Association for Behavior Analysis International

The first presentation will review the systematic assessment of peer-reviewed single-subject research that included a game-based intervention as the independent variable, identify the elements of gaming that have been employed, assess the scope of use across domains, and examine the efficacy of these interventions. We will discuss areas of strengths and limitations of the extant literature, identify opportunities for future research, and practical implications for the use of game-based interventions. The second presentation evaluated the effects of a gamified package intervention on the accurate data entry of BACB® experience hours. Fifteen behavior analysis graduate students who were enrolled in 3 sections of Practicum at a small private university participated. The gamified intervention (“Practicum Slayer”) included feedback, reinforcement (points) to access putative primary reinforcement, badges, and thematic enhancement. This intervention was compared to a feedback only condition using a multiple baseline design across classes. Weekly data were collected on the percentage of students per class who entered data into the BACB® Fieldwork Tracker with 100% accuracy. The intervention was effective at increasing accurate data entry for all classes and 93.33% (14 of 15) of participants reached 100% accuracy in their data entry by the end of the study. IOA data were collected in 39.44% of sessions for a mean of 99.01% agreement (range, 80% - 100%). Social validity data indicated the gamification package was received with moderate positivity. The final presentation evaluated the isolated effects of group contingencies on student pacing and performance across three separate classes of the same undergraduate online course (n=175 students in each of 3 classes). Two of the three classes received counterbalanced interdependent group contingencies for meeting recommended deadlines to receive simple, no cost rewards. The third class served as the control group and received no group contingencies. Results showed that implementation of group contingencies impacted course pacing for the experimental groups, with improvements in the completion of assignments by the recommended deadlines when under a contingency. We discuss the implications of the use of these simple, effective, no-cost rewards as a contrast to extra credit rewards and improving pacing in asynchronous online courses.

The target audience for these presentations are practitioners interested in the types of single subject design research on gamification and those interested in incorporating gamification within their university classroom (online or on ground).