Study: Learning Outcomes from an Idle Game Teaching Machine-Learning Concepts
Principal Investigator: Erik Andersen, Cornell University
Funding source: National Science Foundation
You are being invited to take part in a research study
This game is an optional study aid. It is not part of this course (CS 3780): playing is voluntary, it is not graded, and it has no effect on your grade or standing in the class. You must be 18 or older to participate.
What we will ask of you
Everything happens inside the game. If you join, we ask you to:
- Take a short concept quiz before you start playing and again at the end of the chapter. You may skip any question.
- Play the game. It records anonymous play data: which assignments you reach, accuracy on in-game tasks, which tools you unlock, and when you play.
When you play, you are randomly assigned to a specific section of the game.
Time required: the study should take about 30 minutes.
Risks and confidentiality
We will do our best to keep your participation in this research study confidential to the extent permitted by law; however, it is possible that other people may need to review the research records and may find out about your participation in this study. For example, the following people/groups may check and copy records about this research:
- The Office for Human Research Protections in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- The research study sponsor, the National Science Foundation
- Cornell University’s Institutional Review Board (a committee that reviews and approves research studies) and the Office for Research Integrity and Assurance
In this study, however, the research records are anonymous — they contain no identifying information, so reviewing them cannot reveal who participated. There are no other foreseeable risks beyond everyday computer use, no direct benefit to you, and no compensation. The research may improve how machine learning is taught.
Your data are anonymous
The data are anonymous. They are stored on Cornell-managed storage. Results are reported only in aggregate or de-identified form, and de-identified data may be retained indefinitely and shared with other researchers.
Taking part is voluntary
Playing the game does not require joining the study: if you choose “No,” the game works exactly the same and sends us nothing. Choosing whether or not to participate in this study will have no effect on your academic standing, record, or relationship with Cornell or with your own institution. You may stop participating at any time simply by closing the game. Because the data are anonymous, we have no way to find your records afterward, so we cannot delete data already collected.
Questions
About the study: Erik Andersen, ela63@cornell.edu. About your rights as a research participant: Cornell IRB for Human Participants, irbhp@cornell.edu. You may also report concerns anonymously via Cornell’s Ethicspoint.
Statement of consent
By selecting “I agree” you confirm that you are 18 or older, that you have read the information above, and that you agree to take part in this research. No signature is collected and no identifying information is recorded; your choice is stored only on your own device so the game does not ask you again.
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