THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF MOTIVATION ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN POSITIVE EXPERIENCES AT SCHOOL AND SELF-EFFICACY OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS

The purpose of this study was to determine the mediating effect of motivation on the relationship between positive experiences at school and the self-efficacy of Physical Education students. Utilizing quantitative, non-experimental design via correlational technique, data were obtained from 350 Grade 12 students of the 7 national high schools under the division of Davao del Sur, Region XI. The researcher utilized stratified random sampling and an online survey mode of data collection. The researcher also utilized statistical tools such as mean, Pearson r, regression and med graph using the Sobel z- test. From the results of the study, it was found that there is a very high level of motivation, a very high level of positive experiences at school and a very high level of self-efficacy among PE students. Furthermore, there is a significant relationship between positive experiences at school and self-efficacy, between motivation and positive experiences at school and between motivation and positive experiences at school and between motivation and self-efficacy among PE students. Further, it was revealed that there was full mediation on the effect of motivation on the relationship between positive experiences at school and self-efficacy. This implies that the positive experiences at school convey motivation of Physical Education students

DATA ANALYTICS AND PERSUASIVE TECHNOLOGY TO PROMOTE STUDENTS’ ENGAGEMENT AND LEARNING

The use of interactive systems and internet technology nowadays enhance the process of learning as they allow educational resources to be effectively distributed and delivered to students. This gives students the opportunity to learn at their own pace and convenience. Hence, universities employ these computing technologies to aid in teaching and learning in order to meet the needs of diverse learners. Thus, students could engage in learning activities at any time and even outside the four walls of universities. Despite the usefulness of these systems, students find it hard to engage for a long time with these learning resources. They are distracted by so many activities such as chatting, playing games, listening to music, watching movies, etc. As a result, a wide gap exists in academic performance between successful students and unsuccessful one (those that drop out of universities). Therefore, there is a need for research on how to increase students’ motivation to learn. The level of motivation of students to learn and progress in their education determine the length of time they spend on learning-related activities. This research investigated the use of persuasive technology in encouraging students to spend quality time in their learning resources. Persuasive technology describes computer applications which change users’ behaviour or opinion without using coercion or deception. Specifically, this research examined the effect of three social influence strategies of persuasive technology (social comparison, social learning, and competition) on students’ engagement in their learning activities. Socially-oriented strategies recognize the fact that humans are socially-driven and thus, our feeling, behaviour or opinion is affected by that of others (social influence). The strategies were operationalized in a persuasive system as three versions of visualization using students’ assessment grades. The persuasive system was applied to a real university course-based setting to determine its effect on students’ engagement in their learning activities. Quantitative and qualitative approaches were used in determining the effectiveness of the persuasive system versions implementing the three strategies in motivating the students to engage actively in learning activities. The results of this research show that the three socially-oriented strategies of persuasive technology employed can be used in educational software to influence students to achieve a positive goal in their learning. Precisely, the persuasive system attracted and motivated students to spend more time in their learning activities

Comparing Student Engagement with Two Versions of the Game-Based Learning Tools: Mobile and Web

Game-Based Learning is useful in teaching because it encourages students to discuss, engage, and collaborate in groups. Research has shown that game-based learning techniques positively impact student engagement, motivation, and learning abilities. Studies explore the impact of game-based learning on different platforms. The result of the studies shows that game-based learning has a positive impact on students when used on Mobile or Web. Hence, studies need to identify which platform is more engaging and effective for the students. This research investigated the difference in student engagement with a game-based learning tool implemented on mobile and web-based platforms. We developed two versions of a peer-quizzing game where the students can create quiz questions related to the learning material, which their peers can attempt to answer. The game allows the students to create three different types of questions: Multiple Choice Questions, True/False, and Short Answers. Students from a first-year introductory programming computer class were recruited as participants to evaluate both versions of the game during one academic term (four months). A bonus participation mark of up to five percent of the course was offered to students who posted at least three questions per week. We collected data about the students’ engagement in in-game activities for the duration of the study. The results show no significant difference in the engagement between the web and the mobile version of the game. However, the number of quizzes asked in the mobile app version and web versions varied in quantity. Students posted more questions in the mobile-based version as compared to the Web version of the game. On the contrary, students solved more questions in the web version than in the App version. We have learned from the study that both game-based learning platforms effectively engage students. In a pre-study survey, we collected the students’ demographic data and their gaming experience and their reflection on the experience with the game with respect to usability, enjoyment, and learning, in a post-study survey. The data from the post-survey questionnaire shows that both versions of the game show similar user experience ratings

