Adaptive Gamification in Intelligent Tutoring Systems

This paper is a research article that presents an adaptive gamification concept for MEITREX, an intelligent tutoring system designed for Software Engineering (SE) education. The objective is to enhance student motivation and engagement by tailoring gamification elements to individual student profiles, including their HEXAD player types, course progress, and competence levels. The authors conducted a requirements and user analysis to identify motivational challenges and preferences among SE students, which informed the design of the adaptive gamification framework. The implementation was evaluated with twelve students in a demo course, revealing that participants perceived the system as adaptive to their learning needs, with features like quests and progress indicators positively impacting their motivation. However, the study also noted moderate effects on procrastination, suggesting the necessity for additional time management tools. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on personalized learning and aim to assist educators and developers in improving SE education through adaptive gamification.