Digital games can help students learn how to cope with misinformation. However, misinformation games typically include multiple game mechanics, making it hard to identify which mechanics contribute to learning. Hence, the aim of this study was to clarify how misinformation games promote learning by examining the effects of two promising misinformation game mechanics– simulating evaluation strategies and providing explanations about the types of misinformation encountered in the game. The participants were 132 8th and 9th-grade students who played different versions of a misinformation game that either simulated evaluation strategies or did not simulate them and either included misinformation explanations or did not include them. The results indicated that simulating evaluation strategies improved sharing and accuracy discernment following the game, but providing misinformation explanations did not. Simulating evaluation strategies also led to greater awareness of corroboration and sourcing strategies, whereas misinformation explanations only supported awareness of sourcing. Structural equation modeling revealed that simulating evaluation strategies led to more accurate sharing decisions in the game and that in-game sharing accuracy mediated the effect of simulating strategies on post-game accuracy and sharing discernment. These findings advance the understanding of misinformation game design by identifying game mechanics that are conducive to learning. The findings highlight that simulating evaluation strategies in a game can help prepare learners to cope with misinformation. More research is needed to explore the effective integration of misinformation explanations into such games.

中文翻译：

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学习在在线游戏中评估（错误）信息：策略很重要！


数字游戏可以帮助学生学习如何应对错误信息。然而，错误信息游戏通常包括多种游戏机制，因此很难确定哪些机制有助于学习。因此，本研究的目的是通过检查两种有前途的错误信息游戏机制的效果来阐明错误信息游戏如何促进学习——模拟评估策略和提供有关游戏中遇到的错误信息类型的解释。参与者是 132 名 8 年级和 9 年级学生，他们玩了不同版本的错误信息游戏，这些游戏要么模拟评估策略，要么不模拟它们，要么包含错误信息解释，要么不包括错误信息解释。结果表明，模拟评估策略可以提高比赛后的分享和准确性辨别能力，但提供错误信息解释则没有。模拟评估策略也导致对确证和采购策略的认识提高，而错误信息解释仅支持对采购的认识。结构方程模型表明，模拟评估策略会导致游戏中更准确的分享决策，并且游戏中的分享准确性中介了模拟策略对赛后准确性和分享辨别力的影响。这些发现通过识别有利于学习的游戏机制，促进了对错误信息游戏设计的理解。研究结果强调，在游戏中模拟评估策略可以帮助学习者准备好应对错误信息。需要更多的研究来探索将错误信息解释有效地整合到此类游戏中。