Comparing Learners’ Affect While Using an Intelligent Tutoring System and a Simulation Problem Solving Game

• Published in: Intelligent Tutoring Systems Vol. 5091; pp. 40 - 49
• Main Authors: Rodrigo, Ma. Mercedes T., Baker, Ryan S. J. d., D’Mello, Sidney, Gonzalez, Ma. Celeste T., Lagud, Maria C. V., Lim, Sheryl A. L., Macapanpan, Alexis F., Pascua, Sheila A. M. S., Santillano, Jerry Q., Sugay, Jessica O., Tep, Sinath, Viehland, Norma J. B.
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Springer Berlin / Heidelberg 2008; Springer Berlin Heidelberg
• Series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science
• Subjects: Affective State; Educational Game; Intelligent Tutoring System; Negative Affective State; Simulation Problem
• ISBN: 9783540691303; 3540691308
• ISSN: 0302-9743; 1611-3349
• DOI: 10.1007/978-3-540-69132-7_9

We compare the affect associated with an intelligent tutoring environment, Aplusix, and a simulations problem solving game, The Incredible Machine, to determine whether students experience significantly better affect in an educational game than in an ITS. We find that affect was, on the whole, better in Aplusix than it was in The Incredible Machine. Students experienced significantly less boredom and frustration and more flow while using Aplusix. This implies that, while aspects unique to games (e.g. fantasy and competition) may make games more fun, the interactivity and challenge common to both games and ITSs may play a larger role in making both types of systems affectively positive learning environments.