Skip to main content

Assessment of Student’s Emotions in Game-Based Learning

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Assessment in Game-Based Learning

Abstract

Research has shown that emotions are directly linked to cognition and there is a strong correlation between affect and learning. This notion along with recent technological advancements has prompted researchers from many disciplines to turn their attention toward adding an affective component to human-computer dialog. This chapter discusses emotion assessment methods, recent empirical research related to examining students’ affective states in entertainment and educational games, and conceptual, methodological, and technological issues associated with developing emotion recognition models. An overview of emotion recognition research suggests that there is little consensus on what emotions should be measured and how to do it. Moreover, it is still not clear how emotions affect human learning and performance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Aleven, V., & Koedinger, K. (2002). An effective metacognitive strategy: Learning by doing and explaining with a computer-based cognitive tutor. Cognitive Science, 26(2), 147–179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball, G., & Breese, J. (1999). Modeling the emotional state of computer users. Paper presented at the UM ‘99, in workshop on ‘Attitude, personality and emotions in user-adapted interaction’, Banff, Canada.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R. S., Corbett, A. T., Koedinger, K. R., Evenson, S. E., Roll, I., Wagner, A. Z., et al. (2006). Adapting to when students game an intelligent tutoring system. Paper presented at the Eighth International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems. Jhongli, Taiwan

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R. S., Corbett, A. T., Koedinger, K. R., & Wagner, A. Z. (2004). Off-task behavior in the cognitive tutor classroom: When students “Game the System”. Paper presented at the Proceedings of ACM CHI 2004: Computer–Human. Interaction Vienna, Austria.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baker, R. S., D’Mello, S. K., Rodrigo, M. M. T., & Graesser, A. C. (2010). Better to be frustrated than bored: The incidence, persistence, and impact of learners’ cognitive-affective states during interactions with three different computer-based learning environments. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 68(4), 223–241.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bentley, T., Johnston, L., & von Braggo, K. (2005). Evaluation using cued-recall debrief to elicit information about a user’s affective experiences. Paper presented at the OZCHI, Canberra, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blanchard, E., Chalfoun, P., & Frasson, C. (2007). Towards advanced learner modeling: Discussions on quasi real-time adaptation with physiological data. Paper presented at the 7th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (ICALT 2007), Niigata, Japan.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boehner, K., DePaula, R., Dourish, P., & Sengers, P. (2007). How emotion is made and measured. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 65(4), 275–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cacioppo, J. T., Berntson, G. G., Larsen, J. T., Poehlmann, K. M., & Ito, T. A. (2000). The psychophysiology of emotion. In M. Lewis & J. M. Haviland-Jones (Eds.), Handbook of Emotions(pp. 173–191). New York: The Guilford Press.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Canamero, D. (1997). Modeling motivations and emotions as a basis for intelligent behavior. Paper presented at the First International Conference on Autonomous Agents. Marina del Rey, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castellano, G., Villalba, S. D., & Camurri, A. (2007). Recognizing human emotions from body movement and gesture dynamics. In A. Paiva, R. Prada, & R. W. Picard (Eds.), Affective computing and intelligent interaction (pp. 71–82). Berlin: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Chaffar, S., Derbali, L., & Frasson, C. (2009). Towards emotional regulation in intelligent tutoring systems. Paper presented at the AACE World Conference on E-learning in Corporate, Government, Healthcare, & Higher Education: E-LEARN 2009, Vancouver, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, C.-M., & Wang, H.-P. (2011). Using emotion recognition technology to assess the effects of different multimedia materials on learning emotion and performance. Library and Information Science Research, 33(3), 244–255.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coles, G. (1998). Reading lessons: The debate over literacy. New York: Hill & Wang.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conati, C. (2002). Probabilistic assessment of user’s emotions in educational games. Applied Artificial Intelligence, 16(7), 555–575.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Conati, C., Chabbal, R., & Maclaren, H. (2003). A study on using biometric sensors for monitoring user emotions in educational games. Paper presented at the Workshop “Assessing and Adapting to User Attitude and Affects: Why, When and How?” In conjunction with UM’03, 9th International Conference on User Modeling, Pittsburgh, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Conati, C., & Maclaren, H. (2009). Empirically building and evaluating a probabilistic model of user affect. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 19(3), 267–303.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Mello, S. K., Craig, S. D., Witherspoon, A., McDaniel, B., & Graesser, A. C. (2008). Automatic detection of learner’s affect from conversational cues. User Modeling and User-Adapted Interaction, 18(1–2), 45–80.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Mello, S., Lehman, B., Sullins, J., Daigle, R., Combs, R., Vogt, K., et al. (2010). A time for emoting: When affect-sensitivity is and isn’t effective at promoting deep learning. In J. Kay & V. Aleven (Eds.),Proceedings of 10th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems(Vol. 6094, pp. 245–254). Pittsburgh, PA: Springer Berlin / Heidelberg.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Damasio, A. (1995). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason and the human brain. New York: Quill.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Vicente, A., & Pain, H. (2002). Informing the detection of the students’ motivational state: An empirical study. Paper presented at the ITS2002, Biarritz, France and San Sebastian, Spain.

