Abstract: "In this paper, the researchers use an educational technology and instructional design framework
to explore key aspects of game design used by educators and university students to teach road
safety rules in general. The use of a framework is inspired by the game design literature and
graduate students' prior domain experience in their respective fields of teaching. The study also
looks at whether student-collaborated game design can lead to more effective learning and/or
teaching constructs. Finally, the study explores the steps involved in game design and
development, and through student interviews the researchers explain how collaboration plays a
major role. To evaluate the proposed framework, a study was conducted with the participation of
6 graduate students using four phases: brainstorming, design, prototyping, and implementation.
The students were then interviewed on their goal setting and design methodologies and shared
their perspectives on whether these games provided a more creative setting for road safety
learning. The study indicated that the proposed framework may simplify the game design process
with effective and efficient collaborative design sessions in an educational setting."
"This article concerns the design of self-contained digital games for the life-long learning context. Although the potential of games for teaching and learning is undisputed, two main barriers hamper its wide introduction. First, the design of such games tends to be complex, laborious and costly. Second, the requirements for a sensible game do not necessarily coincide with the requirements for effective learning. To solve this problem, we propose a methodology to the design of learning games by using game design patterns and matching these with corresponding learning functions, which is expected to reduce design effort and help determining the right balance between game elements and learning. First empirical results indicate that such a methodology actually can work."
"Tom Baranowski of Baylor College of Medicine, Willis Gee of Cigna, Cameron Lister of Brigham Young University, Kevin Werbach of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business and Rhett Woods of Rally Health spoke with iHealthBeat about the growing use of digital gaming to encourage healthy behaviors and reduce costs."
Research shows that violent video games increase aggressive behavior and decrease prosocial behavior, but could relaxing video games have the opposite effects? In two experiments, participants were randomly assigned to play a relaxing, neutral, or prosocial video game for 20 min.
"Online games increasingly sell virtual goods to generate real income. As a result, it is
increasingly important to identify factors and theory of consumption values that affect intent to
purchase virtual goods in online games. However, very little research has been devoted to the
topic. This study is an empirical investigation of the factors and theory of consumption values
that affect intent to purchase virtual goods in online games. The study determines the effects of
game type, satisfaction with the game, identification with the character, and theory of
consumption values on intent to purchase virtual goods. The study used a survey to collect
information from 523 virtual game users. Study results showed that game type is a moderating
variable that affects intent to purchase virtual goods. And it demonstrated that role-playing game
users are affected by theory of consumption values: functional quality, playfulness, and social
relationship support. Moreover, war-strategy game users are affected by satisfaction with the
game, identification with the character, and theory of consumption values: price, utility, and
playfulness. The study also presents conclusions, proposes applications, and describes
opportunities for further research."
Abstract: "The Global Games Jam
(GGJ)
attracts
many people who are
passionate about games development
, co
ming
from a range of
educational backgrounds.
Therefore
, the event can be experienced
by novices and student developers as an opportunity for learning.
This
provi
des
an
op
ening
to
promote themes and ideas that could
help
form future
thinking about
games
design,
emerging as a form
of
induction on key design issues
for new practitioners
.
Such an
approach aims to raise awareness
about issues
which
learners
c
ould help
develop and take
with them
into industry
.
However,
t
he experience itself
affords
a
deep
experiential
rhetoric
and
dialogue with experts that
could be an effective pedagogical tool
for issues seldom
addressed deeply
in formal educational settings
.
This pape
r describes an account
by
one such individual, being
introduced to game accessibility through participation in the GGJ
.
As such, it is
not intended as a
rigorous
empirical analysis
, but
rather a
perspective on
one way a game jam can be experienced
,
invitin
g further research
on the topic."
"Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced the final winners of this year's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract awards-funds that are reserved for entrepreneurial small businesses using cutting-edge R&D to develop commercially viable technologies to solve tough problems. And there's something that may surprise you about the winning contracts: More than half-or 12 in all-are for games and game-related projects, more than in any previous year. That says a lot about the increasingly creative field of educational games, and the growing base of evidence indicating that games can be an important and effective component of our strategy to prepare a highly skilled 21st century American workforce."
Abstract :"Immigrants
entering the European Community face a range of
challenges in adapting to and understanding the culture of their
host nation. Failure to address these challenges can lead to
isolation and difficulties integrating into the society
of the host
country,
leading to
fragmented communities and
a range of
social
issues
.
As part of a comprehensive suit
e of services for
immigrants
, the European
-
funded M
obile Assistance for Social
Inclusion and Empowerment of Immigrants with Persuasive
Learning Technologies and Social Network Services
(MASELTOV)
project seeks to provide both practical tools and
le
arning services via mobile devices, providing a readily usable
resource for
immigrants
.
