Adaptive Learning for Educational Game Design

Dr. Ed Lavieri

Three Roads

Game DesignGame Design

Learners excited about games; not school

Excite learners about game’s content

‘to learn’ is the fundamental motivating factor

Traditional Game Design

Instructional Strategies Instructional Strategies

Learner Concept Map Learning Object Ontology

Learning Theories

Human Behavior

Cognitive Factors

Environmental Influences

Behavior

Respondent(prior cues)(emotional)

Operant(produces

rewards/punishments)(environment)

Performs Operations(encoding)

Information

StorageRetention/Retrieval

GenerateResponse to Info

Evaluation

Synthesis

Analysis

Application

Understanding

Knowledge

P

EB

Adaptive LearningAdaptive Learning

MethodologyQualitative Exploratory

Model Based Reasoning

Tacit Epistemology

Literature Review

Integrated Model

Survey AnalysisRevised Model

ALGAE

Adaptive Learning GAme dEsign (ALGAE)

ALGAE Model

Consolidated Instructional

Strategies Model (CISM)

ALGAE Model

Comprehensive Adaptive Learning

Model (CALM)

Survey Instrument – Area of Focus

Game Design

INS-STR

Adaptive Learning

Not Identified

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50

Focus Area

Participant Primary Area of Focus

Survey Instrument – Expertise Levels

Very Little

Very Little

Very Little

Very Little

Some

Some

Some

Some

Above Avg

Above Avg

Above Avg

Above Avg

Expert

Expert

Expert

Expert

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

Game Design

INS-STR

Adaptive

Other

Game Design INS-STR Adaptive Other

Expert 6 19 1 6

Above Avg 7 15 8 4

Some 2 9 2 1

Very Little 1 0 0 6

Participant Level of Expertise by Area of Focus

Survey Instrument - Industries

Government/Military

Academic

Game

Not-For-Profit

Independent

Other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Participant Industries (Select All That Apply)

• No “Independent” Respondents

• No “Not-For-Profit” Respondents

• “Other” Write-ins:

• Corporate Training & Development

• Synthetic Intelligence

• Libraries

• Corporate and Non-Profit Online Training

Survey Instrument – Education Levels

HS or Below

HS or Below

HS or Below

HS or Below

AS/AA

AS/AA

AS/AA

AS/AA

BS/BA

BS/BA

BS/BA

BS/BA

MS/MA

MS/MA

MS/MA

MS/MA

Doctorate

Doctorate

Doctorate

Doctorate

0 5 10 15 20 25

Game Design

INS-STR

Adaptive

Oher

Participant Education Levels

RQ1 How can an adaptive learning model’s effectiveness be assessed?

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

assessments automated analytics

baseline / benchmarks

case studies expert opnion learner retention

learning outcomes

measured over time

RQ2What characteristics of an adaptive learning model need to be evaluated in order to determine the model’s efficacy?

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

RQ3 What are the key conceptual elements of game design methodologies that should be incorporated into a comprehensive adaptive learning model?

Missing

Intuitive

Transreality Component

Storage

Measurement Systems

Video Tutorials

Aesthetics

Role of Trainer

Personalization, Engaging, Challenging, Completion Certificate

Complex Open-Ended Problem Space

Unnecessary

Social Connectivity / Collaborative

Punishment System

Instructional Strategies System

Contextual Feedback

NPCs

Motivated

RQ4 What are the key instructional strategies that should be incorporated into a comprehensive adaptive learning model?

RQ5 What level of adaptiveness is necessary to increase learning outcomes in educational games?

Level of AdaptivenessDesign & Development

Difficulty

RQ6-A What are the advantages. . .of using the ALGAE model?In

st. D

esi

gn

ers

G

ame

De

sig

ne

rs

- Structure / guidelines- Game success- Improved outcomes- Non-exclusive gameplay- Link between GD & EDU

- Structure / guidelines- Checklist / job aid- Understanding in-game

adaptivity

RQ6-B What are the. . . disadvantages of using the ALGAE model?In

st. D

esi

gn

ers

G

ame

De

sig

ne

rs

- Specificity of LOs

- Difficult to comprehend- Difficult to implement- Change / buy-in

- Collaboration with educators

RQ7How does the ALGAE model support adaptive learning?

Content-Related

Adapts presentation of content

Participation-based content creation

Makes content effective

Delivers adaptive content

Based on learner needs

Links

Content to storyline

Instruction and goals

Goals to KSAAMs

Learner-Focused

Adaptable learning path

In-game progression drives difficultly level

RQ8What are the benefits and challenges when using a focused vs. an unfocused approach to implementing a specific game design model?

UnfocusedFocused

Consistency

Accuracy

Coordination

Scope Management

Flexibility

Adaptability

Creativity

Inflexibility

Stifles Creativity

People

Time Consuming

Hard to Implement

Implementation Approach

Implications

Basic Guideline

Checklist

Data Schema

Unknown Level of Adaptiveness (RQ5)

Figure 5.41

Opinions of Usability

Art of the Possible

Future Research

Near Term

Detailed model analysis

Focused / unfocused implementation

Assessment tool

Determine adaptiveness level

Map to serious game heuristics

Longer Term

Domain ontology & repository integration method

Learner retention methods

Deep immersion

Determine ethical, social, and cultural issues

Measuring connectivity between ALGAE components

Collaboration Invitation: MIT Education Arcade and Learning Games Network

Three Roads & ALGAE

Adaptive Learning

Instructional Strategies

Game Design

Adaptive Learning for Educational Game Design

Dr. Ed Lavieri