Game Based Learning

Learning Efficiencies Using Multi-Agent Based Game Simulations

by Barry Lee Reynolds

Barker, G., Reynolds, B.L., Lao, A. C-C., & Wu, F. (2008). Learning Efficiencies Using Multi-Agent Based Game Simulations. Proc. of 2008 International Conference on Computers in Education (pp. 737-741). Jhongli: Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education.

Learning effectiveness is a function of effective pedagogical practices. Accordingly, the question for learning... more Learning effectiveness is a function of effective pedagogical practices. Accordingly, the question for learning technology designers should be “What combination of instructional strategies and delivery media will best produce the desired learning outcome for the intended audience?" This paper reviews four successful products that incorporate solid instructional strategies with agent based game simulations to provide a positive learning environment for students.

Effects of virtual opponents in video game on students with different fluency

by Barry Lee Reynolds

Wu, F. S.H., Cheng, H. N.H., & Reynolds, B.L. (2008). Effects of Virtual Opponents in Video Game on Students with Different Fluency. Proc. of 2008 International Conference on Computers in Education (pp. 761-765). Jhongli: Asia-Pacific Society for Computers in Education.

Many researchers are concerned about the effects of video games on learning, especially the games with virtual... more Many researchers are concerned about the effects of video games on learning, especially the games with virtual opponents; therefore, the main purpose of this paper is to investigate the possible impacts. The authors designed Forest Defense, a digital game for practicing mental arithmetic, with two modes: training and challenge modes. In the challenge mode, students have to face virtual opponents which have not been shown in the training mode. A preliminary experiment was conducted to examine the effects of the challenge mode in Forest Defense. The results showed that virtual opponents did not influence the accuracy of the high-ability students, but significantly decreased the accuracy of the low-ability students. The results also suggested that if practicing more, the low-ability students were more able to face virtual opponents.

Learning and Teaching with Computer Games in Higher Education

by Nicola Whitton

In T. Connolly, M. Stansfield and L. Boyle (Eds) Games-Based Learning Advancements for Multi-Sensory Human Computer Interfaces. Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

This chapter examines the rationale for the use of computer games in learning, teaching, and assessment in Higher... more This chapter examines the rationale for the use of computer games in learning, teaching, and assessment in Higher Education. It considers their pedagogic potential in respect to a number of theories of learning, as well as some of the practical issues associated with using computer games in real teaching situations, both face-to-face and online. The first part of the chapter focuses on the theory underpinning the use of computer game-based learning with HE students, examining motivation and engagement, constructivism, collaborative and problem-based learning. The second part of this chapter considers the practical issues of using computer games in actual teaching contexts and presents twelve principles for the design and evaluation of computer games to support learning.

From the games industry: ten lessons for game-based learning

by Nicola Whitton

Co-authored with Paul Hollins

This paper draws on lessons learned from the development process of the entertainment games industry and discusses how... more This paper draws on lessons learned from the development process of the entertainment games industry and discusses how they can be applied to the field of game-based learning. This paper examines policy makers and those wishing to commission or develop games for learning and highlights potential opportunities as well as pitfalls. The paper focuses on ten key points in which the authors feel from experience in both commercial game development and education that parallels are drawn between the entertainment and educational games development processes.

Designing Learning Games For Multiple Stakeholders

by Nicola Whitton

Co-authored with Lucia Pannese and Nancy Barratt

The design of computer games for learning is a difficult process when a single learner group, with similar ages,... more The design of computer games for learning is a difficult process when a single learner group, with similar ages, backgrounds and abilities, is considered. It becomes far more complex and problematic when there are multiple stakeholders. The Auditing the Sustainability of Public Spaces (ASPIS) project aims to work with three distinct learner groups: school pupils, university students, and work-basedprofessionals. It will use a ame-based methodology, complemented with other online interactive and communication tools, to encourage active learning through discovery, negotiation and problem solving. This paper will highlight the issues associated with designing a digital game for multiple stakeholder groups, and explore possible solutions. It will first present and discuss considerations such as age appropriateness of language and game mechanics, differing gaming literacies, motivations and expectations of users, range of contexts of use in both formal and informal settings, and levels of autonomy and independence. Second, the paper will focus on possible ways in which to address the development of learning games for multiple stakeholders, such as the development of different game versions, creations of customisable game platforms, or the use of associated learning
activities. Finally, the paper will present the learning methodology adopted by the ASPIS project as a way of meeting the needs of multiple stakeholders, and describe the game that was developed. It will discuss the impact on game design, the challenges encountered, lessons learned from the project,
and results of the ongoing evaluation.

The impact of visual design quality on game-based learning

by Nicola Whitton

Theories of Motivation for Adults Learning with Games

by Nicola Whitton

This chapter considers motivation from the adult learning perspective, specifically in the context of Higher... more This chapter considers motivation from the adult learning perspective, specifically in the context of Higher Education. It is common for the findings of research carried out on children in this area to be used as a justification for game-based learning in university settings. However, adults’ motivations for playing games are unlike those of young people, and motivations to play games for leisure and learning also differ. This chapter considers these differences by first examining the literature on motivation and games, and secondly by presenting and critically discussing two recent theories of adult motivation. It aims to provide an overview of motivations for game-playing outside the post-compulsory education sector, and to present guidelines to better understand how adult motivations can improve learning.

Encouraging Engagement in Game-Based Learning

by Nicola Whitton

It is a common misconception that game-based learning is, by its very nature, engaging for the majority of learners.... more It is a common misconception that game-based learning is, by its very nature, engaging for the majority of learners. This is not necessarily the case, particularly for learners in Higher Education who may need to be persuaded of the value of learning games. For some learners, games may simply not be perceived as engaging–either in terms of an initial motivation to play or sustained participation. This paper describes the Alternate Reality Games for Orientation, Socialisation and Induction (ARGOSI) project, which experienced unexpectedly low motivation and participation. Despite extensive marketing, only a small fraction of potential students participated in the game and of those a far smaller number were highly engaged. Evidence from the project is presented and the reasons for the lack of engagement in the game created are considered. Finally the paper reflects on ways in which engagement with game-based learning might be encouraged.

Grey gamers: a research agenda for the future

by Nicola Whitton

Co-authored with Keri Facer

As the population ages across the world, societies are increasingly being challenged to find ways to enable older... more As the population ages across the world, societies are increasingly being challenged to find ways to enable older adults to play active economic and social roles later in life and to keep learning for employment or social cohesion purposes. At the same time, the demographic of games players is changing from a profile that was traditionally dominated by young men, to one that is more diverse with growing numbers of female and older players. These changes suggest that it is now time to extend the focus of research on games and learning beyond its current emphasis on younger people and formal education and training, into the areas of lifelong and informal learning. At the present time, computer games that are explicitly designed for older people tend to be dominated by concerns around cognitive function. Such concerns lead to the design of games that are structured around behaviourist models of learning, with an emphasis on repetition and practice. This approach, however, may well over-simplify the capacities, interests and aspirations of older adults both in respect of their attitudes towards learning and in their attitudes towards gaming. In order to move beyond this stereotypical view of older people, learning and gaming, this paper discusses the results of a small pilot study of five interviews with people aged over fifty. These interviews demonstrate that there is a greater diversity of need and aspiration among this group and that there is evidence of a real potential for game-based learning. The paper concludes by calling for a research agenda that recognises the diversity of older adults, challenges assumptions and stereotypes and supports an interdisciplinary approach to investigating the potential of games for lifelong learning.

Case History 2: University of Arizona South: Teaching with Technology

by Max Lieberman

Co-authored with Wayne Brent, Ph.D. and Connie Hackathorn, M.S. Published in Sheldon, Lee. "The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game." 2012, Course Technology: Boston, MA. 81-91.

Game Attributes and Mechanics in Education (GAME) is an experimental project designed to improve learning outcomes for... more Game Attributes and Mechanics in Education (GAME) is an experimental project designed to improve learning outcomes for students in blended classroom/online educational environments. GAME draws on the work of game designers, educational researchers and educational theorists to develop technology and teaching methodology that work together. GAME can be viewed as a case study on “gamification,” intended to explore ways in which games may teach more effectively than traditional educational methods.

