Gamification in Intelligent Tutoring SystemsC A R I N A G O N Z Á L E Z

A L B E R TO M O R A

P E D R O T O L E D O

S A L A M A N C A , 2 D E O C T U B R E 2 0 1 4 – T E E M 2 0 1 4

Introduction

Intelligent Tutoring System

Gamification in education

Our proposal – EMATIC

Conclusions

Further work

Intelligent Tutoring System

ITS concept: a system capable to guide students along a particular domain of knowledge through the solving of tasks tailored to the needs of the students.

ITS components: traditional ITS are organized in different connected modules: Student model

Domain model

Tutor model

Interface model

Intelligent Tutoring System

ITS organization: they may be divided into smaller pieces like functions, organizations, semi-fully autonomous.

ITS communication: each other according the perceptions of the outside and the state of their knowledge.

ITS + gamification module (join) = G-ITS system for teaching mathematics concepts (EMATIC)

Gamification in educationWhy gamification?

Definition: it’s the use of game thinking and game mechanics in non-game contexts to engage users in solving problems. It has been studied and applied in several domains, with some of the main purposes being to engage.

How: with the addictive component of game (it tries to apply game mechanics in other environments such as education).

What: any process which satisfies the following assumptions can be gamificated: An activity that can be learned

User actions that can be measured

Feedbacks timely can be delivered to the user

Gamification in educationWhy gamification?

James Paul Gee maintains that good videogames are “machines of learning”.Provide user information on demand as needed.

Capable of presenting tasks that are challenging.

Convert users into creators.

Create levels, from easy to difficult tasks.

Why not using game components (mechanics) to be incorporated into teaching and learning systems (ITS, in our case)?

Our proposal - EMATICWhat’s EMATIC?

It’s a G-ITS system designed as a multi-device Web tool, specially oriented to mobile devices (m-learning).

It’s focused for teaching basic mathematical operation with children with SEN.

(i.e. Down, Asperger, Autism)

Our proposal - EMATICAbout SEN (i.e Down syndrome). Context.

Perceptual-cognitive and psychological level (with tendency of persistent behaviors, difficulties in generalizing concepts and skills in knowledge transfer, slowing for processing and encoding information). -> domain

Communicative level (imbalances, semantic problems, slow vocabulary acquisition and reading, phonological…). -> interaction

Personal autonomy (problems related to activities of daily living). -> tutor

High level of boredom!!!

Our proposal - EMATICAbout technology?

System was developed using Django 1.X framework (Model-View-Controller software architecture).

Written in Python 2.6 programming language.

Available with MySQL and PostgreSQL database engine.

Responsive interface based on HTML5, CSS3 and Javascript.

It’s based on OPEN SOURCE technology

Our proposal - EMATICModel-View-Controller software architecture

Our proposal - EMATICG-ITS Conceptual model

Our proposal - EMATICDomain model’s module

It contains the knowledge of the subject, rules and relations among the concepts.

Concepts of logic, numbers and operators ,operations, problems and algorithms.

Setting of different types of activities (classification, relationships, mapping, quantifiers, counting, recognition, ordering…)

Our proposal - EMATICStudent model’s module

It stores all the information about pupils (knowledge, preferences, learning styles).

Student profile + student records (interaction) -> strategy adaptation.

Facilitates the processing of the interaction data for cognitive reasoning during tasks (student knowledge state).

It includes game aesthetics (desirable emotional responses evoked by the player).

Our proposal - EMATICTutor model’s module

It contains the knowledge about teaching strategies (problem-solving, bug-based tutoring, tutorial dialogue...). taking into account the information of student module.

The components of tutoring module can be: Objects: explanations, examples, hints, counter examples, quizzes, questions… Actions: test, summarizes, describes, defines, demonstrates…. Tasks: teach step by step, ask students, move on, go to topic…

Gamification mechanics (challenges) and dynamics (procedures) elements are closely related to this module.

Our proposal - EMATICExecution module

It saves modes, methods, and technology to support trainee interaction.

Randomly exercise generation based on student interaction and teaching strategies defined in tutor’s module .

Stores all data interaction by solving tasks in order to determine and infer the reasoning performed by the child during the task thanks tutor’s module (result).

This module includes several aspects of gamification elements (rewards, points, time, level,…).

Our proposal - EMATICAuthoring module

The setting up of an activity consist on the particular definition of a type of activity in the system. (i.e. enable audio, speech agent, maximum time, number of attempts, dates).

This module includes a designer gallery (game components designer).

Individual or group personalization activities.

Our proposal - EMATICManagement module

Teacher can create and manage their students and groups.

Visualization moduleIt includes a data visualization model for the specialists that provides them a tool for discovering interesting pattern (learning difficulties, behaviors, game feedbacks) thanks to learning analytics (individual and groups).

Our proposal - EMATICUser interface (scenarios)

ConclusionsIt have been shown a G-ITS in order to improve student achievement and enhance learning.

This proposal includes game elements to an ITS model and aims to enhance the motivation and learning of elementary mathematics in children with SEN.

It’s possible to model the cognitive stated and discover learning pattern based on the intelligent processing of data collections from the interactions.

Further workCurrently Development and deployment in the context.

Validation of this conceptual module as a case of study.

Testing several frameworks of gamification (gamification cloud services).

Future Create “native” mobile apps using the current Web technologies.

Greater power of learning analytics.

Upgrade intelligence system (diversity SEN people)

Thank you for your interest…

Alberto Mora Carreño

Departamento de Ingeniería Informática y de Sistemas

Universidad de La Laguna. Tenerife

CP: 38204. España

Email: amoracar@ull.edu.es

Twitter: @amoracarreno