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ERIC Number: EJ1463076
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 22
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-2211-1662
EISSN: EISSN-2211-1670
Available Date: 2024-12-20
Game-Based Performance Tasks for Assessing Representational Flexibility of Autistic Adolescents in a Virtual World
Jewoong Moon1; Fengfeng Ke2; Zlatko Sokolikj3
Technology, Knowledge and Learning, v30 n1 p539-560 2025
In this exploratory study, we designed and validated game-based performance tasks to assess the development of representational flexibility in autistic adolescents through virtual reality (VR)-based training. Representational flexibility, a critical cognitive ability, involves attention switching, generating representations, and recognizing patterns--skills essential for adaptive problem-solving and success in STEM education. Despite the increasing use of VR in educational interventions, limited research has explored dynamic, real-time assessment methods for representational flexibility, particularly for autistic learners. To address this gap, we conducted 71 VR-based training sessions with seven autistic adolescents, implementing a variety of game-based tasks targeting specific subsets of representational flexibility. Using both correlation and regression analyses, we evaluated the predictive validity of these tasks. Findings indicated significant relationships between task performance and representational flexibility subsets, with certain tasks demonstrating strong potential as proxies for dynamic cognitive assessments. The study highlights the viability of game-based performance tasks as an innovative approach to tracking cognitive development in immersive learning environments. Broadly, these findings contribute to advancing inclusive VR-based educational practices and assessment methodologies tailored to the unique needs of neurodiverse learners.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link-springer-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1The University of Alabama, Department of Educational Leadership, Policy, and Technology Studies, Tuscaloosa, USA; 2University of Maryland, Department of Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership, College Park, USA; 3Florida State University, Department of Scientific Computing, Tallahassee, USA