduction in degree of freedom and the frustration control at the same time would increase reliance on available support for some learners, but most of them would help learners improve the development of problem-solving skill.