Abstract
Gamification has been explored recently as a way to promote content delivery in education, yielding promising results. However, little is known regarding how it helps different students experience learning and acquire knowledge. In this paper we study and analyze data from a gamified engineering course, to search for distinct behavior patterns. We examined data collected from two gamified years, between which game changes took place. By clustering students according to their performance, we identified three distinct student types, common to both years: Achievers, Disheartened, and Underachievers. Interestingly, in the second year a new type of student emerged: the Late Awakeners. In this paper we carefully describe each student type, and explain how gamification can provide for smarter learning by catering to students with different profiles. Furthermore, we discuss how our findings, both in gamification and cluster analysis can be used to develop adaptive and smart learning environments.
Highlights
Good games are natural learning machines that, unlike traditional educational materials, can deliver information both on demand and within context (Gee, 2003)
Our analysis suggests that our learning environment can cater to the different student groups observed in our course
Results show that students participate more in activities with gamification and report the course as being both more motivating and interesting than non-gamified courses
Summary
Good games are natural learning machines that, unlike traditional educational materials, can deliver information both on demand and within context (Gee, 2003). Cluster performance Achievers had the highest quiz, lab, presentation, exam and final grades, which reflects a high level of performance They performed the most posts, both first and reply posts, which reveals high levels of participation and proactivity, Fig. 4 Average accumulated XP per day on 1st year even though significant differences were only observed in comparison with Underachievers and not for the number of first posts. Late Awakeners presented above average performance and participation levels, situated between those of the Achievers and the Disheartened students These students had the second highest final grade, earned the second most from achievements and made the second most posts. Learners considered this achievement to be poorly rewarded and unappealing
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