Background

Interest-based learning (IBL) is a paradigm of instruction where students’ interests are used as the basis of learning content. We conducted a study to test how integrating these interests affects a student’s motivation to learn. The main study compared video-based online learning with the IBL chat-bot as opposed to traditional video-based online learning without the chat-bot. Results showed that participants had greater interest, found more enjoyment, value, and usefulness in learning, and were generally more motivated to learn with the IBL chatbot than through traditional video lessons.

Activity

• Designing analogy-based science lessons which intertwine students’ interests and the science concept being taught
• Developing a MOOC-like website to make the online learning environment authentic
• Testing how the presence of a contextualizing chat-bot affects students’ motivation to learn STEM concepts

Project Team Members

• Dr. Sharon Lynn Chu (ELX Lab Director)
• Abhishek Kulkarni (Ph.D. Student, Human-Centered Computing)

Alumni

• Neha Sharma (Master’s Student, University of Florida)
• Swarada Sathe (Master’s Student, University of Florida)