Learning by playing with generative AI: design and evaluation of a role-playing educational game with generative AI as scaffolding for instant feedback interaction

Abstract

In this study, an online contextualized educational game was designed to provide interactive simulated dialogues using generative AI scaffolding (using ChatPDF) in a contextualized game as scaffolding for immediate feedback, where learners can access guides and explore knowledge. This study analyzed learners’ behaviors while performing AI prompting in the interactive scaffolding, as well as learners’ psychological responses. A total of 59 students participated in this study. The results of the study showed that learners had significantly high flow and low activity anxiety in the game tasks, while game feedback and scaffolding usefulness had significant effects on learning aids. The generative AI instant feedback interactive scaffolding had a certain high percentage of direct answers or indirect suggestions, which is suitable for interactive scaffolding.

Keywords:

• Generative AI
• ChatGPT
• prompting
• interactive scaffolding
• game-based learning

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the projects from the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan, under contract number MOST-110-2511-H-011-004-MY3 and MOST-111-2410-H-011-004-MY3.

Notes on contributors

Chih-Chung Chien

Chih-Chung Chien is a PHD student of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. His research interests include game-based learning and educational game design.

Hung-Yu Chan

Hung-Yu Chan is a PHD student of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology. His research interests include game-based learning and educational game.

Huei-Tse Hou

Huei-Tse Hou is a Distinguished Professor of National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taiwan. He is also the Director of Mini-Educational Game development Group in E-learning Research Center in National Taiwan University of Science and Technology (NTUST MEG). His research interest focuses behavioral pattern analysis and game-based learning.