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Mind the Gap: Improving Gender Equity in Game-Based Learning Environments with Learning Companions

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Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2015)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNAI,volume 9112))

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Abstract

Game-based learning environments hold great promise for engaging learners. Yet game mechanics can initially pose barriers for students with less prior gaming experience. This paper examines game-based learning for a population of middle school learners in the US, where female students tend to have less gaming experience than male students. In a pilot study with an early version of Engage, a game-based learning environment for middle school computer science education, female students reported higher initial frustration. To address this critical issue, we developed a prototype learning companion designed specifically to reduce frustration through the telling of autobiographical stories. In a pilot study of two 7th grade classrooms, female students responded especially positively to the learning companion, eliminating the gender gap in reported frustration. The results suggest that introducing learning companions can directly contribute to making the benefits of game-based learning equitable for all learners.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Computer Science, North Carolina State University, North Carolina, USA

    Philip Sheridan Buffum, Kristy Elizabeth Boyer, Bradford W. Mott & James C. Lester

  2. Department of STEM Education, North Carolina State University Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

    Eric N. Wiebe

Authors
  1. Philip Sheridan Buffum
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  2. Kristy Elizabeth Boyer
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  3. Eric N. Wiebe
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  4. Bradford W. Mott
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  5. James C. Lester
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Philip Sheridan Buffum .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

    Cristina Conati

  2. Computer Science Department, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

    Neil Heffernan

  3. Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Antonija Mitrovic

  4. E.T.S.I. Informática, Universidad National de Educacion a Distancia, Madrid, Spain

    M. Felisa Verdejo

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Buffum, P.S., Boyer, K.E., Wiebe, E.N., Mott, B.W., Lester, J.C. (2015). Mind the Gap: Improving Gender Equity in Game-Based Learning Environments with Learning Companions. In: Conati, C., Heffernan, N., Mitrovic, A., Verdejo, M. (eds) Artificial Intelligence in Education. AIED 2015. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 9112. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19773-9_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-19773-9_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-19772-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-19773-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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