RSA#4: Motivation and Performance in a Game-Based Intelligent Tutoring System

RSA#4: Motivation and Performance in a Game-Based Intelligent Tutoring System

Article Link: http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/edu/105/4/1036/

Game-based learning is an attractive option in education because it utilizes highly motivational, engaging resources to foster learning and increase problem solving skills.  Another use for game-based learning is within tutoring systems that can be used to support the work done in a traditional classroom.  Jackson and McNamara (2013) state that the use of games provides motivation while offering an opportunity to work with an individualized, adaptive resource.  The use of individualized, motivating games at home could offer the necessary tutoring to help students reach deeper levels of understanding.

Motivation can be defined as the “students’ desire to perform a task and willingness to expend effort on that activity” (Jackson & McNamara, 2013).  Because motivation is a key factor to keeping students engaged in the learning process, Jackson and McNamara recognize an indirect link between the two. Students will stick with and gain understanding of a topic if it is presented in a motivating way.  Games require participation and often provide audio and visual stimulation to engage the user.  They also involve competition, whether against another player or in an effort to win the game.  The act of winning something can be enough of a motivating factor that students expend effort on the task and subsequently gain knowledge on a topic.

Since games can be an effective resource in a classroom in order to provide motivation to apply what has been taught, research has been done to study how games can be used as a remedial tool.  Bente Meyer (2013) argued that since games can be used at home or at school for entertainment as well as educational purposes, parents might be well-advised to use games to supplement their children’s school experiences.  In order to create “competent 21^st century learners and citizens” (p. 40), she suggests the use of games as strategy to provide tutoring that supports classroom learning when the teacher isn’t available to work with the students such as when the student is at home.

One game-based resource that can be used at home to reinforce language learning is Mingoville English (n.d.).  It is intended for preschool and primary aged children.  Mingoville is a platform that constantly changes as the characters move through Mingoville School and Mingoville Virtual World while learning English.  It offers the option to learn or play allowing students to gain and apply understanding of language skills.  The motivation comes from the receipt of rewards such as the growth of tree as the student passes levels and the chance to customize the Mingo character.

Mingoville offers students opportunities to learn language skills at school and at home with a motivational, adaptive program, however it is not a good fit for every third grade student.  It is likely that only English Language Learners (ELL) benefit most from this program at the third grade level.  Another resource that can be used in a third grade classroom to bridge learning environments between home and school is the Fast ForWord Reading Series (2014).  The purpose of Fast ForWord products is to provide a game-based intervention   meant to increase reading and language levels that improve performance in all subject areas.  The program uses characters that perform tasks and are rewarded with certificates as the tasks are completed.  Assessments and tracking are provided to offer data illustrates the improvement made by students.  This program would be a good choice for tutoring rather than instruction because it supports reading and language skills rather than working on classroom topics of study.

Fast ForWord and Mingoville are two game-based resources that can be used to tutor students outside the classroom, especially for language acquisition.  Because games have been found to be motivational in the classroom, research has been done to study how games can be used outside the classroom as parents strive to ensure “the academic success of their children in a context of increasing educational competition and marketization” (Meyer, 2013, p. 39).  Games offer the flexibility of being able to be used in many settings while providing entertainment and education to teach, practice, and remediate many skills.

References

Jackson, G. T. & McNamara, D. (2013) Motivation and performance in a game-based intelligent tutoring system.  American Psychological Association, 105, 1036-1049. doi: 10.1037/a0032580

Meyer, B. (2013). Game-based language learning for pre-school children: A design perspective. The Electronic Journal of e-Learning, 11, 39-48. Retrieved from www.ejel.org

Mingoville English. (n.d.) Retrieved from www.mingoville.com

Scientific Learning Corporation. (2014). Fast ForWord Reading Series. Retrieved from http://www.scilearn.com/products/fast-forword-reading-series

RSA#3: Online Resource-Based Learning Environment: Case Studies in Primary Classrooms

RSA#3: Online Resource-Based Learning Environment: Case Studies in Primary Classrooms

Article Link: http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt//v13_issue2/soching/index.htm

 

The “banking model” of education is a technique where “an all-knowing teacher stands at the front of the room and ‘data dumps’ knowledge,” (Butler, 2012, p.222).  This concept may have been widely used in classrooms; however, students need more opportunities to be active learners who can use resources to solve problems in order to be prepared for the work force.  The author writes that resource-based learning allows learning to take place in a flexible, independent environment where teachers provide a variety of materials and allow students to become self-directed on their path toward understanding.

