Epistemic Network Analysis of Critical Thinking in Digital Game-Based Learning

Abstract

Two major issues are identified in current research on critical thinking: (1) an over-reliance on outcome-based assessment and (2) limited methodological approaches for examining relationships among cognitive processes during learning. This study proposes the use of Epistemic Network Analysis (ENA) as a quantitative analytic approach to address these limitations. A virtual reality-based digital gamebased learning environment is designed to capture students’ behavioral data during problem-solving activities. Critical thinking is operationalized through multiple dimensions, including inference, interpretation, and evaluation. ENA is used to model how these dimensions co-occur and form connected patterns during learning. The proposed framework provides a process-oriented method for assessing critical thinking and examines how cognitive components are structurally connected during learning.