Playful Learning Following Deviations: A Mixture of Tinkering, Causal Explanations, and Revision Rationales

Abstract

This work expands on process-based accounts of the intersection between play, learning, and failure. We examine middle school and college players navigating Baba Is You, a puzzle-based video game, based on prior scholarship in debugging and problem-solving. We document how players notice deviations, generate causal explanations, and revise their approach when problem-solving. Using qualitative interaction analyses and quantitative sequential analyses, this work shows how players approach the puzzle through persistent tinkering guided by generating causal explanations of game mechanics and providing revision rationales. In addition to nuancing the field’s understanding of the relationship between failure and learning, the study has implications for theorizing about and designing for learning through play and problem-solving.