In this workshop paper, the
game
-
based
learning
aspect of the MASELTOV project is introduced, with the
rationale behind its design presented. In doing so, the b
enefits and
implications of mobile platforms and emergent dat
a capture
techniques for game
-
based learning
are discussed, as are methods
for putting engaging gameplay at the forefront of the experience
whilst relying on rich data capture and analysis to pro
vide an
effective learning solution.
Through comparison to several other
projects, a number of recommendations are put forward for games
deployed in contexts similar to that of MASELTOV: a focus on
establishing a significant audience with which to conduct
ethical
research into efficacy, the need for robust pedagogical frameworks
suited to the learning context,
and the evolution of methods for
data capture and analysis of player activity."
Abstract: "Out of the recent popularity of downloadable contents (DLC)
among video game manufac-
turers has resurfaced the issue of versioning of informatio
n goods. The central idea behind
the zero-day DLC strategy is that consumers who find the base v
ersion of a game to be suffi-
ciently attractive would pay a premium to upgrade by purchas
ing such a DLC. In this work,
we combine the literature on versioning with that on product
sampling to model the impact
of consumer learning on the product-line strategy of a game m
anufacturer. In doing so, we
demonstrate that a manufacturer's desire to vertically diff
erentiate could actually stem from a
horizontal separation among consumers. When consumers diff
er in their perception of the fit
between their tastes and the features of the product, horizo
ntal differentiation seems a natural
choice. However, if the manufacturer is unable to classify p
otential consumers into groups with
distinct tastes, horizontal differentiation becomes impra
ctical. We find that, interestingly, this
inability to differentiate horizontally does not limit the m
anufacturer from vertically positioning
its product line. We characterize the conditions under whic
h the DLC strategy is effective and
discuss how it affects consumer and social welfare. Our resul
ts also have obvious implications
in markets for other digital experience goods."
Abstract: "We propose a powerful new tool for conducting
research on computational intelligence and games. 'PyVGDL' is
a simple, high-level description language for 2D video games, and
the accompanying software library permits parsing and instantly
playing those games. The streamlined design of the language is
based on defining locations and dynamics for simple building
blocks, and the interaction effects when such objects collide, all
of which are provided in a rich ontology. It can be used to quickly
design games, without needing to deal with control structures, and
the concise language is also accessible to generative approaches.
We show how the dynamics of many classical games can be
generated from a few lines of PyVGDL."
Abstract: "This paper explores the use of modern sensor technologies for physical interaction
on educati
onal games and interactive spaces. More specifically the thesis studies the potential
effect of motion capture and wearable body sensors on educational interactive games, on two
aspects: i) on the involvement of human body and motion in the process of lear
ning, and recall of
knowledge (embodied learning), ii) on assisting the development of basic social emotional
competencies, through the enhanced social affordances of embodied games.
The paper presents
a prototype
of an educational
game developed using a m
otion capture controller and two bio
feedback sensors, proposing a generic architecture for multi
sensor interactive spaces.
Finally
the paper provides a review
of previously
studied modalities for emotion recognition, and
examines their application on gam
e mechanics and AI game agents."
abstract: "This work focuses on the design and implementation of an educational game for deployment on the Xbox 360 commercial game console. Video games can be extremely powerful and effective learning tools when deployed with methodical precision. Currently, no learning tools are available for commercial consoles that focus on teaching core concepts in Engineering. This work presents an overall design for an educational game to address Number Systems in the scope of the Electrical and Computer Engineering curricula.
BINX is an educational adventure game designed to address Number Systems and their arithmetic operations in Digital Logic Design, a core course is Electrical and Computer Engineering programs. Object Oriented Design Principles were used in the development of this game. This work presents one sublevel implemented using the XNA framework - a Microsoft Software Development Kit (SDK).The BINX gameplay takes place inside a computer where a malicious virus is threatening the computer's operability. The player has to find the virus and eradicate it by disconnecting the terminals of the graphics processor. The player has the opportunity to practice before taking on the Boss Challenge. In the practice phase, the player practices number conversions without fear of penalties. In the Challenge phase, the player is timed and has to perform the number conversions before the allotted time expires. The combination of practice and challenge provides players with the ability to practice number conversions and, when ready, to take on the challenge task where assessment is conducted to provide the player with the knowledge of how well he/she has performed on the challenge. The number conversion level of BINX was implemented and formally evaluated showing improvement in student scores after using BINX."
Abstract: "Design techniques can have an important effect on how video games teach and players learn. The ability to harness these techniques in the design of educational video game can impact the motivation and engagement of playing and learning by creating more options for players to connect with game content as well as to other players. This article focuses on the design phase of the game development process and highlights the role of some techniques that can be used to design a successful educational video game (guidelines and design patterns). These techniques provide information on good practice and form a basis for evaluating the educational video game quality, acting as useful tools for developers to enhance video game playability. To this end, we have presented a set of guidelines and design patterns in order to provide an acceptable level of playability and, in this way, a better player experiences and learning achievement."