    Google Scholar 

  • de Vicente, A., & Pain, H. (2003). Validating the detection of a student’s motivational state. Paper presented at the Second International Conference on Multimedia Information & Communication Technologies in Education (m-ICTE2003). Badajoz, Spain

    Google Scholar 

  • Ekman, P., Levenson, R. V., & Friesen, V. W. (1983). Autonomic nervous system activity distinguishes among emotions. Science 221, 1208–1210.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erez, A., & Isen, A. M. (2002). The influence of positive affect on the components of expectancy motivation. The Journal of Applied Psychology, 87(6), 1055–1067.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gaillard, A. W., & Kramer, A. F. (2000). Theoretical and methodical issues in psycho physiological research. In R. W. Backs & W. Boucsein (Eds.), Engineering psychophysiology. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gee, J. P. (Ed.). (2004). Situated language and learning: A critique of traditional schooling. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graesser, A. C., Person, N., Harter, D., & Group, T. R. (2001). Teaching tactics and dialogue in AutoTutor. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 12, 257–279.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graesser, A. C., Rus, V., D’Mello, S., & Jackson, G. T. (2008). AutoTutor: Learning through natural language dialogue that adapts to the cognitive and affective states of the learner. In D. H. Robinson & G. Schraw (Eds.), Current perspectives on cognition, learning and instruction: Recent innovations in educational technology that facilitate student learning (pp. 95–125). Greenwich: Information Age Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Graesser, A. C., Witherspoon, A., McDaniel, B., D’Mello, S., Chipman, P., & Gholson, B. (2006). Detection of emotions during learning with AutoTutor. Paper presented at the 28th Annual Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society. Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Healey, J. (2000). Wearable and automotive systems for affect recognition from physiology. PhD, MIT, Cambridge, MA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hone, K. (2006). Empathic agents to reduce user frustration: The effects of varying agent characteristics. Interacting with Computers, 18, 227–245.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudlicka, E., & McNeese, M. (2002). Assessment of user affective and belief states for interface adaptation: Application to an Air Force pilot task. User Modeling and User Adapted Interaction, 12(1), 1–47.

    Google Scholar 

  • Isbister, K., Höök, K., Laaksolahti, J., & Sharp, M. (2007). The sensual evaluation instrument: Developing a trans-cultural self-report measure of affect. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 65(4), 315–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Issroff, K., & del Soldato, T. (1995). Incorporating motivation into computer-supported collaborative learning. Paper presented at the European Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, Lisbon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kaklauskas, A., Zavadskas, E. K., Pruskus, V., Vlasenko, A., Seniut, M., Kaklauskas, G., et al. (2010). Biometric and intelligent self-assessment of student progress system. Computers in Education, 55(2), 821–833.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karaseitanidis, I., Amditis, A., Patel, H., Sharples, S., Bekiaris, E., Bullinger, A., et al. (2006). Evaluation of virtual reality products and applications from individual, organizational and societal perspectives—The “VIEW” case study. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 64, 251–266.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, J. M. (1984). Use of the ARCS model of motivation in teacher training. In K. E. Shaw (Ed.), Aspect of educational technology XVII: Staff development and career updating. New York: Nichols.

