FGPE+: The Mobile FGPE Environment and the Pareto-Optimized Gamified Programming Exercise Selection Model—An Empirical Evaluation

• Published in: Computers (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 7; p. 144
• Main Authors: Maskeliūnas, Rytis, Damaševičius, Robertas, Blažauskas, Tomas, Swacha, Jakub, Queirós, Ricardo, Paiva, José Carlos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.07.2023
• Subjects: Adaptive algorithms; adaptive learning; Applications programs; Computer programming; Customization; Distance learning; Education; Educational objectives; FGPE; Games; Gamification; gamified programming; Higher education; Intelligent tutoring systems; Learning; Methods; Motivation; Online instruction; pareto optimization; personalized learning; Programming; progressive Web Applications (PWAs); School environment; Software; Software development; Student participation; Study and teaching; Teaching; Usability; User experience; Web applications; Lithuania
• ISSN: 2073-431X; 2073-431X
• DOI: 10.3390/computers12070144

This paper is poised to inform educators, policy makers and software developers about the untapped potential of PWAs in creating engaging, effective, and personalized learning experiences in the field of programming education. We aim to address a significant gap in the current understanding of the potential advantages and underutilisation of Progressive Web Applications (PWAs) within the education sector, specifically for programming education. Despite the evident lack of recognition of PWAs in this arena, we present an innovative approach through the Framework for Gamification in Programming Education (FGPE). This framework takes advantage of the ubiquity and ease of use of PWAs, integrating it with a Pareto optimized gamified programming exercise selection model ensuring personalized adaptive learning experiences by dynamically adjusting the complexity, content, and feedback of gamified exercises in response to the learners’ ongoing progress and performance. This study examines the mobile user experience of the FGPE PLE in different countries, namely Poland and Lithuania, providing novel insights into its applicability and efficiency. Our results demonstrate that combining advanced adaptive algorithms with the convenience of mobile technology has the potential to revolutionize programming education. The FGPE+ course group outperformed the Moodle group in terms of the average perceived knowledge (M = 4.11, SD = 0.51).