Developing engineering students’ empathy skills using serious games in project management: an exploratory study

BackgroundEmpathy and emotional intelligence are core competencies in the educational curriculum of health science students, both play a significant role in teamwork relationships and in attention patient’s cares; so innovative strategies to enhance these emotional skills are required. We prospectively tested an academic coaching program for improving empathy and emotional intelligence in students of health sciences degrees.MethodsA prospectively single arm intervention study was performed in undergraduate students of nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy of the Faculty of Health Sciences from the University of Granada (Spain). The three groups of students participated in nine sessions of coaching, which included a training program to manage patient’s priorities and communication, adherence to treatment, motivation and satisfaction. Survey data included the Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test (TECA), the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) and the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) which were assessed at baseline and post-intervention.ResultsA total of 93 students of 259 (mean age of 21.6 ± 3.2 years) participated in the study and completed the sessions of coaching/surveys. After the intervention, we observed an improvement in the cognitive dimension of empathy among nursing students (p = 0.035) and in the affective dimension of empathy in physiotherapy students (p = 0.044). In addition, an increase on perceived emotional intelligence among students was achieved only in nursing/physiotherapy groups (p ≤ 0.048). Finally, slight improvements were founded in the dimensions “Perspective-Taking” and “Personal Distress” of the occupational therapy group (p ≤ 0.031). No significant differences were found for the rest of variables of TECA (p ≥ 0.052), TMMS-24 (p ≥ 0.06) and IRI (p ≥ 0.12).ConclusionsThis study shows that an academic coaching intervention with students from health sciences degrees improves their empathy skills and self-perceived emotional intelligence. The current findings can be used to determine more effective approaches to implementing academic coaching interventions based in better designs as clinical trial studies.

IntroductionEmpathy, a key component of an effective physician-patient relationship, is understood as a multifaceted socio-cognitive ability influenced by various cognitive, emotional, social factors. While it has been extensively studied in medical students and healthcare professionals overall, there is limited research on empathy skills among psychiatrists, whose profession especially demands a strong capacity for empathy in their practice.ObjectivesThis study aimed to explore the different facets of empathy among Tunisian psychiatry trainees and assess their connections with demographic, occupational, emotional, and social variables.MethodsAcross-sectional study was conducted. An online survey was proposed to 120 Tunisian psychiatry trainees. In addition to sociodemographic and work-related variables, it comprised the Davis’s Interpersonal Reactivity Index, a 28-item tool used for a multidimensional assessment of empathy with four distinct subscales: Perspective taking(PT), Empathic concern(EC), Personal distress(PD) and Fantasy scale(FS). The survey also included the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale(DERS), the Perceived Stress Scale(PSS), the Social Support Questionnaire(SSQ) and the General Self-Efficacy Scale(SE). Factors associated with empathy were evaluated using t test/ANOVA for categorical variables and correlation for continuous predictors.ResultsThe total participation rate was 71% and the mean empathy subscores were as follows: 19.04 ± 3.95 for PT, 20.41 ± 3.71 for EC, 12.67 ± 4.41 for PD and 16.40 ± 4.91 for FS. Empathy dimensions’ scores were significantly associated with the rank in the siblings, mother’s level of education, satisfactory relationship with the mother, extra-professional activities and personal psychiatric history. They also were associated with work-related factors such as the year of residency, the desired choice of specialty, the training in a general hospital with a consultation-liaison psychiatry and the perceived verbal aggression from colleagues.Empathy dimensions’ scores, mainly those of PT and PD, were correlated with emotion regulation difficulties. In fact, PT scores were negatively correlated with five of the six emotion regulation difficulties and PD scores were positively correlated with all the six emotion regulation difficulties of the DERS. EC scores were positively correlated with PSS total score and the number of social supports. PT scores were positively correlated with SE total score and PD scores were negatively correlated with SE total score.ConclusionsOur findings underscore empathy’s complexity, revealing that in psychiatry trainees, it is shaped by contextual, emotional, and social factors. Without assessing these dimensions and mediators, empathy remains a theoretical concept rather than a teachable and improvable skill.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

We explored the effectiveness of external observable behaviors in multi-party discussions to estimate an individual’s empathy skill level. In our previous research, we estimated personal empathy skills from the external observable behavior in multi-person dialogues. We demonstrated that the gaze behavior towards the end of utterances and dialogue act (DA), i.e., verbal-behavior information indicating the intension of an utterance during turn-keeping/changing, are important for estimating empathy level. We focused on Davis’ Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), which measures empathy skill level and consists of four dimensions of empathy, i.e., empathic concern (EC), perspective taking (PT), personal distress (PD), and fantasy (FS), as the estimation target. We particularly focused on estimating an individual’s EC score. In this research, we explored whether gaze behavior and DA during turn-keeping/changing are useful regarding the other three dimensions, i.e., PT, PD, and FS by constructing and evaluating estimation models based on these dimensions. We found that gaze behavior and DA are useful for estimating the scores of these three dimensions. Therefore, gaze behavior and DA during turn-changing/keeping are useful for estimating the scores of all four Davis’ IRI dimensions.

