Modeling the Correlational Relationship Between Digital Game Mechanisms and Learners’ Selective Attention
Abstract
This study investigates how three core design mechanisms in digital educational games—user interface layout, audio-based feedback, and task difficulty—jointly account for individual differences in selective attention among middle-school learners in a game-based learning context. A predictive correlational design was employed with a sample of 370 students (aged 12–15) drawn from two schools in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Selective attention was assessed using the computerized CAT-SLA (2d-) task, a d2-derived measure that provides indices of focused performance, omission and commission errors, and mean reaction time. The three game mechanisms were captured through expert-reviewed scales specifically developed to reflect the properties of the implemented game-based environment. After confirming the adequacy of the measurement model via confirmatory factor analysis, structural relations were examined using structural equation modeling (SEM). The model demonstrated excellent global fit, and the results revealed a small but statistically significant negative direct path from user interface to selective attention, whereas the direct effects of audio cues and task difficulty did not reach significance under the present conditions. These findings underscore the sensitivity of selective attention to visual interface decisions, especially in terms of element density and feedback clarity, while highlighting the comparatively limited direct impact of audio configuration and difficulty scaling in this setting. The study concludes by emphasizing the practical need for visually economical, well-structured interfaces in game-based learning environments and calls for further research to extend and validate the proposed model across different platforms, game genres, and educational levels.
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