Students that Benefit from Educational 3D Games

We describe an educational 3D game called Rashi Game. Rashi Game features a fully functional, and open-ended, 3D environment for students backed by a domain-independent inquiry-learning tutor. We present pilot work that directly compares Rashi´s classic 2D interface against the 3D game environment. We compare both the student´s work within the system, as well as their reported sense of presence. Specifically, we notice some interesting patterns in student behavior within the game, dependent on the student´s preference for games, and argue that there may be potential for modeling when and how to present a student with an educational game based on simple factors such as whether or not the student plays games regularly, or based on student affect (e.g. a lack of motivation).