Game Theory meets Moodle: Providing an efficient learning environment

Noorani, S. F.; Ahmadi, M.

doi:10.22061/tej.2022.8423.2665

Document Type : Original Research Paper

Authors

S. F. Noorani ¹
M. Ahmadi ²

¹ Department of Information Technology and Computer Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran

² Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Payame Noor University (PNU), Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.22061/tej.2022.8423.2665

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Moodle is a Learning Management System (LMS) that is designed and implemented to provide easy distance learning and e-learning and run any electronic and online learning program. This system is an open-source and can be used in any field of learning. Given the importance and impact of collaborative learning as an educational paradigm, Moodle has provided tools such as wikis, workshops, and forums to provide an environment of collaborative interaction. Peer learning is a form of collaborative learning in which socially equal learners teach and learn from each other. In this paper, we applied Game Theory to design and implement a mechanism to design and run a peer learning environment in Moodle. The proposed mechanism is called GT-Moodle which uses forum tools in the Moodle environment and Prisoner's Dilemma - one of the most famous games in Game Theory- to create a peer learning environment to increase the learners’ motivation in the process of learning. By investigating the education-oriented research conducted in the field of Game Theory, it was found that these research studies have modeled the interaction of teacher/teacher, teacher/learner, learner/learner, and employee/learner. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted to apply the Game Theory in order to create a peer-learning space in a Moodle environment. The space and conditions of the Prisoner’s Dilemma is very similar to those of the peer learning environment. Like Prisoner’s Dilemma in which the cooperation and participation of both players bring more achievement than lack of cooperation and enmity of both of them, in peer learning, the effort and cooperation of both learners in the activities designed for learning lead to more educational achievement and learning for both of the learners. More cooperation in peer learning increases the learning improvement that is the main goal of the GT-Moodle mechanism.
Methods: The present research is applied in terms of purpose, and descriptive in terms of data collection and analysis, and quasi-experimental in terms of implementation using post-test design with control and experimental groups. To evaluate, 26 students of discrete mathematics in computer engineering were randomly selected as the experimental group and 27 students were selected as the control group. The GT-Moodle mechanism uses Forum to group and define group activities. This mechanism was performed in several different sessions of the course on the test group and finally, the results of a post-test on the control and test groups were used to evaluate the effect of the proposed GT-Moodle mechanism.
Findings: Using the Mann-Whitney U independent group test, the post-test scores of the test group and the control group were compared. The Mann-Whitney U test showed a p-value=0.000<0.05 meaning that there is a significant difference between the mean rank of the experimental and control groups at the level of 5%. Also, the mean rank of the experimental group was 35.31 which is higher than the mean rank of the control group with a value of 19. This indicates a positive effect for the proposed mechanism in this study (GT-Moodle) on learning enhancement.
Conclusion: The results of this research can be used and implemented by any educational institution that is going to use peer learning to create a productive learning environment. Since the current Moodle's tools have been used in the design of the proposed mechanism, its implementation does not require additional skills other than those of working with the Moodle, and any instructor with the knowledge of using the Moodle space can easily use the GT-Moodle mechanism.

Keywords

20.1001.1.20080441.1400.16.1.15.3

Main Subjects

e-learning

COPYRIGHTS
©2022 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, as long as the original authors and source are cited. No permission is required from the authors or the publishers.