Abstract: "It has been well-noted that contemporary digital games tend to design for a relatively high skill
threshold engineered to appease a well-entrenched and digitally literate audience (Hayes, 2005).
Such design practices, however, serve to disenfranchise new and novice players wanting to learn
to play. This novice-expert divide is a significant barrier to entry for individuals wanting to play
digital games, and given that digital games are seeing increased use in pedagogical contexts
(Akilli, 2007; Becker, 2007; Nieborg, 2011; Shelton, Satwicz, & Caswell, 2011; Ulicsak, 2010),
such skill-based barriers further complicate the seamless incorporation of digital games into the
classroom. In an effort to explore how we might bridge the gap between new and weathered
players, I created three tutorials for World of Warcraft (2004) in an attempt to improve the
existing tutorials for newer entrants to the game. These new tutorials offered different modalities
of instruction, as well as instructional strategies in assisting newer players. Tutorials were
designed using the Structured Sound Functions (SSF) model of instructional design, following
the Attentional Control Theory of Multimedia Learning (ACTML). The tutorials were then
analyzed for their effects on play outcomes, player engagement, and player motivations using the
Dick and Carey (2011) three-stage model of formative evaluation. This work thus makes two
important contributions. First, this research conducts a much-needed in-depth study of game
tutorials, which is an area yet to be well-charted in the disciplines of either education or games
studies. Secondly, by analyzing the results of the formative evaluation, I conclude that players
react favorably to a faded or "just-in-time" instructional strategy-an approach to player
scaffolding which showed significantly increased motivation for play, engagement, and play
mastery among novice participants. Implications for game design and future research are
disc
Abstract: "This paper describes the creation of a 2D game engine, the ULL Introductory Game Engine (UIGE), for
use in an introductory video game programming course as part of an undergraduate computer science
curriculum. Having the right tools available can make illustrating the concepts of game development and
design substantially easier. In creating the engine, a number of factors such as ease of use and
accessibility, were considered. Furthermore, course instructors must determine how much assistance (in
the form of tools for the engine) is too much assistance, as students may miss core principles if development
with the engine is made too abstract. Successful implementation of tools like UIGE allow students to
produce games quickly and the concepts of game development to be taught more effectively."
From the abstract: "In
this thesis we present the development of this mobile multi-platform serious game
intended to teach the basic information about asthma to teenagers and young adults. We
review the design of the game and the mobile technologies used to create the game. We
present conclusions based on observations made while interviewees played the game, and
detail the changes made to the game based on these observations. Each interviewee also
provided feedback on the game, and completed several assessments to measure their
knowledge of asthma before and after playing the game. We review the knowledge each
interviewee gained from the interaction with the game, and draw and present conclusions
based on the background each subject comes from"
From the abstract: "This study presents the
defining usability quality metric for game prototype using
software attributes by referring to ISO Standards
9126
-
3:
Software Engineering
-
Product Quality, with the adaptation
for the quality as
surance and measurement during game
p
rototyping period.
In order to be fully utilized and optimized
the effectiveness of the proposed
quality metric, it is best to
define the development process environment and its
application simultaneously."
Abstract: "The advancement of game-based learning has encouraged many related studies, such that students could better
learn curriculum by 3-dimension virtual reality. To enhance software engineering learning, this paper develops a
3D game-based learning system to assist teaching and assess the students' motivation, satisfaction and learning
achievement. A quasi-experimental design is based on the ARCS Theory (Attention, Relevance, Confidence,
and Satisfaction) to investigate the effectiveness of game-based learning strategy in 3-dimension virtual reality
scenario. The students are randomly assigned into two groups for quasi-experimental design. In game-based
learning, the curriculum content is mapped into the game to provide a scenario learning environment. After
implementation of quasi-experimental design, the pre-test and post-test results shown that 3D game-based
learning system with software engineering curriculum could achieve a better learning achievement and
motivation than using traditional instruction. The statistical test displayed that learning motivations of students
have significant impact on learning achievement, and learning achievements of students with game-based
learning are better than those who use traditional face-to-face teaching. After re-checked the questionnaire, this
paper finds that game-based learning challenging and attractiveness can lead to learners' curiosity and
immersion in learning activity. And the results show that 80% students are satisfaction, and 83% students are
confidence for the course learning after use the game-based learning system. Lastly, the research results could
provide to related educators as references"
"Abstract: U
nderstanding how
younger students
can
learn to collaborate
, and
affordances
of the
learning
environment
that
can effectively support
this
,
are critical
questions
for knowledge sharing, networking
and innovation
in education.
E
xploratory research results
o
n
emergent
middle schooler
collaborative
activity
in
a guided discovery
-
based
learning
program
are reported
.
Students in self
-
organizing game
design teams
experience
certain
challenges
(e.g., version control),
and innovat
e
solutions.
Some indicate
meta
-
knowledge development and socialization gains.
We conclude with ongoing
questions."