As past studies showed mixed results, this meta-analysis determined game-based learning’s overall effect on students’ critical thinking and tested for moderators, using 21 effect sizes from 20 empirical studies of 1,947 participants. The results showed that game-based learning had a significant positive overall effect on students’ critical thinking (g = 0.863, k = 21) and showed significant heterogeneity among effect sizes. Among game types, role-playing games yielded the largest mean effect size (g = 1.828, k = 5). The effect size of game-based learning was larger for critical thinking disposition (g = 1.774, k = 4) than critical thinking skill (g = 0.661, k = 17). Game-based learning also had a larger effect on students in collectivistic countries (g = 1.282, k = 10) than those in individualistic countries (g = 0.432, k = 10). Furthermore, this effect size was larger in later publication years. Lastly, the effect size of game-based learning on critical thinking was larger for studies published in journal articles (g = 1.154, k = 13) than theses (g = 0.378, k = 8).

由于过去的研究显示出不同的结果，因此这项荟萃分析使用了来自20个来自1947名参与者的实证研究中的21种影响量，确定了基于游戏的学习对学生的批判性思维的总体影响并测试了主持人。结果表明，基于游戏的学习对学生的批判性思维有显着的积极影响（g  = 0.863，k = 21），并且在影响大小之间存在显着的异质性。在游戏类型中，角色扮演游戏产生最大的平均效果大小（g  = 1.828，k = 5）。批判性思维倾向（g  = 1.774，k = 4）比基于批判性思维技巧（g）的基于游戏的学习的影响大小更大。 = 0.661，k = 17）。与集体主义 国家（g  = 0.432，k = 10）相比，基于游戏的学习对集体国家（g = 1.282，k = 10）的学生影响更大。此外，这种效应的大小在以后的出版年中更大。最后，在期刊论文中发表的研究中，基于游戏的学习对批判性思维的影响大小（g  = 1.154，k = 13）大于论文（g  = 0.378，k = 8）。