Resource-based learning appears to be a good fit for third grade students who tend to be naturally curious and enjoy taking an active role in learning.  So and Ching (2012) completed a case study in which three primary school teachers used online resources to design a ninety- minute science-related lesson and compare their results.  One teacher utilized a computer lab in order to provide one-to-one use of desktop computers whereas the other two teachers assigned one computer to groups of 3-4 students. Students were provided resources from the school curriculum, textbooks, current events, videos, and websites.

All three teachers discovered that the students found the online resources interesting which fostered high engagement; however there were disadvantages to using websites as resources. The students experienced difficulties navigating through several websites, finding information to support the topic, and understanding information provided on websites (So & Ching, 2012).  At the conclusion of the case study, the teachers reflected on the fact that the students struggled most with the online resources.  Even though the websites were motivating to the students, they found it difficult to navigate the information in order to collect the data necessary to understand the topic.

The study showed that despite the students’ struggle with online resources, the teachers felt confident that they had adequately supported the students with different types of scaffolding including tools to organize the information that was collected.  Students used clear instructions, carefully chosen websites, concept maps, skeleton puzzles, and models to lead the students toward a path of understanding.  Without adequate scaffolding, the students may have reached a severe level of frustration with the online resources.

Another success noted by the teachers was related to the social connection made while using resource-based learning. The students were given the opportunity to gain practice with social skills through collaboration, problem solving, and group discussion in each teacher’s lesson. Resource-based learning tends to increase students’ skills as problem solvers as they engage in dialogue while experiencing less teacher direction.

The case study serves as a good reminder that scaffolding and choosing good resources are vital in order to adequately use resource-based learning.  Two great resources that can be used with resource-based learning include Edmodo (2014) and LearnZillion (2014).

Edmodo (2014) is a free website that allows teachers access to resources provided by other teachers using a social media platform.  Students are digitally assigned to a class from which they can receive and respond to surveys and tests and then receive instant feedback.   Teachers can share ideas and resources among a large network of subscribers around the world.  Both teachers and students can collaborate with each other for active engagement.

LearnZillion (2014) is a free website that offers resources including task-based video lessons and lesson plans.  Teachers can enter a Common Core standard and gain access to thousands of options for encouraging student understanding using audio-visuals.

Resource-based learning allows students to reach levels of understanding through the completion of projects after being provided with resources.  The key to the successful implementation appears to be in the scaffolding completed prior to use of the resources and the choice of good resources.  Implemented correctly, it can be a great way for third grade students to take an active role in their learning.

 

Resources

Butler, M. (2012). Resource-based learning and course design: A brief theoretical overview and practical suggestions. Law Library Journal, 104(2), 2012-2019.  Retrieved from  http://www.aallnet.org/mm/Publications/llj/LLJ-Archives/vol-104/no-2/2012-19.pdf

Edmodo. (2014). Retrieved from https://www.edmodo.com/

LearnZillion. (2014). Retrieved from  https://learnzillion.com/

So, W. & Ching, F. (2012). Online resource-based learning environment: Case studies in primary classrooms. Asia-Pacific Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, 13(2), 1-10. Retrieved from  http://www.ied.edu.hk/apfslt//v13_issue2/soching/index.htm

RSA#2: Reality Check: Augmented Reality for School Libraries

Article Link: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-373680330.html

 

To combine the study of inquiry based learning and augmented reality makes sense for 21^st century teachers who are trying to foster problem solving skills necessary to create people who will find success in the work force.  Teachers who drive instruction using inquiry based learning create situations where students collaboratively consider questions in order to solve problems and also gain an understanding of many subject areas (Stephenson, n.d.). Encouraging the use of augmented reality provides a tool for students to gain understanding while “experiencing” their topic of study.

Kang and Tang define augmented reality as “a newly developed computer application and interaction technology.”  They also spell out the differences between virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) by explaining that VR places users in a virtual state causing a sense of immersion versus the use of graphics and text to augment an experience. The use of AR in education offers students the opportunity to make observations using graphics and receive supplementary information through text. Because AR provides visual support using graphics and text, it is a helpful tool for students of various learning styles.

