THE METHOD OF AUTOMATICLY GENERATED EFFECTS OF EVENT-BASED GAME MECHANICS IN THE FRAMEWORK OF A CORPORATE E-LEARNING SYSTEM

Abstract

The article is devoted to the problem of the lack of a flexible unified approach to the corporate e-learning systems implementation using game mechanics. The aim of the work is to develop a new method for automatically generated effects of event-based game mechanics. The proposed method is based on a formal model for describing event-based game mechanics and production rules. This approach allows us to consider the impact of event-based game mechanics as a control object, providing the ability to unify the rules for generating impacts for the entire class of event-based game mechanics. The article describes an information model of an e-learning management system that meets the xAPI (Experience API) standard specification and allows implementing proposed method for automatically generated effects of event-driven game mechanics. The proposed information model provides with ability for using a blended learning approach and mobile technologies. The article also highlights the specificities of the learning management system software implementation, designed on the basis of the proposed information model that meets the xAPI standard, and that implements the developed method for automatically generated effects of event-based game mechanics. It is proposed to consider the subcomponents of the Activity Provider component as separate microservices, the exchange of messages between each other by REST API interfaces. Information of user actions is also sent to the Learning Record Store (LRS) via REST APIs. The library of production rules is a separate component. The rules for automatically triggering the game mechanics’ effects are written using the extended Gherkin notation language. Every rule effect associated with a specific program function those implements dispatching events of actions of event-based game mechanics. Experiments and approbation of the proposed method of automatically generated effects of event-based game mechanics have proven the effectiveness of the proposed method. Results analysis of corporate training using the proposed solutions according to the four-level Kirkpatrick model showed that each of the four levels of this model for assessing effectiveness was successfully achieved.