3.1.2. Discussion of cluster patterns and sequential patterns
The above analyses show that integrating cluster and sequential
analyses allows an in-depth understanding of learners’ behavior
patterns in the simulation games with situated-learning context.
Of the three clusters, Cluster 1 displayed a high behavioral frequency
but lacked an in-depth reflective process. Cluster 2 had
lower behavior frequency and a more cautious reflective process.
Cluster 3 was characterized by a mid-level of behavior frequency and reflective processes by evaluating the fail situations caused by
incorrect manipulations directly in the manipulation phase. All of
the above analyses reveal and create visualizations of the possible
behavior patterns and processes a learner may undergo during a
simulation game with situated-learning context. Kiili (2007) noted
that if an educational game can guide learners to repeatedly adjust
their problem-solving strategies, an educational game can help
their learning processes by reflection. In addition, there is a strong
correlation between learners’ hypothesis testing strategies in
science education games and their learning effectiveness (Spires,
Rowe, Mott, & Lester, 2011). From the process of the simulation
game with situated-learning context, our behavioral analyses
showed that apart from Cluster 1, the remaining learners from
Clusters 2 and 3 (a total of 96.5%) all exhibited a bi-directional
and interactive reflective process. This process may help to repeatedly
test the hypotheses preset by learners during the manipulation
in simulation-based science learning and should promote
their metacognitive skills in simulation-based learning to a certain
degree. Because of the underlined strategy of situated-learning and
experience in simulation games with situated scenarios, learners
must explore and analyze the scenarios and complete the virtual
manipulation tasks; thus, more complex cognitive processes may
arise. Previous studies have also observed that compared with popular
games, educational games require complex cognitive processes
and thus often affect or even diminish students’ degree of game
immersion (Kiili, 2006). Educational games also sometimes generate
germane cognitive load (Sweller, Van Merriënboer, & Paas,
1998) because of the cognitive process of frequent comparison
and analysis. This study observed that the behavior patterns of
some students (i.e., Cluster 2) may often be affected by cognitive
processes such as memory retrieval and alignment. Although students
may experience the cognitive processes of deeper reflection
and error corrections, their gaming fluency and enjoyment may be
affected by their inclination to careful analysis. In contrast, another
type of student (i.e., Cluster 3) tends to have more behavior frequency
than Cluster 2 and may experience and explore more scenarios.