Gamification and Student Engagement with a Curriculum-based Measurement System

Abstract

<p>In this study, we employed a random control experiment to evaluate the effectiveness of gamification (e.g. scores, goal, progressive bar, etc.) and initial task difficulty on college student engagement in computer-based assessments. A group of Chinese college students (N=97) were randomly assigned to four groups obtained by crossing the two independent variables: gamification (with or without) and initial difficulty level (low or normal). The experiment lasted for 35 minutes, and each student was asked to complete several mini-tests (named maze tests). Student engagement was measured by the average off-task time between two maze tests. The results showed that both gamification and low-difficulty entry level reduced students’ off-task time. However, the gamification effect was only significant for male students but not for female students. The study also demonstrated that the maze test can be a potential method to predict the general English proficiency with Chinese English language learners.<strong></strong></p>

A Meta-Analysis of the Effect of Interactive Technologies on Language Education

“…Interactive games' performance measurements vary, leading to diverse research outcomes. For instance, a study by Yan (2019) used points and levels, while others used leaderboards and digital badges. Additionally, the appeal of games varies among age groups.…”

“…Liang, 2021), as well as vocabulary (Rahimi et al, 2021) and grammar levels (R. Wang, 2022). Switching to another perspective, we could discover that different types of interactive technologies might exert a profound impact on language learning, such as flipped classroom models (C. Chen, 2015), games (Yan, 2019), and mobile applications (Tavassoli & Beyranvand, 2023). Though addressing positive potentials, the above studies cannot show us well-rounded results because they only focused on a specific aspect of language education or interactive technologies, thus we strongly need comprehensive meta-analysis tests to synthesize all the results.…”

“…Selfefficacy is individuals' belief in their ability to perform specific behaviors required for achieving desired outcomes (Bandura, 1977). Achievements measure the extent of academic growth over a given period (Yan, 2019).…”

Influencing Factors of Learners’ Cognitive Engagement in an Online Learning Environment

“…Schols, M. [17] found four factors that encourage teachers and educators to participate in technological learning. Yan, Y., et al [18] indicated that cognitive engagement of learners can be promoted through game-based teaching mode.…”

Editorial of the First Issue of the International Journal of Learning Analytics and Artificial Intelligence for Education

“…In the eighth and final article, Yu Yan, Simon Hooper and Shi Pu [8] present a study in which they have use learning analytics methods in order to evaluate the effectiveness of gamification and initial task difficulty on college student engagement with computer-based assessments.…”