Iterative Evaluation of a Large-Scale, Intelligent Game for Language Learning

  • Authors:

  • W. Lewis Johnson;Carole Beal

  • Affiliations:

  • Center for Advanced Research in Technology for Education, USC / Information Sciences Institute, 4676 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292;Center for Advanced Research in Technology for Education, USC / Information Sciences Institute, 4676 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, CA 90292

  • Venue:
  • Proceedings of the 2005 conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education: Supporting Learning through Intelligent and Socially Informed Technology
  • Year:
  • 2005

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Abstract

Educational content developers, including AIED developers, traditionally make a distinction between formative evaluation and summative evaluation of learning materials. Although the distinction is valid, it is inadequate for many AIED systems because they require multiple types of evaluation and multiple stages of evaluation. Developers of interactive intelligent learning environments must evaluate the effectiveness of the component technologies, the quality of the user interaction, and the potential of the program to achieve learning outcomes, in order to uncover problems prior to summative evaluation. Often these intermediate evaluations go unreported, so other developers cannot benefit from the lessons learned. This paper documents the iterative evaluation of the Tactical Language Training System, an interactive game for learning foreign language and culture. This project employs a highly iterative development and evaluation cycle. The courseware and software have already undergone six discrete stages of formative evaluation, and further formative evaluations are planned. The paper documents the evaluations that were taken at each stage, as well as the information obtained, and draws lessons that may be applicable to other AIED systems.