----------------------Effects of Networked Interactivity in Educational Games-----------------: Mediating Effects of Social Presence

Abstract

Networked interactivity is one of the essential factors that differentiate recent online educational games from traditional stand-alone games. However, despite the growing popularity of online educational games, empirical studies about the effects of the networked interactivity are relatively rare. This study tests the effects of networked interactivity on game users ’ subjective evaluation of learning (sense of competition, satisfaction, and perceived efficiency) and objective test performance in an online educational game. In addition, since the games facilitate virtual social interactions, this study investigates the mediating effect of feelings of social presence between networked interactivity and the evaluation of learning in the game. Results show that networked interactivity enhances positive evaluation of learning, test performance, and social presence. Furthermore, social presence strongly mediates the effect of networked interactivity on the evaluation of learning. 1