Investigation into Aspects of Feedback and Gamification in Computer-Assisted Musical Instrument Tutoring

This thesis investigates how different variations of presentational performance feedback influences the motivation of a learner in a computer-assisted musical instrument tutoring context. Further, the thesis overviews methods to increase students’ engagement with the learning process.

Positive and negative content balance in performance feedback is proposed through conducting user testing and evaluation. User testing was carried out using an online browser-based guitar tuition app developed for the purpose of this thesis. A custom-built application allowed full control over varying the balance of positive and negative content within performance feedback for different testing groups.
Last experiment was aimed to find aspects of gamification to promote and encourage users to better themselves and to keep learning.

A brief description of up-to-date technology used to design and develop the guitar tuition software product is described.

Despite the results being inconclusive they appear to indicate that presenting negative feedback is detrimental to the learners’ motivation. Furthermore, gamifying the learning experience and introducing competitive nature of games into musical instrument tuition appear to increase learners’ engagement, and prevent the learner drifting into boredom.