Gamed-based iSTART Practice: From MiBoard to Self-Explanation Showdown

TL;DR

This paper discusses the development and evaluation of gamified online tools, MiBoard and Self-Explanation Showdown, aimed at improving student engagement and self-explanation quality in reading comprehension training.

Contribution

It introduces Self-Explanation Showdown as a revamped, faster-paced game that builds on lessons learned from MiBoard to enhance engagement and assessment accuracy.

Findings

MiBoard reduced engagement and did not improve self-explanation quality

Self-Explanation Showdown offers a more engaging alternative

Assessment algorithms effectively evaluate self-explanations

Abstract

MiBoard (Multiplayer Interactive Board Game) is an online, turnbased board game that was developed to assess the integration of game characteristics (point rewards, game-like interaction, and peer feedback) and how that might affect student engagement and learning efficacy. This online board game was designed to fit within the Extended Practice module of iSTART (Interactive Strategy Training for Active Reading and Thinking). Unfortunately, preliminary research shows that MiBoard actually reduces engagement and does not benefit the quality of student self-explanations when compared to the original Extended Practice module. Consequently the MiBoard framework has been revamped to create Self-Explanation Showdown, a faster-paced, less analytically oriented game that adds competition to the creation of self-explanations. Students are evaluated on the quality of their self-explanations using the same assessment algorithms from iSTART Extended Practice module (this includes both word-based and LSA-based assessments). The technical issues involved in development of MiBoard and Self- Explanation Showdown are described. The lessons learned from the MiBoard experience are also discussed in this paper.