Development of the programming language learning skills using gamification elements

Authors: 

Taras Basyuk1, Andrii Vasyliuk1

1. Lviv Polytechnic National University

The article analyzes existing methods and approaches used in the process of developing programming language learning skills using gamification elements. It is shown that the application of gamification elements increases motivation, engagement, and productivity in solving technical tasks. A system analysis of the research object was conducted, resulting in the creation of a goal tree, whose primary objective is to develop a system for acquiring skills in learning programming languages. The next stage involved determining the functional requirements for the system, which were divided into the following categories: user management, educational materials and resources, assessment and progress, interactive features and communication, administrative functions, and technical requirements. Functional roles and responsibilities of different parties involved in the process were defined for the designed system. The subsequent stage involved designing the software system using an object-oriented approach and representing the created diagrams using UML language. The article presents use case diagrams, class diagrams, and activity diagrams, which provided the necessary apparatus for its further construction. The database schema of the designed system was presented using the MySQL Workbench software tool. An application software system for learning programming languages with gamification elements has been developed, which currently operates as a prototype. Further research will focus on testing and improving the system, resolving conflicts, and expanding functionality in accordance with the defined requirements. 

[1] F. Han, J. Cai,  X. Wang, The development of computer communication technology and its application in electronic information engineering. In 2021 10th International Conference on Internet Computing for Science and Engineering (ICICSE 2021). Association for Computing Machinery, New https://doi.org/10.1145/3485314.3485333. York, NY, USA, 2021, pp.56–59.

[2] A. Dyro, Adaptive Learning In Education: The Next Gen Of Educational eContent, 2021. URL: https://elearningindustry.com/adaptive-learning-in-education-next-gen-ec...

[3] N. Dabbagh, R. Marra, J. Howland, Meaningful online learning: Integrating strategies, activities, and learning technologies for effective designs. Routledge.. TechTrends 64, 2020, pp. 931-933. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-020-00547-8.

[4] С. Simone, L. Howles, Designing the Online Learning Experience: Evidence-Based Principles and Strategies, Stylus Publishing, 2021. P.212.

[5] C. Petzold, Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software, Microsoft Press, 2022. P.480.

[6] N. Dabbagh, M. Marra, J. Howland, Meaningful Online Learning. 1st ed. Taylor and Francis, 2019. P.224.

[7] T. Basyuk, A. Vasyliuk, Peculiarities of an Information System Development for Studying Ukrainian Language and Carrying out an Emotional and Content Analysis // CEUR Workshop Proceedings. – 2023. – Vol. 3396: Computational Linguistics and Intelligent Systems 2023: Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Computational Linguistics and Intelligent Systems. Volume II: Computational Linguistics Workshop, Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 20-21, 2023.pp. 279–294.

[8] M. Liu, D. Yu, Towards intelligent E-learning systems. Educ Inf Technol 28, 2023, pp.78457876. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11479-6

[9] T. Green, L. Donovan, Learning anytime, anywhere through technology. In The Wiley Handbook of Teaching and Learning; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2018, pp. 225–256.

[10] T. Litmanen, I. Autio, Intelligent tutoring in online learning environment. In Proceedings of the 10th International Technology, Education and Development Conference, Valencia, Spain, 7–9 March 2016; pp. 6988–6995.

[11] H. El-Sabagh, Adaptive e-learning environment based on learning styles and its impact on development students’ engagement. Int. J. Educ. Technol. High. Educ. 2021, pp.18-53.

[12] Y. Jing, L. Zhao, K. Zhu, H. Wang, C. Wang, Q. Xia, Research Landscape of Adaptive Learning in Education: A Bibliometric Study on Research Publications from 2000 to 2022. Sustainability 2023, Vol.15. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043115.

[13] T. Basyuk, Innerlinking website pages and weight of links. Proceedings of the 12th International Scientific and Technical Conference «Computer Science and Information Technologies CSIT-2017». Lviv, Ukraine, September 12–15, 2017, pp. 12–15.

[14] S Linckels, K. Yves, R. Reuter, C. Dording, C. Weber, C. Meinel, Teaching with information and communication technologies: preliminary results of a large scale survey. In Proceedings of ACM SIGUCCS fall conference: communication and collaboration (SIGUCCS '19). Association for Computing Machinery, New York, NY, USA, 157–162. https://doi.org/10.1145/1629501.1629530

[15] A. Yasin, А. Abbas, Role of gamification in engineering education: A systematic literature review. IEEE Global Engineering Education Conference, EDUCON, 2021, pp. 210–213. https://doi.org/10.1109/EDUCON46332.2021.9454038

[16] J. Majuri, J. Koivisto,  J. Hamari,  Gamification of Education and Learning: A Review of Empirical Literature. In Proceedings of the 2nd International GamiFIN Conference, Pori, Finland, 21–23 May 2018, pp. 11–19.

 [17] J. Swacha, State of Research on Gamification in Education: A Bibliometric Survey. Educ. Sci. 2021, Vol. 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11020069. Review

[18]  M. Kalogiannakis, S. Papadakis, A. Zourmpakis, Gamification in Science Education. A Systematic of the Literature. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci11010022. Educ. Sci. 2021, Vol. 11.

[19]  J. Hansen, J. Reich, Democratizing education? Examining access and usage patterns in massive open online courses. Science, Vol. 350(6265), 2018, pp.1245–1248.