    Google Scholar 

  • Koedinger, K., Anderson, J., Hadley, W., & Mark, M. (1997). Intelligent tutoring goes to school in the big city. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, 8, 30–43.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kort, B., Reilly, R., & Picard, R. W. (2001). An affective model of interplay between emotions and learning: Reengineering educational pedagogy-building a learning companion. Paper presented at the IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies, Madison, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • LeDoux, J. E. (1996). The emotional brain. New York: Simon and Schuster.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liao, W., Zhang, W., Zhu, Z., Ji, Q., & Gray, W. D. (2006). Toward a decision-theoretic framework for affect recognition and user assistance. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 64(9), 847–873.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandryk, R. L., & Atkins, M. S. (2007). A fuzzy physiological approach for continuously modeling emotion during interaction with play environments. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 6(4), 329–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandryk, R. L., Atkins, M. S., & Inkpen, K. M. (2006). A continuous and objective evaluation of emotional experience with interactive play environments. Paper presented at the Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI 2006), Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandryk, R. L., Inkpen, K. M., & Calvert, T. W. (2006). Using psychophysiological techniques to measure user experience with entertainment technologies. Behaviour and Information Technology (Special Issue on User Experience), 25(2), 141–158.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mentis, H. M. (2007). Memory of frustrating experiences. In D. Nahl & D. Bilal (Eds.), Information and emotion (pp. 197–210). Medford: Information Today.

    Google Scholar 

  • Myers, D. G. (2002). Intuition: Its powers and perils. New Haven: Yale University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oaksford, M., Morris, F., Grainger, B., & Williams, J. M. G. (1996). Mood, reasoning, and central executive process. Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 22, 477–493.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ortony, A., Clore, G. L., & Collins, A. (1988). The cognitive structure of emotions. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Pagulayan, R. J., Keeker, K., Wixon, D., Romero, R., & Fuller, T. (2002). User-centered design in games. In J. Jacko & A. Sears (Eds.), Handbook for human–computer interaction in interactive systems (pp. 883–906). Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pekrun, R. (2006). The control-value theory of achievement emotions: Assumptions, corollaries, and implications for educational research and practice. Educational Psychology Review, 18, 315–341.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pekrun, R., & Stephens, E. J. (2011). Academic emotions. In K. R. Harris, S. Graham, & T. Urdan (Eds.), APA educational psychology handbook (Vol. 2). Washington: American Psychological Association.

    Google Scholar 

  • Picard, R. W. (1997). Affective computing. Cambridge: MIT Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Picard, R. W., Vyzas, E., & Healey, J. (2001). Toward machine emotional intelligence: Analysis of affective physiological state. IEEE Transactions on Patter Analysis and Machine Intelligence, 23(10), 1175–1191.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Prendinger, H., Ma, C., & Ishizuka, M. (2007). Eye movements as indices for the utility of life-like interface agents: A pilot study. Interacting with Computers, 19(2), 281–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reilly, R., & Kort, B. (2004). The science behind the art of teaching science: Emotional state and learning. Paper presented at the Conference on Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education, Atlanta, GA, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scheirer, J., Fernandez, R., Klein, J., & Picard, R. W. (2002). Frustrating the user on purpose: A step toward building an affective computer. Interacting with Computers, 14(2), 93–118.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scherer, K. (2005). What are emotions? And how can they be measured? Social Science Information, 44(4), 695–729.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spangler, G., Pekrun, R., Kramer, K., & Hofmann, H. (2002). Students’ emotions, psychological reactions, and coping in academic exams. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 15, 413–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tao, J., & Tan, T. (2005). Affective computing: A review. In J. Tao, T. Tan & R. W. Picard (Eds.), Proceedings of Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction (ACCII 2005) (Vol. 3784, pp. 981-995). Beijing, China: Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Vizer, L. M., Zhou, L., & Sears, A. (2009). Automated stress detection using key stroke and linguistic features: An exploratory study. International Journal of Human Computer Studies, 67, 870–886.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, J., Vogt, T., & Andr, E. (2007). A systematic comparison of different HMM designs for emotion recognition from acted and spontaneous speech. Paper presented at the Proceedings of the 2nd international conference on Affective Computing and Intelligent Interaction, Lisbon, Portugal.

    Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, B. (1985). An attributional theory of achievement motivation and emotion. Psychological Review, 92, 548–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weiner, B. (1992). Human motivation: Metaphors, theories and research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woolf, B. (2009). Building intelligent interactive tutors. Burlington: Morgan Kaufmann Publishers.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zakharov, K., Mitrovic, A., & Johnston, L. (2008). Towards emotionally-intelligent pedagogical agents. Paper presented at the Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS), 9th International Conference, Montreal, Canada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeidner, M. (2007). Test anxiety in educational context: What I have learned so far. In P. A. Schultz & R. Pekrun (Eds.), Emotion in education (pp. 165–184). San-Diego: Academic.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elena Novak .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media New York

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Novak, E., Johnson, T.E. (2012). Assessment of Student’s Emotions in Game-Based Learning. In: Ifenthaler, D., Eseryel, D., Ge, X. (eds) Assessment in Game-Based Learning. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3546-4_19

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics