Video Games and Learning

¶ … Interactive Tutorial Effective?

Tutorials are integral to learning new technologies or procedures, from learning how to use a new software application to learning how to speak a new language. Therefore, it is important to know what factors determine the effectiveness of a particular tutorial. Empirical evidence and experimental research can be used to assess tutorial effectiveness, as learning can be objectively measured. Tutorial designers can improve their products by using empirical research to base their user interfaces, interactivity levels, instructional exercises, length of lessons, and hardware platform flexibility.

Effective tutorial design is critical not just for the user experience, but also to the effectiveness and accessibility of the product. This proposal identifies and evaluates the factors that help determine the effectiveness of a tutorial, with the ultimate goal of helping developers design successful interactive tutorials that they can integrate into products and services. Specifically, our research will focus on interactive tutorials: tutorials that overlay and interface with the actual software system rather than a stand-alone product like a video or a manual. Anderson and Wilson assess the differences between passive versus interactive tutorials and found that the vast majority of study participants (78%) preferred interactive tutorials, and their measurable scores were also statistically significantly higher than their counterparts who received passive tutorials alone. Given their greater user-friendliness and greater effectiveness at achieving their express learning goals, we will narrow our focus to interactive tutorials.

We will specifically analyze two different types of interactive tutorials: instructional tutorials, and purpose-designed tutorials. Instructional tutorials use interactive methods like video games to teach the user about the software. These types of tutorials are characterized by being located directly within the user interface of that software. They are self-referential in nature. The second type of tutorial we will use are directly designed to teach the user a skill external to the tutorial. In other words, the second type of tutorial is purpose-designed instructional software that essentially takes the place of or supplements classroom learning. Common examples of this type of tutorial would be Rosetta Stone for language learning, Math Blasters for childhood algebra learning, or flight simulators. Regardless of whether the tutorial teaches a person how to use a software or how to master a lesson or technique, effective tutorial design demands certain elements: an engaging user interfaces, a means to challenge users without frustrating them, and a way to create ongoing and long-term lessons to "level up."

A review of literature can help us to demonstrate what factors make a tutorial relatively effective. In addition to quantifiable measures such as mastering the software or lessons, dependent variables include perceived user-friendliness of the tutorial. User-friendliness is one of the main features of video game tutorials. A game design is purposely created to be fun as well as interactive, engaging, and even addictive in nature. Other elements of user-friendliness may include ergonomics, adaptability to users with special needs, availability of the product in different languages, and availability of the tutorial on multiple hardware and operating system platforms. Video game interfaces are known to be among the most user-friendly of all tutorial systems. As Gee points out, "good computer and video games...are learning machines," (20). In fact, the best tutorials are designed to be games that are challenging and also that offer opportunities for ongoing and long-term play, so that users "learn and master something that is long and challenging -- and enjoy it, to boot," (Gee 20). Boot, Kramer, Simons, Fabiani, and Gratton also found a "causal relationship between playing action video games and improvements in a variety of visual and attentional skills," (387). In other words, a gaming interface in a tutorial would especially lend itself to learning because games inherently promote and enhance cognitive activity. Games are also fun and engaging, can capture the attention of bored, cynical, or frustrated learners, and can be designed to provide ongoing learning experiences rather than a single lesson.

Video games may be especially conducive to learning, which is why our proposal is to focus on interactive tutorials with game-like interfaces. Research shows that cognitive performance is enhanced on specific types of tasks when a gaming interface is used, which suggests that tutorial designers use games that directly parallel the cognitive processes being taught (Boot, et al.). In other words, the tutorial should ideally be designed so that it teaches highly relevant skills. If reflexes and speed are necessary learning outcomes, then the tutorial needs to stimulate fast reflexes and speed even at the expense of accuracy. On the contrary, if accuracy is a more desirable learning outcome than speed, then the tutorial designers would minimize or even abandon its timed events. An effective tutorial offers something for all learners, including advanced learners who need to refresh known skills or take the lessons deeper than the average user.

Even when the end result is not to master a game but something else, like a language or how to fly a plane, games can enhance the learning process and promote retention, perception, and cognition on specific tasks. Rosetta Stone and other purpose-designed tutorial learning systems create what can be considered game-like interactive user experiences, yet without sacrificing functionality and learning outcomes. Game play does not distract users; the game play actually enhances language learning. Furthermore, gaming engages the user through the more subjective function of fun. This is why "gamification" is being used more commonly in "non-gaming systems" to improve user experience and engagement (Deterding 2425). Participants in one study even preferred the gaming interface of an online tutorial over that of in-person instruction from a librarian when learning library skills (Silver and Nickel).

Part Two: Proposed Tutorial Platform

To illustrate successful tutorial design in action, we propose a proprietary tutorial to teach the user a specific application. In this case, we will design a tutorial that helps users master a common application, iTunes. Many people have iTunes but few have mastered some of its more advanced features. The goal of our tutorial is to deepen user understanding of iTunes, minimize frustration with the software, and enhance the overall user experience of the software. Our tutorial will be interactive in nature, different from the Youtube videos and other instructional lessons available on the Internet because of its gaming interface. Based on research suggesting that interactive tutorials are preferable to static ones, we will design a simple but progressive game that allows users to learn, track their progress, and also practice what they have learned. We will ideally design the tutorial for multiple platforms, including Mac, PC, iOS, and Android. This way, users can learn about how to sync their playlists among their different devices, create new playlists, and manage large music collections across multiple devices and storage options.

Consisting mainly of two parts, our tutorial will start with a basic learning interface. Users can opt for a passive, non-interactive mode such as watching a video. This will ensure that users who are in a public space or who cannot take the time to actually play the learning game can still watch the video and learn something about iTunes. Also, the video instruction will introduce the user to some core concepts that will enhance their ability to succeed at the game and achieve learning objectives. Our tutorial will then prompt the user to play the interactive game to practice what they have learned, including actually opening iTunes and working with a new library or playlist. The tutorial can be paused and resumed at any time, to create the user-friendliest interface as possible. We want to encourage users to work with the tutorial at their own pace. It is critical, though, that users move on to the interactive stage of the tutorial to reflect the Anderson and Wilson research quantifying the effectiveness of interactive tutorials in particular. If interactive tutorials are indeed more effective at helping users achieve their learning goals, then the passive components of our software tutorial are ancillary and supplemental.