Green, Lea, and McNair (2014) describe AR as a tool that can be used to address different learning styles.  Through the use of AR, students are able to actively explore bigger questions while accessing artifacts and information that further understanding. Augmented reality apps require users to physically manipulate devices such as tablets and cellular phones to discover embedded information which can stimulate learners kinesthetically, whereas the AR graphics provide a good way for visual learners to receive information (Green, Lea, & McNair, 2014, p. 30).

The authors also address the “neomillennial learning style” which is a learning style that describes learners that have had the ability to access information from multiple sources on a constant basis (Green, Lea, & McNair, 2014, p. 30).  These learners are characterized by “active learning based on real experiences, simulated experiences, or a blending of both,” (Green, Lea, & McNair, 2014, p. 30).  By introducing augmented reality to students in an inquiry based learning environment, teachers can effectively address the learning styles of students who have grown up using technology to access information while offering the opportunity for students to drive their path of learning while experiencing virtual situations.

The use of augmented reality will become a valuable tool that can be used in classrooms where access to technology is available while background knowledge and experiences may be lacking among some student populations.  To have a student explore a topic involving experiences beyond their accessibility due to financial or time restraints can be difficult.  Sharing a textbook or Google image had been options that provided some background knowledge, however the use of augmented reality will offer the chance to take a virtual field trip to view and explore sites and objects that had previously been experienced in only two dimensions.

Fortunately there are many websites that offer easy access to suggestions for the use of AR in classrooms as well as the ability to create your own augmented realities.  The Educational Technology and Mobile Learning site lists accessible apps and games that can be used in classrooms to enhance learning experiences.  By combining the technology available in classrooms with online resources, teachers can offer students the opportunity to expand their understanding of many topics of study. 

References

Educational Technology and Mobile Learning. (2014). 20 ways to use augmented reality in education. Retrieved from http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2013/06/20-ways-to-use-augmented-reality-in.html.

Green, M., Lea, J. H., & McNair, C.L. (2014). Reality check augmented reality for

school libraries. Teacher Librarian, 41(5), 28-34. 

Kang, F. & Tang, C. (2014). The application of augmented reality technology in teaching education. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 6(5), 1446-1449.

Stephenson, N. (n.d.). Introduction to inquiry based learning. [Blog post]. Retrieved from  http://www.teachinquiry.com/index/Introduction.html

Resource Sharing Activity #1 - 9-7-14

RSA #1: Online Learning Works for Utah Student with Autism

The topic of digital schools presents many questions about the options parents have in finding the best learning environment for their children.  Digital schools are often described as an option that offers flexibility in terms of pacing, individualized learning plans, and location of learning space.  They are presented as effective solutions for homeschoolers, athletes, homebound, college bound, struggling and advanced students by K12 (2014).  An article in the Salt Lake Tribune (McCandless, 2012) describes an autistic boy’s success at a virtual school because of the opportunity to remove the stresses of social situations from his learning environment.  Because he is able to choose personal space and comfortable seating that meets his sensory needs, he has grasped concepts more easily.

          Having read about the many positive features of digital schools as they relate to the student and his/her family makes me wonder about the reality of a teacher’s job in a virtual classroom. An article written by Murphy and Rodriguez (2008) compares the teachers of physical classrooms versus digital classrooms and highlights the challenges and practices of each learning environment.  The challenges in each environment appear to be able to be managed through the development of strategies and activities.
          A common challenge in a physical classroom is in maintaining the attention of students. The authors mention that physical teachers can control students through the use of body language and eye contract.  E-teachers must use the tools available to them and consider the use of virtual hand raising and text messaging to check on student engagement. 
           Another helpful point is that new forms of activity are "literally learned as they are being created,” (Murphy and Rodriguez, 2008, 1070).  This statement applies to teachers in both virtual and physical classrooms.  Teachers are frequently given new curriculum, devices, and materials with suggestions for implementation.  The creation and presentation of materials is the first step toward the emergence of new practices.  Having the opportunity to teach in a virtual classroom would offer many new tools and activities that a teacher can create.

References

McCandless, J. (2012, November 23). Online learning works for Utah student with autism. The Salt Lake Tribune. Retrieved from http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55149762-78/david-students-says-harms.html.csp?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=socialmedia

Murphy, E. and Rodriguez, M. A. (2008). Contradictions between the virtual and physical high school classroom: a third-generation activity theory perspective. British Journal of Educational Technology, 39, 6, 1061-1072. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8535.2007.00776.x

K12. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.k12.com