Does individual or collaborative self-debriefing better enhance learning from games?

• Self-debriefing can be effectively supported with a set of questions.
• There was no relationship between game scores and test scores.
• Individual debriefing yields more knowledge gains than Collaborative debriefing.

The primary aim of this study is to find out whether use of different self-debriefing modes affects learning from a game. In self-debriefing participants are led to reflect upon their game experiences by a set of debriefing questions. Two conditions were compared: Individual and Collaborative self-debriefing. The 45 participants first played the game of Lemonade Tycoon Deluxe, were tested for knowledge and self-debriefed in pairs or alone. Then they played the game once more and were tested again. Game scores increased significantly from the first to the second round of gameplay to an equal degree in both conditions. Knowledge scores of participants in individual self-debriefing increased significantly more than those of participants in the Collaborative condition. The study shows that game-based learning can be effectively scaffolded with self-debriefing. Future studies might investigate whether the type of self-debriefing differentially affects game motivation. In addition, attention to the role of feedback is called for.