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