Persuasive technology and user experience design guidelines to motivate users for autonomous learning on a digital learning platform in the context of a corporate environment in South Africa

Organisations are increasingly relying on digital platforms for autonomous learning for skills development. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many employees to work from home, and as a result, the use of autonomous learning increased to the point where it became the preferred learning mode. Persuasive technologies (PT) can improve employees’ motivation for completing autonomous learning tasks on digital learning platforms in corporate organisations. Despite the potential for supporting autonomous learning, the application of PT in the South African corporate organisation context remains limited. The research problem identified was the lack of users’ motivation to learn autonomously on digital learning platforms. The study was novel in drawing on the theoretical lenses of both PT and user experience (UX) to investigate the motivation for autonomous learning in a corporate utility in South Africa. For corporate organisations to improve employees’ motivation in autonomous learning, the digital learning platform may use persuasive strategies such as competition, self-monitoring, and cooperation; or UX attributes such as effectiveness, efficiency, and satisfaction in contributing to motivate employees’ learning needs. The methodology applied in the study was guided by design science research (DSR). Fourteen subject matter experts in focus groups validated the persuasive strategies and UX attributes extracted from literature. The validated constructs used as the basis for the design guidelines informed the design and development of a prototype aimed at testing the motivation of employees in autonomous learning in the digital learning platform. The prototype was presented to 76 users, their interactions with the prototype were captured, and their perceived user experience was evaluated in a survey. The triangulation of the findings from the user interaction captured via mouse movement and the survey confirmed that the design guidelines based on the nine constructs (PT and UX) were appropriate for designing a PT prototype system to motivate employees in autonomous learning in the digital learning platform. The study was limited to one organisation and one module within the digital learning environment. The focus was on motivation only and excludes other pedagogical aspects of the teaching and learning process. The study makes a theoretical contribution in terms of the literature-based, empirically refined design guidelines and a questionnaire for evaluation of the prototype by users; and a practical contribution by the development of a prototype as a PT system to test the motivation of the employee in autonomous learning in the digital learning platform.School of ComputingM. Sc. (Computing

Dynamic Personalization of Gameful Interactive Systems

Gameful design, the process of creating a system with affordances for gameful experiences, can be used to increase user engagement and enjoyment of digital interactive systems. It can also be used to create applications for behaviour change in areas such as health, wellness, education, customer loyalty, and employee management. However, existing research suggests that the qualities of users, such as their personality traits, preferences, or identification with a task, can influence gamification outcomes. It is important to understand how to personalize gameful systems, given how user qualities shape the gameful experience. Current evidence suggests that personalized gameful systems can lead to increased user engagement and be more effective in helping users achieve their goals than generic ones. However, to create these kinds of systems, designers need a specific method to guide them in personalizing the gameful experience to their target audience. To address this need, this thesis proposes a novel method for personalized gameful design divided into three steps: (1) classification of user preferences, (2) classification and selection of gameful design elements, and (3) heuristic evaluation of the design. Regarding the classification of user preferences, this thesis evaluates and validates the Hexad Gamification User Types Scale, which scores a person in six user types: philanthropist, socialiser, free spirit, achiever, player, and disruptor. Results show that the scale’s structural validity is acceptable for gamification studies through reliability analysis and factor analysis. For classification and selection of gameful design elements, this thesis presents a conceptual framework based on participants’ self-reported preferences, which classifies elements in eight groups organized into three categories: individual motivations (immersion and progression), external motivations (risk/reward, customization, and incentives), and social motivations (socialization, altruism, and assistance). And to evaluate the design of gameful applications, this thesis introduces a set of 28 gameful design heuristics, which are based on motivational theories and gameful design methods and enable user experience professionals to conduct a heuristic evaluation of a gameful application. Furthermore, this thesis describes the design, implementation, and pilot evaluation of a software platform for the study of personalized gameful design. It integrates nine gameful design elements built around a main instrumental task, enabling researchers to observe and study the gameful experience of participants. The platform is flexible so the instrumental task can be changed, game elements can be added or removed, and the level and type of personalization or customization can be controlled. This allows researchers to generate different experimental conditions to study a broad range of research questions. Our personalized gameful design method provides practical tools and clear guidelines to help designers effectively build personalized gameful systems