Incentive Mechanisms for Participatory Sensing: Survey and Research Challenges

Participatory sensing is a powerful paradigm which takes advantage of smartphones to collect and analyze data beyond the scale of what was previously possible. Given that participatory sensing systems rely completely on the users' willingness to submit up-to-date and accurate information, it is paramount to effectively incentivize users' active and reliable participation. In this paper, we survey existing literature on incentive mechanisms for participatory sensing systems. In particular, we present a taxonomy of existing incentive mechanisms for participatory sensing systems, which are subsequently discussed in depth by comparing and contrasting different approaches. Finally, we discuss an agenda of open research challenges in incentivizing users in participatory sensing.Comment: Updated version, 4/25/201

THE IMPACT OF GAMIFICATION ON THE MATHEMATICS ACHIEVEMENT OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS

This study explores the use of gamification in elementary math. Living in a Global society requires students to use technology in classes daily. Students are using technology to complete a task that is aligned to state standards. These tasks are geared to help students master grade-level skills. So often, teachers are finding that students are completing the task just to comply. Teachers are seeking problems that will help with student engagement and prepare students for mastery of grade-level skills. Teachers are looking for a problem that serves the purpose of both. Teachers are looking for programs that engage students as well as help with mastering grade-level skills. The purpose of this study is to analyze how the use of gamification (computer-based games) could improve student achievement in math. Teachers are searching for computer applications/programs to help with mastery of skills. They are looking for different programs that will aid in the integration of technology but can also provide meaningful data to support student achievement with grade-level skills. This study is a quasi-experimental study that used a control group and a treatment group that was non-randomized with the use of pretest and posttest design. Quasi-experiments aim to evaluate interventions but do not use the randomization of participants included in the study (Harris, 2006). Quasi-experimental research design was used for several reasons. The research had a small number of students, and test scores were taken before and after the use of the gamification. Analysis of Covariance was used to determine if students receiving gamification in Math instruction could score higher than students not receiving gamification. Student Math IOWA post-test scores in ten categories were used as dependent variables for comparison. Student Math IOWA pre-test scores, student RTI, gender and race were used as covariates to control the possible impact these variables might have on the student post-test scores

Virtual learning environment for interactive engagement with advanced quantum mechanics

A virtual learning environment can engage university students in the learning process in ways that the traditional lectures and lab formats can not. We present our virtual learning environment \emph{StudentResearcher} which incorporates simulations, multiple-choice quizzes, video lectures and gamification into a learning path for quantum mechanics at the advanced university level. \emph{StudentResearcher} is built upon the experiences gathered from workshops with the citizen science game Quantum Moves at the high-school and university level, where the games were used extensively to illustrate the basic concepts of quantum mechanics. The first test of this new virtual learning environment was a 2014 course in advanced quantum mechanics at Aarhus University with 47 enrolled students. We found increased learning for the students who were more active on the platform independent of their previous performances.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figure

Proceedings of Abstracts Engineering and Computer Science Research Conference 2019

© 2019 The Author(s). This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. For further details please see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Note: Keynote: Fluorescence visualisation to evaluate effectiveness of personal protective equipment for infection control is © 2019 Crown copyright and so is licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Under this licence users are permitted to copy, publish, distribute and transmit the Information; adapt the Information; exploit the Information commercially and non-commercially for example, by combining it with other Information, or by including it in your own product or application. Where you do any of the above you must acknowledge the source of the Information in your product or application by including or linking to any attribution statement specified by the Information Provider(s) and, where possible, provide a link to this licence: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/This book is the record of abstracts submitted and accepted for presentation at the Inaugural Engineering and Computer Science Research Conference held 17th April 2019 at the University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, UK. This conference is a local event aiming at bringing together the research students, staff and eminent external guests to celebrate Engineering and Computer Science Research at the University of Hertfordshire. The ECS Research Conference aims to showcase the broad landscape of research taking place in the School of Engineering and Computer Science. The 2019 conference was articulated around three topical cross-disciplinary themes: Make and Preserve the Future; Connect the People and Cities; and Protect and Care

Tailoring a Points Scoring Mechanism for Crowd-Based Knowledge Pooling

We address the design of point scoring mechanisms in games for crowds, to promote user motivations to contribute knowledge. We measure the effectiveness of the scoring mechanism on users’ performance across three types of crowd: general public, students in their field of study, general students. The conditions were: reward-free games (control group) and two reward-based systems differing in the algorithm applied (linear y=3x vs. exponential y=6ex). Results support the importance of the mathematical function of scores assignment as a motivator for knowledge contribution, and indicate that the effect of the scoring mechanism design should be tailored according to the type of crowd. These findings provide insights for designers of gamified systems on how to improve knowledge contributions in crowd-based systems

Can gamification increase work motivation? Considering the job characteristics model and employee attitudes towards games.

Gamification, or the use of game elements in the working environment, is becoming more prevalent in the workplace. These elements, such as badges, points, levels, fictional narratives, leaderboards, and others have been being used in industry due to their assumed motivational properties. Though researchers have begun to investigate this assumption, there is still a lack of supporting empirical evidence. Furthermore, what research has been done has been met with mixed results. This study investigates the usefulness of gamification through the lens of the job characteristics model, which has rarely been used in this field of study and would bring it more cleanly into the management literature. Based on extant literature and theoretical development, this research hypothesized positive relationships between three game elements (points, choices, & badges) and job characteristics found to have motivational properties (feedback, autonomy, & task identity). It was also hypothesized that these relationships will be positively moderated by one’s attitudes towards games, such that a person who enjoys games will be more likely to be motivated by game-like properties in their working environment. To do this, a 2x2x2 experimental design was employed, where the different conditions included one or more of these game elements. Furthermore, these data were analyzed using structural equation modeling to test these hypothesized relationships. This has allowed for efficacy testing against a control group. The results of this research and empirical analysis will be discussed along with implications for practitioners and scholars hoping to make use of this gamification design principle in the workplace environment. It will also provide management scholars with a possible theoretical lens by which gamification can be investigated and discussed in the future for this field of inquiry