MobiMissions: the game of missions for mobile phones

by Lyndsay Grant

Understanding Player Activity in a Game-Based Virtual Learning Environment

by D. Matthew Boyer

Boyer, D. M. (2011). Understanding player activity in a game-based virtual learning environment. Doctor of Philosophy Dissertation, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan. Proquest UMI database.

Research on the Zon project from the MSU Confucius Institute

This study examines player activity in a game-based virtual learning environment as a means toward evaluating... more This study examines player activity in a game-based virtual learning environment as a means toward evaluating instructional and game design. By determining the goals embedded in project development and the availability and structure of in-game activities, the first part of this research highlights opportunities for players to engage with learning content in the environment. In the following section, server data provides the requisite information for creating a portrait of player actions in the online space. From this assessment of intentional designs compared to player activity, the study provides findings that focus on player behaviors and structural realities. Players tended to avoid opportunities to interact with learning content. They showed few examples of sustained, immersed participation in the game-based environment. The structure of the activities was such that requisite information was inconsistently available for players to complete interactions and further their knowledge of new learning content. Understanding player activity is an essential piece of the formative evaluation of ongoing project development with implications for the creation of similar game-based virtual learning environments in particular and design research in general.

The Impact of Role Playing Perspectives in Educational Games

by Christina Freeman

This is to quantify the validity of role playing perspectives when trying to incorporate game based content for... more This is to quantify the validity of role playing perspectives when trying to incorporate game based content for extensive use in classrooms. By comparing and contrasting the role playing level of interest to learning theories a relationship between traditional pedagogy and popular game design elements is formed. This rates the level of player immersion as it applies to the level of content in a game designed specifically as a simulation for education to determine the potentially successful methods of incorporating content and pedagogy in game based offerings.

Engage Project: Sharing Experience from Game Based Learning Dissemination Workshops

by Jose Luis Soler

From elearning papers.

With this contribution, rather than providing definitive solutions, we intend to share knowledge obtained from the... more With this contribution, rather than providing definitive solutions, we intend to share knowledge obtained from the cross sectoral implementation of more than 15 workshops carried out as part of ENGAGE portal activities.
We hope our reflections on what contributes to the success of a workshop and our discussion of some of the challenges that might emerge, may be helpful for those willing to use workshops as a methodology to promote Game Based Learning with teachers/trainers in a particular context.

Subjectivity in the Ivanhoe Game: Visual and Computational Strategies

by Bethany Nowviskie

TEXT Technology, vol 12: 2003.

Students' perceptions about the use of video games in the classroom

by Jeroen Bourgonjon

Parental acceptance of digital game-based learning

by Jeroen Bourgonjon

From Counter-Strike to Counter-Statement: Using Burke's Pentad as a Tool for Reflecting on Video Games

by Jeroen Bourgonjon

Rhetorical analysis of video games

Critical Gameplay: Software Studies in Computer Gameplay

by Lindsay Grace

Published CHI2010, 28th International Conference in Human Computer Interaction

The computer game software with which we interact on a daily basis not only entertains us, it trains us into specific... more The computer game software with which we interact on a daily basis not only entertains us, it trains us into specific patterns. Critical Gameplay is a design practice which endeavors to expose and redesign the patterns to which standard gameplay subscribes. The ongoing project seeks to identify the dominant values, philosophies and problem solving models reinforced by computer games and provides prototypical alternates to those standards.

Gamifying Archives, a Study of Docugames as a Preservation Medium

by Lindsay Grace

This paper introduces a novel concept in the use of game technology and education. Instead of employing gaming... more This paper introduces a novel concept in the use of game technology and education. Instead of employing gaming technology to create entertaining fictions or develop practical training environments, this paper introduces the concept and demonstrates the practical benefits of docugames for preservation. A docugame for preservation is a simulation that incorporates historical or culturally relevant artifacts to offer multiple perspectives on an historical or culturally relevant experience. Current trends in the growth of games, lowering production costs, and an increase in global collaborative production models have supported opportunities to employ games as a medium for preservation. As such, docugames for preservation demonstrate the promise of offering a 21st century educational experience for future learners. This research provides an analysis of existing docugames, overview of gamification principles and heuristics for improving the potential of docugames as a preservation medium.