Comparing Factual Knowledge Acquisition in Jigsaw map Puzzle Game Versus Self-Study

Efficacy of games as learning medium is of interest to researchers and the gaming industry. A critical metric for learning is knowledge retention and very few studies have conducted in-depth comparisons of: a) game versus no-game learning, b) collaborative versus individual learning. Towards this, the study reported in this paper will present the findings from an experiment using Asia and world maps, one set cut into pieces as in a jigsaw puzzle. The stimuli were distinctly coloured paper world map with 5 continents and an Asia map with nine major countries labelled A jigsaw puzzle map was selected because it is widely used in classrooms by teachers to teach map concepts. A physical version was opted as it is inexpensive and the test can be administered in a regular classroom. The participants were primary school children (40 students, grade 5) who have not been introduced to map labelling in the classroom. Equal number of students was randomly assigned to the puzzle and no-puzzle group. The task given to the puzzle group was to arrange the pieces and complete the map. For the no-puzzle group, the uncut maps were provided. To understand the role of collaborative interactions in learning, the 20-member group was further subdivided into 10 each. Each group of these 10 either solved the puzzle individually or collaboratively or studied the full map (no-puzzle) individually or collaboratively. Three post-tests were conducted over a period of 10 days. The mean scores and Mann Whitney test shows: a) In the no-puzzle condition, no difference in the average scores of the individual and collaborative groups for both maps was observed, b) In the puzzle condition, the collaborative group score was slightly more than that of the individual group for Asia map, while the difference was significant for the continent map, and c) Puzzle and no-puzzle individual group scores were comparative for Asia map but the continent map groups showed a major difference. The findings are mixed with collaborative puzzle solving showing higher retention while puzzle solving does not show significant effect on learning and retention.