Using active learning strategies, such as games, can make a positive impact on how students learn, how they process and retain information, and how they interact with digital media. This quantitative comparative research study examined differences among online freshman students' posttest information literacy (IL) summative scores comparing information literacy (IL) pedagogies (traditional vs. quiz-style PowerPoint game) and response to the online formative assessment using the Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation model combined with the application of the "Framework" as grounded in the behavioral and cognitive learning theories of Bloom's Taxonomy and Sweller's CLT. The specific problem addressed was that traditional IL instruction methods used by faculty have proven to be ineffective or insufficient in improving information literacy development of first-year college students. Consequently, issues interrelated with information literacy development such as critical thinking, problem solving, reading and writing skills, and course performance represents ongoing obstacles faced by freshmen college students in higher education. A comparative analysis using a non-parametric analysis of variance for both hypothesis 1 and 2 indicated no significant difference in IL summative scores between the traditional pedagogy and the quiz-style pedagogy groups (p > 0.05), and a significant difference between IL summative scores based on student response for hypothesis 2 (p < 0.05). Two recommendations for practice were for higher education leadership to (a) encourage active learning strategies, such as quiz-style PowerPoint games or other game-based learning methods for teaching and learning for online first-year writing courses, and (b) to encourage college faculty to use online formative assessments in their classrooms to help increase student participation, interaction, and most of all, course performance. Two recommendations for future research were to conduct a (a) quantitative quasi-experimental study with a between-groups design to determine causality of differences in academic achievement for quiz-style PowerPoint games in other undergraduate academic disciplines in both traditional and online modalities; and, (b) quantitative comparative study of the hypothesis 2 finding to examine gaming vs. traditional classroom teaching across various academic disciplines for academic performance, satisfaction, and retention of knowledge. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]