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Intelligent Tutoring in Serious Games

                              Workshop Overview:  Background, Topics, Questions, and Goals


BACKGROUND

Although it is often overlooked, one of the earliest intelligent tutoring systems (ITS) actually played the role of coach in a computer game called WEST (Burton & Brown, 1982). The coach monitored play, intervened minimally, and encouraged the student to try new strategies against the computer opponent. Of course, the real aim was not to teach the game - the goal was to teach arithmetic and operator precedence.

What made WEST + coaching better than drill-and-practice arithmetic exercises on paper? Was it actually better? Computer games, especially modern games such as Unreal Tournament and MMOGs, are often promoted as ideal contexts in which to learn. Gee (2003) argues that modern immersive and strategy games hold potential to teach literacy, culture, identity, amongst many more. It is also frequently argued that games are inherently more motivating and engaging than other learning environments:  a well-written game may engender a sort of "temporary diligence" thus creating a desire in the learner to spend more time on task, for example.

Unfortunately, evidence that games enhance learning is scant. In a recent review of serious games, only 19 articles out of "several thousand" met basic requirements for qualitative or quantitative assessment - even these only produced mixed results (O'Neill, Wainess, & Baker, 2005).  Although the authors point out that it is generally undecided how to evaluate games for education and training (p. 456), it is also possible that the serious games community is suffering from the same problems that have plagued constructivist and discovery learning - namely, that unguided learning works for only the very best of students (Kirschner, Sweller, & Clark, in press).

Given these issues, it may be time to revisit the lessons of WEST and its coach. If the increased time-on-task argument is accurate, then why aren't serious games reaping the learning benefits?  It is possible the time being spent is not being spent optimally. That is, learners may be thrashing in game environments, "gaming the games", and failing to make ideal inferences and the ever-important connections to their existing knowledge. This begs for a re-introduction of tutoring into serious games to scaffold game play and learning.

GOALS OF THE WORKSHOP

The primary goals of this workshop are to (1) lay out the unique learning opportunities games provide over other learning environments, (2) compare what is known about successful learners (e.g. they self-explain) and successful gamers (e.g., they employ and explore a variety of strategies), (3) identify how games and ITS technology can promote these behaviors, (4) discuss the roles an intelligent tutor might play in a game (e.g., a character in a story), and (5) explore the space of different approaches to delivering feedback (e.g., through an avatar involved in a story vs. text on the screen).

Beyond these goals, other issues/questions worth considering:
  • What are the elements of games that promote learning? That promote diligence? That promote retention?
  • What is the relationship between realism (fidelity) and learning?
  • What role does story play with respect to games and learning? 
  • How can implicit feedback be given to achieve pedagogical goals?  Can the environment be adapted in ways (e.g., adjusting the behaviors of computer controlled characters) to promote learning?
  • What is the relationship between help that teaches game-specific skills and help that promotes learning?  It is ideal if explicit tutor feedback can do both at once.
  • How can tutoring be distributed between game play, reflective periods (e.g., during after-action reviews), and future game events?
  • What are the current methods for evaluating the learning effectiveness of games?  Are the right metrics being used?
It is hoped that most participants will present their research and contribute to these general goals.  The workshop will be recorded and audio made available to all participants.  Also, ICT will submit a proposal for the serious games summit to present the results of this workshop and outlook for incorporating ITS technology into modern games.

References

Burton, R. & Brown, J. S. (1982). An investigation of computer coaching for informal learning activities. In D. Sleeman & J.S. Brown (Eds.), Intelligent Tutoring Systems, Orlando, FL:  Academic Press. [summary]

Gee, J. P. (2003). What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York:  Palgrave Macmillan.  [amazon]

Kirschner, P. A., Sweller, J., & Clark, R. E. (2006) Why minimal guidance during instruction does not work:  An analysis of the failure of constructivist, discovery, problem-based, experiential, and inquiry-based teaching.  Educational Psychologist, 41(2), 75-86 [pdf]

O'Neil, H. F., Wainess, R., & Baker, E. L. (2005) Classification of learning outcomes: Evidence from the computer games literature.  The Curriculum Journal, 16(4), 455-474. [pdf]