Evaluation of a digital game-based intervention program for Spanish children with literacy difficulties through the learning potential assessment methodology

Enfoque

Introduction. Most of the school-related problems that lead to academic delays and difficulties are linked to reading and writing issues, impacting on students with Specific Learning Difficulties (SLD), related to intrinsic factors, and students with Socioeconomic Difficulties (SD), related to extrinsic factors. These school-related problems justify the need for effective diagnostic and intervention resources. However, while materials are available in the market, their effectiveness needs validation through evidence-based practice, particularly for programs tailored to the Spanish language and for children from disadvantage backgrounds. Furthermore, digital game-based formats have demonstrated to contribute on increasing motivation and engagement and reducing the stress associated with test performance in children.

 

Objective. To assess the effectiveness of a digital and gamified application (based on artificial intelligence [AI] and machine-learning methodology) that supports an evidence-based practice intervention program, for Spanish children with LD in literacy skills, no matter if the difficulties are related to intrinsic or extrinsic factors.

 

Method. The sample will encompass 270 children from 3^rd to 6^th grade. The experimental group will be composed of children with SLD and children with SD and the control group will be composed of children with Typical Development (TD). Instruments will be used to assess reading, writing, literacy-related skills, and learning potential through the EPALE test (Mata & Serrano, 2019). A pretest-intervention-posttest evaluation procedure will be carried out. Intervention program will be composed of 16 individualized sessions of 40 minutes long, and applied through tablet devices. Explicit instruction, repeated practice, immediate and continuous feedback, and trainer support will be applied along the procedure. Additionally, AI and machine-learning methodology will graduate task difficulty according to student’s performance, and provide real-time progress data. As an innovative element, this study incorporates a Learning Potential (LP) assessment methodology, which assesses intervention effectiveness and presents predictive capacity to infer response to intervention considering individual differences and contributing to elaborate learning profiles.

 

Results. It is expected that children who apply the intervention program will improve their literacy skills, independently of the LD nature (intrinsic or extrinsic). Also, LP measures will show capacity to assess intervention effectiveness and infer response to intervention, contributing to elaborate students’ learning profiles.

 

Discussion. The effectiveness of the intervention program will be explored considering literacy LD nature (intrinsic or extrinsic) and benefits derived from LP assessment methodology. The final purpose of learning profiles’ elaboration is to adapt educative strategies to children’s needs. Thereby, the integration of LP assessment and machine-learning methodologies contributing to elaborate learning profiles will be discussed. Finally, according to literature, digital game-based learning will be considered as a key element for children’s motivation and engagement along the intervention procedure.