Work-in-Progress—Using Feedback To Support Learning Statistics in Higher Education Within a Game-Based Learning Environment

Abstract

Learning statistics is a tedious task and students show a lack of motivation in learning this subject. Game-based learning (GBL) can be efficiently used to enrich the learning experience and can help enhance the curiosity and motivation of learners to keep them engaged. Enhancing curiosity and motivation in a GBL environment through effective feedback can address the issues related to statistics education. This research guides the design of a GBL environment for statistics education to foster improved academic performance through the lens of the information-gap theory of curiosity and the Self-Deterministic theory of motivation. Constructive feedback strategies are used within a game, designed to educate statistics students based on United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG). The questions incorporated in the GBL environment are based on Bloom’s taxonomy to derive specific learning outcomes and utilize feedback mechanisms to enhance curiosity and motivation in the learners to sustain engagement during the gameplay. This work-in-progress paper describes the design of the game supported by a conceptual feedback framework from a psychological perspective to enhance learners’ curiosity and motivation.