Teaching project management to engineering students demands real-world experiences in which they can apply and develop work-ready skills, such as critical thinking, empathy, and teamwork. While a shortage of these skills in new graduates is frequently claimed by engineering companies and educational bodies, there is still a lack of higher education research studies on how to foster them through teaching practice. This paper intends to contribute to filling this gap by presenting an exploratory case study research of a Project-Based Learning (PjBL) experience aimed at designing and implementing a professional (re)integration plan for social and economic deprived people (e.g., long/short-term unemployed), who depend on external food supply provided by a non-profit organization called REFOOD. The experience was carried out in Portugal, from February to June 2021, with 7 MSc mechanical engineering students from the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD). We firstly describe the PjBL experience in terms of the key driving question, the learning goals, the educational activities, the collaboration among students and stakeholders, the scaffolding activities, and the tangible learning artefacts produced. We further discuss the preliminary results of the study from data collected through documental analysis, participant observation, and self-completion questionnaires on students’ perceptions of the PjBL experience. Data analysis shows that this experience positively impacted the development of students’ project management, empathy, critical thinking, and team-working skills, by mainly having challenged their personal belief systems and biases related to the real-world scenarios they dealt with. Finally, we outline implications for the teaching practice concerning the development of similar PjBL experiences, as well as future research directions.KeywordsEngineering educationSocial responsibilityProject managementEmpathyCritical thinking

The effect of technology-enhanced learning (TEL) strategies in higher education has arguably been transformative despite the not-insignificant barriers existing in this context. Throughout the discourse very little attention has been paid to those primarily responsible for this implementation—academic teaching staff. This paper aims to highlight the impact of academic workload allocations, an often silent barrier to the uptake of TEL strategies in higher education. We will discuss the effects of academic identity and culture, preferential time allocation to associative activities, academic technological capacity, university policies and workload and funding models on the uptake, and implementation on TEL in higher education. Our aim is to highlight the risks to staff, students and institutions should these concerns not be addressed and to propose a model for utilisation by all staff responsible for implementing flexible workload models supportive of further implementation of TEL strategies across the sector.

ObjectiveSerious games are increasingly recognized as innovative tools in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, providing engaging and interactive learning environments that can enhance student performance, engagement, and learning outcomes. This systematic review aims to synthesize current research on serious games in STEM education, evaluating their impact and identifying implications for educators, policymakers, and future research.MethodsA comprehensive literature search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and IEEE Xplore databases, yielding 584 articles. A total of 37 peer-reviewed journal articles met the inclusion criteria, guided by the PICOS framework, which focused on studies reporting the use of serious games in STEM education contexts. Data extraction included study characteristics, game types, participant demographics, educational contexts, and reported outcomes.AnalysisThe selected studies were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of serious games in enhancing learning outcomes, engagement, and performance in STEM education. The analysis also explored challenges related to the implementation of serious games, including technological limitations, the need for comprehensive educator training, and ethical considerations around data privacy, all of which may impact adoption in educational settings.ResultsSerious games demonstrated a positive impact on learning outcomes, such as knowledge acquisition, skill retention, and the application of STEM concepts, along with increased student engagement and motivation. These findings suggest that serious games can serve as valuable tools for educators seeking to foster active learning environments. For policymakers, the results indicate a need for strategic investments in technology infrastructure, teacher training, and curriculum integration to maximize the benefits of serious games in STEM education. However, significant limitations were identified, including technological barriers, variability in study quality, and the need for sustained educator support, which may impact generalizability and implementation.ConclusionThis review highlights the transformative potential of serious games as tools for STEM education but emphasizes the importance of addressing key challenges to realize their full benefits. For educators, implementing serious games requires alignment with curriculum goals and access to adequate training and resources. Policymakers are encouraged to support these efforts by providing financial resources and promoting frameworks for ethical, data-secure use of serious games in education. Future research should focus on establishing a globally recognized framework for serious games in STEM, conducting longitudinal studies to evaluate long-term impacts, and exploring diverse educational contexts to ensure inclusive and effective integration.

