The use of gamification in intelligent educational systems to reduce the problem of innapropriate behaviors

• Grant number: 14/03115-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: April 01, 2014
• End date: July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computer Systems
• Principal Investigator: Seiji Isotani
• Grantee: Laís Zagatti Pedro
• Supervisor: Julita Vassileva
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Matemáticas e de Computação (ICMC). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Saskatchewan (USASK), Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/10900-9 - The Use of Gamification in Intelligent Educational Systems based on Semantic Web to Reduce the Problem of Externalizing Inappropriate Behaviors, BP.MS

Abstract

Researches in Virtual Learning Environments are getting increasing attention from the research community due to the technological advances of the last decade, the modernization of schools and teaching environments. The Intelligent Tutoring Systems stand of virtual learning environments since several studies indicate that students who use intelligent educational systems improve their performance and learn more. However, there are important problems that hinder their use and need to be further investigated. Among them, one of the main problems is the inappropriate use of these systems by students. The boredom, lack of interest, monotony, lack of motivation, among other factors, ultimately causes the student to behave inappropriately when interacting with these systems. The best known improper behavior is Gaming the System, which makes the student to ignore the content to be learned and find ways to perform mechanically the activities proposed by the system. In this content, the main project aims to increase students motivation and decrease the undesirable behaviors presented during the use of intelligent tutoring systems. To achieve the objectives, this work was divide in two parts: (i) study and develop methods to assess (with a good degree of accuracy) the emotional state of the student and (ii) create intelligent algorithms to properly use gamification in order to change positively the emotional state of the student preventing (or reducing) the appearance of undesirable behaviors during the learning process. This research will concentrate in the (ii) part, working with Gamification and its elements and the undesirable behaviors presented by the students. (AU)