Leveraging Large Language Model and Story-Based Gamification in Intelligent Tutoring System to Scaffold Introductory Programming Courses: A Design-Based Research Study
This addresses the problem of language and cultural barriers in programming education for Chinese international students, but it is incremental as it applies existing methods (LLMs and gamification) to a specific domain.
The study tackled the challenge of teaching introductory programming to Chinese international students by developing a gamification intelligent tutoring system that adapts to their learning needs, resulting in increased sense of belonging and scaffolding support for success in these courses.
Programming skills are rapidly becoming essential for many educational paths and career opportunities. Yet, for many international students, the traditional approach to teaching introductory programming courses can be a significant challenge due to the complexities of the language, the lack of prior programming knowledge, and the language and cultural barriers. This study explores how large language models and gamification can scaffold coding learning and increase Chinese students sense of belonging in introductory programming courses. In this project, a gamification intelligent tutoring system was developed to adapt to Chinese international students learning needs and provides scaffolding to support their success in introductory computer programming courses.