Maximising gain for minimal pain: Utilising natural game mechanics

This paper considers the application of natural games mechanics within higher education as a vehicle to encourage student engagement and achievement of desired learning outcomes. It concludes with desiderata of features for a learning environment when used for assessment and a reflection on the gap between current and aspired learning provision. The context considered is higher (tertiary) education, where the aims are both to improve students’ engagement with course content and also to bring about potential changes in the students’ learning behaviour. Whilst traditional approaches to teaching and learning may focus on dealing with large classes, where the onus is frequently on efficiency and on the effectiveness of feedback in improving understanding and future performance, intelligent systems can provide technology to enable alternative methods that can cope with large classes that preserve the cost-benefits. However, such intelligent systems may also offer improved learning outcomes via a personalised learning experience. This paper looks to exploit particular properties which emerge from the game playing process and seek to engage them in a wider educational context. In particular we aim to use game engagement and Flow as natural dynamics that can be exploited in the learning experience

How do students deal with difficulties in mathematics?

We report on a study carried out by the Mathematics Department at the National University of Ireland Maynooth to determine why students do or do not engage with mathematics support. Initial interviews were conducted with students who had failed first year. This paper gives preliminary findings from interviews with a second group of students who had passed first year. Students were chosen who had similar mathematical backgrounds to the first group and who had all engaged with mathematics. The students’ mathematical backgrounds do not appear to be the only major factor in determining engagement. We found that both groups experienced similar difficulties and problems. However, the second group had several different strategies or coping mechanisms to enable them to get through. We compare the two groups and will discuss some of these coping mechanisms in detail

The identification of criteria to be utilised in mathematical diagnostic tests

School-related mistakes and low pass rates have led this researcher to perceive that some students are not adequately prepared for Mathematics 1. To address the problem of under-preparedness overseas universities use placement or diagnostic tests. Diagnostic testing identifies areas of weakness and provides information to guide the development of appropriate remedial support. This researcher embarked on a study to identify the sub-domains (criteria) that should be included in a diagnostic Mathematics test battery at the NMMU. An analysis of first-year curricula was undertaken to determine the required Mathematical pre-knowledge and skills entry-level students should have. Thereafter, the required pre-knowledge and skills were reflected against the standard grade school syllabi. From this it was determined that the school learners should acquire the necessary pre-knowledge and skills for university success as part of the school syllabus. However, in reality this is not the case as the researcher and other Mathematics lecturers identified a number of basic errors that incoming students make. This suggests that they have not developed all the required knowledge and skills. Furthermore, their performance in the matriculation examinations does not provide an adequate measure of the requisite Mathematical pre-knowledge and skills necessary for success at university-level Mathematics. No suitable existing diagnostic Mathematics test could be found. By utilizing both an action research as well as a test development methodology, the researcher thus proceeded to delineate the sub-domains that should be included in a diagnostic Mathematics test battery. Thereafter, test specifications were developed for two pilot tests and items were developed or sourced. The constructed response item-type was chosen for the pilot tests as it was argued that this item-type was more useful to use in a diagnostic test than a multiple-choice item format, for example. The pilot test battery, which consisted of a pilot Arithmetic and Algebra and Calculus tests, was administered to a sample of first-year students at the NMMU in 2004 and their performance in Mathematics at the end of the first year was tracked. Tests were scored holistically and analytically to provide a rich source of information. Thereafter, the test results were analysed to obtain evidence on the content validity of the pilot tests, including the item difficulty values and the item-total correlations; to determine the predictive validity of performance on the pilot tests with respect to final first-year Mathematics marks; and their reliability was determined using the Cronbach’s Alpha statistic. These findings suggest that appropriate sub-domains (criteria) were delineated and the items appropriately covered these sub-domains (i.e. the content validity of the pilot tests is acceptable). Furthermore, the predictive validity of the pilot ix tests was found to be acceptable in that significant correlations were found between the pilot tests and performance in first-year Mathematics. Finally, the pilot tests were found to be reliable. Based on the results, suggestions are made regarding how to refine the diagnostic test battery and the research related to it. The final diagnostic Mathematics test battery holds much potential to be able to assist in the early identification of at-risk students who can be timeously placed in developmentally appropriate Mathematics modules or provided with appropriate remedial intervention

Smart, social, flexible and fun: Escaping the flatlands of virtual learning environments

© 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. This paper describes the development of intelligent, social, flexible and game-based pedagogic approaches and their applications in Virtual Learning Environment based Education. Applications of computer science technologies and techniques can enable, facilitate and change educational approaches, allowing scalable approaches that can address both individual student needs whilst managing large – sometimes-massive - cohort sizes. The benefits of these information systems include supporting the wide range of contexts met in education, in terms of individual needs and specific subject and curriculum requirements. Technologies and approaches that are considered range from the representation of knowledge and the use of intelligent systems, the use of social computing, through to the enabling opportunities of ubicomp and the practical application of game mechanics (gamification). This paper concludes with practical illustrations in the context of undergraduate computer science didactics

PROFIL MODEL MENTAL SISWA PADA SUBMATERI PENURUNAN TITIK BEKU DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN TES DIAGNOSTIK MODEL MENTAL PILIHAN GANDA DUA TINGKAT

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran model mental siswa pada submateri penurunan titik beku dengan menggunakan tes diagnostik model mental pilihan ganda dua tingkat. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah deskriptif kualitatif. Berdasarkan KD 3.1 Menganalisis fenomena sifat koligatif larutan (penurunan tekanan uap jenuh, kenaikan titik didih, penurunan titik beku, dan tekanan osmosis) dan KD 3.2 Membedakan sifat koligatif larutan elektrolit dan larutan nonelektrolit, maka didapatkan instrumen tes berjumlah delapan butir soal. Partisipan pada penelitian ini terdiri dari 30 siswa kelas XII di salah satu SMA di Bandung. Model Mental dikelompokkan ke dalam empat tipe, yaitu Model mental utuh atau Complete Mental Model (CMM), Model mental parsial atau Partial Mental Model (PMM), Model mental dengan miskonsepsi atau Mental Model with Misconception (MM-MC), dan Model mental tidak konsisten atau Inconsistent Mental Model (IMM). Berdasarkan hasil penelitian konsep membeku didominasi oleh tipe PMM (Partial Mental Model) atau model mental parsial. Pada konsep penurunan titik beku sebagai sifat koligatif larutan didominasi oleh tipe IMM (Inconsistent Mental Model) atau model mental tidak konsisten. Pada konsep penurunan titik beku pada larutan elektrolit dan nonelektrolit didominasi oleh tipe IMM (Inconsistent Mental Model) atau model mental tidak konsisten. This study aims to obtain an overview of students' mental models on the freezing point depression sub-material by using a two-tier multiple choice mental model diagnostic test. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative. Based on KD 3.1 Analyzing the phenomenon of colligative properties of solutions (lowering of vapor pressure, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, and osmotic pressure) and KD 3.2 Distinguishing colligative properties of electrolyte solutions and nonelectrolyte solutions, is obtained eight questions as instrument test. Participants in this study consisted of 30 students of class XII in a high school in Bandung. Mental models are grouped into four types, which are complete mental model (CMM), partial mental model (PMM), mental model with misconception (MM-MC), and inconsistent Mental Model (IMM). Based on the research results, the freezing concept is dominated by the PMM type or partial mental model. The freezing point depression concept as a colligative property of a solution is dominated by the IMM type or inconsistent mental model. The freezing point depression in electrolyte and nonelectrolyte solutions concept is dominated by the IMM type or inconsistent mental model