Learners ability to effectively monitor and apply cognitive (e.g., reading) and metacognitive (e.g., content evaluations)strategies in game-based learning environments (GBLEs) are influenced by internal factors such as prior knowledge. Thisstudy examined whether there were differences in learners strategy usage over time during learning with Crystal Island,a GBLE for microbiology, between high and low prior knowledge groups. Results indicated that learners with high priorknowledge had greater posttest scores, but spent less time reading. This is further influenced by relative time in gamewhere learners with high prior knowledge have greater reading durations at the start of the game, but smaller durationstowards the end compared to low prior knowledge learners. Learners’ metacognitive strategy usage did not differ betweenprior knowledge groups, but the use of this strategy increased over time. Implications for designing adaptive GBLEs fromlearners cognitive and metacognitive strategy use are discussed.

Emotional experiences have a significant impact on learningabout complex topics. Yet, challenges exist becauseemotions are typically operationalized as end products,excluding if, how, and when emotions change duringlearning and their relation to metacognition and performancewith advanced learning technologies such as intelligenttutoring systems (ITSs). In this paper, we addressed thesechallenges by capturing and analyzing 117 college students’concurrent and self-reported emotions at 3 time points duringlearning with MetaTutor, an ITS. Analyses revealed negativerelationships between increases in boredom, metacognitivemonitoring accuracy, and performance. We also foundthat if confusion persisted over time during learning, itwas detrimental to performance. These findings provideimplications for designing affect-sensitive ITSs which fosteremotion-regulation and metacognitive monitoring based onchanges in emotions during learning to optimize performance.