[20] R. Levin, R. How are people globally benefiting from online learning, 2017. URL: https://blog.coursera.org/online-learners-around-world-report-benefits-r....

[21] S. Wang, C. Christensen, W. Cui, R. Tong, L. Yarnall, L. Shear, M. Feng, When adaptive learning is effective learning: Comparison of an adaptive learning system to teacher-led instruction. Interact. Learn. Environ. 2020, Vol. 31, pp.793–803.

[22]  H. Al-Chalabi, A. Hussein, U. Apoki, An Adaptive Learning System Based on Learner’s Knowledge Level. In Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Electronics, Computers and Artificial Intelligence (ECAI), Pitesti, Romania, 1–3 July 2021; pp. 1–4.

[23] T. Basyuk, A. Vasyliuk, V. Lytvyn, O. Vlasenko, Features of designing and implementing an information system for studying and determining the level of foreign language proficiency// CEUR Workshop Proceedings. – 2023. – Vol. 3312: Modern Machine Learning Technologies and Data Science Workshop (MoMLeT&DS 2022): Proceedings of the Modern Machine Learning Technologies and Data Science Workshop, Leiden, The Netherlands, November 25-26, 2022. pp. 212-225.

[24] A. Ahmad, F. Zeshan, M. Khan, R. Marriam, A. Ali, The Impact of Gamification on Learning Outcomes of Computer Science. Claims ACM Transactions on Computing Education (TOCE), Volume 20, Issue 2, Article No.: 16, pp 1 - 25.

[25] R. Alsawaier, Research trends in the study of gamification. Int. J. Inf. Learn. Technol. 2019, Vol. 36, pp. 373–380.

[26] M. Arnold, B. North, H. Fischer, J. Mueller, M. Diab, Game-Based Learning in Vet Schools: A Learning Architecture for Educators in Vocational Education. INTED2021 Proceedings, 1 April 2021, pp. 3297–3303.

[27] I. Veza, A. Sule, N. Putra, M. Idris, I. Ghazali, P. Irianto, M. Ulka, A. Gipin, Virtual Laboratory for Engineering Education: Review of Virtual Laboratory for Students Learning. Engineering Science Letter. 2022, Vol. 1,  pp. 41-46.

[28] P. Saraiva, R. Carmo, J. Gomes, V. João, V. Windson, Adaptive learning in computer science education: A scoping review. Education and Information Technologies. 2023, Vol. 29, pp.150.

 [29] A. Vasyliuk, T. Basyuk, V. Lytvyn, Design and Implementation of a Ukrainian-Language Educational Platform for Learning Programming Languages// CEUR Workshop Proceedings. - 2023. - Vol. 3426: Modern Machine Learning Technologies and Data Science Workshop (MoMLeT&DS 2023): Proceedings of the Modern Machine Learning Technologies and Data Science Workshop, Lviv, Ukraine, June 3, 2023. pp. 406-420.

[30] T. Crow,  A. Luxton-Reilly, B. Wünsche, Intelligent tutoring systems for programming education: a systematic review. The 20th Australasian Computing Education Conference, 2018, pp. 53-62. http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3160489.3160492.

[31] Platform Algotester, 2024. URL: https://algotester.com/uk

[32] Codewars - Achieve mastery through coding practice and developers, 2023. URL: https://www.codewars.com/

[33] HackerRank - Online Coding Tests and Technical Interviews, 2024. URL: https://www.hackerrank.com/

[34] Platform Exercism, get really good at programming, 2024. URL: https://exercism.org/

[35] R. Huang, A. D. Ritzhaupt, Sommer, J. Zhu, A. Stephen, N. Valle, J. Li. The impact of gamification in educational settings on student learning outcomes: A meta-analysis. Educational Technology Research and Development, 68(4), 2020. pp.1875-1901. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11423-020-09807-z

[36] A. P. Markopoulos, A. Fragkou, P.D. Kasidiaris, & J.P. Davim. Gamification in engineering education and professional training. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 50(2), 2022. pp. 197-219. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306419015591324

[37] A. Dennis, B. Wixom, D. Tegarden, Systems Analysis and Design: An Object-Oriented Approach with UML, Wiley, 2020.

[38] J. Valacich, J. George, J. Hoffer, Modern Systems Analysis and Design, Pearson, 2020. P.521.

[39] A. Rababah, Assessing the Effectiveness of UML Models in Software System Development. International Journal of Applied Science and Research. 2024. pp.13-24.  https:/doi.org/10.56293/IJASR.2024.5703

[40] B. Shamile, Software Development with UML Diagrams, Independently published. 2022. P.81.

[41] J. Murach, Murach's MySQL (3rd Edition), Mike Murach & Associates; 3rd edition, 2019. P.650.

[42] A. Behl, N. Jayawardena, V. Pereira, N. Islam, M. Giudice, J. Choudrie, Gamification and elearning for young learners: A systematic literature review, bibliometric analysis, and future research agenda. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2022, vol. 176. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121445

[43] B. Forouzan, R. Gilberg, C++ Programming: An Object-Oriented Approach. McGraw Hill; 1st edition, 2019. P. 960.

[44] C. Horstmann, Java: Advanced Features, Volume 2 (Oracle Press Java, Addison Wesley; 12th edition. 2022. P.1040. [45] E. Norex, Mastering Dynamic Programming in Python. Independent Creating Platform. 2024. P.219.