Techniques to Motivate Learner Improvement in Game-Based Assessment

Learner motivation to self-improve is a crucial effectiveness factor in all modes and settings of learning. Game-based learning was long used for attracting and maintaining students’ interest especially in small ages, deploying means such as scoring, timing, scores of peers (i.e., hall of fame), etc. These techniques can provide recognition for high-scoring players, while also developing a sense of safe “distance” in the impersonal electronic environment for low-scoring players. In addition, constructive feedback on mistakes a player makes can contribute to avoiding similar mistakes in the future, thus achieving better performance in the game, while constructing valuable new knowledge when a knowledge gap is detected. This paper investigates an integrated approach to designing, implementing, and using an adaptive game for assessing and gradually improving multiplication skills. Student motivation is fostered by incorporating the Open Learner Model approach, which exposes part of the underlying user model to the students in a graphically simplified manner that is easily perceivable and offers a clear picture of student performance. In addition, the Open Learner Model is expanded with visualizations of social comparison information, where students can access the progress of anonymous peers and summative class scores for improving self-reflection and fostering self-regulated learning. This paper also presents the feedback received by the preliminary testing of the game and discusses the effect of assessing multiplication skills of primary school pupils using the adaptive game-based approach on increasing pupil motivation to self-improve.

Information Technologies for Learning Principles of Fault-Tolerant Systems

In this chapter, the authors present a methodology for developing a model-tracing cognitive tutor. The methodology is based on Bayesian probabilistic networks for generating pedagogical interventions. The presented probabilistic model increases fidelity assessment due to its ability of independently diagnosing the degree of mastery for every knowledge component involved in students' actions; fidelity assessment in education is the ability to represent students' cognitive states as close as possible for analysis and evaluation. The cognitive tutor was developed to promote a self-regulated learning approach with an open learner model. The open learner model let students change the learning flow by changing the assigned tasks. The authors explain in detail the structural construction and employed algorithms for developing a model-tracing cognitive tutor in the domain of fault-tolerant systems. Preliminary results and future work are also discussed to assess effectiveness of the proposed approach and its implication in actual educational programs.

Proposed Framework for Combining Gamification Elements with Open Learner Model in a Collaborative e-Learning System for Programming Course

The main objective of the proposed framework that combines gamification and open learner model is to increase students’ engagement in learning programming via virtual computer environ ment, thus enabling them to learn cooperatively and helps them to increase awareness of their own performance. The framework proposed the development of an e - Learning system that includes gamification elements such as the users’ level and leaderboard to di splay users’ achievements and rewards. Meanwhile, in order to increase students’ awareness of their own milestone in the programming course, the framework also included the Open Learnel Model, which shows the students’ milestones via the skills meters. T his project also proposed the use of Web 2.0 elements such as chat rooms to allow collaboration and group discussions over the Internet.