The use of serious games in education is growing, particularly within the field of health professional training (Graafland, Schraagen, & Schijven, 2012; Wattanasoontorn, Boada, Garcia, & Sbert, 2013). Serious games aim to teach or train whilst simultaneously entertaining and engaging users (Hawn, 2009). Serious games are viewed as a useful methodology for enhancing student motivation for learning and engagement with material (Coates, 2005). Despite being heralded as a cutting edge innovation, research validating the efficacy of serious games demonstrates mixed results (Susi, Johannesson, & Backlund, 2007). A serious game to support training of professional post graduate psychology students was developed by the first author. This paper presents the results of two pilot studies comparing the learning and training experiences of students using the serious game as compared to those using a control serious game and teaching as usual, as an example of an application of serious games in post graduate education.

Teaching science through computer games, simulations, and artificial intelligence (AI) is an increasingly active research field. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review on serious games for science education to reveal research trends and patterns. We discussed the role of virtual reality (VR), AI, and augmented reality (AR) games in teaching science subjects like physics. Specifically, we covered the research spanning between 2011 and 2021, investigated country-wise concentration and most common evaluation methods, and discussed the positive and negative aspects of serious games in science education in particular and attitudes towards the use of serious games in education in general.

Music and empathy are intrinsically linked, both fostering communication. Research has shown that music serves as a nonverbal medium for mutual understanding and synchronization and that musical training and music-induced emotions correlate with empathy skills. In this study, we explored if musical sophistication and musical engagement can be predictors of the four Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) empathy subcomponents (i.e., Personal Distress, Perspective Taking, Empathic Concern, and Fantasy Scale), also in relation to gender and the musical cultural environment. We compared two samples of Italian (from Bari, Apulia; N = 260) and Spanish (from Valencian Community; N = 94) preadolescents (aged 10–14) of Italian music middle schools or Spanish extracurricular music schools of marching bands. Results showed positive, significant relationships of musical sophistication with all empathy subscales except for Personal Distress in both samples. For musical engagement, the two countries again reported similar results with some nuanced differences possibly due to the features of the two different types of training. In addition, in both samples, females displayed higher scores than males in all empathy domains. These findings suggest the importance of promoting music in preadolescence and the strong link between music and empathy traits regardless of context.

The nonapeptide oxytocin (OXT) and its receptor (OXTR) have been implicated in social cognition, empathy, emotion and stress regulation in humans. Previous studies reported associations between OXT and OXTR genetic polymorphisms and risk for disorders characterized by impaired socio-emotional functioning, such as schizophrenia and autism. Here we investigate the influence of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the OXTR gene on a measure of socio-emotional functioning in schizophrenic patients. OXTR SNPs that were previously investigated in other studies were genotyped in 145 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia according to DSM-IV and 145 healthy controls matched for age and gender. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) was used to assess cognitive (‘perspective taking’), affective (‘empathic concern’) and self-related (‘personal distress’) dimensions of empathy. No group differences in genotype frequencies were observed. MANCOVA revealed a significant main (F [1,282] = 10.464; p<0.01) and interaction effect (genotype by diagnosis: F [1,282] = 4.329; p<0.05) of OXTR SNP rs2254298(A>GG) with ‘empathic concern’. Within the schizophrenia group, linear regression analysis determined OXTR rs2254298 genotype, PANSS negative and general symptom score, and age of disease onset as being significantly associated with ‘empathic concern’. OXTR rs2254298 significantly impacted PANSS general psychopathology scores. No associations were found for OXTR rs53576, IRI ‘perspective taking’ or ‘personal distress’ ratings. Our preliminary findings support hypotheses about an involvement of OXTR rs2254298 in emotional empathy in schizophrenic and healthy individuals, warranting independent replication.

The use of serious games in education and their pedagogical benefit is being widely recognized. However, effective integration of serious games in education depends on addressing two big challenges: the successful incorporation of motivation and engagement that can lead to learning; and the highly specialised skills associated with customised development to meet the required pedagogical objectives. This paper presents the Westminster Serious Games Platform (wmin-SGP) an authoring tool that allows educators/domain experts without games design and development technical skills to create bespoke roleplay simulations in three dimensional scenes featuring fully embodied virtual humans capable of verbal and non-verbal interaction with users fit for specific educational objectives. The paper presents the wmin-SGP system architecture and it evaluates its effectiveness in fulfilling its purpose via the implementation of two roleplay simulations, one for Politics and one for Law. In addition, it presents the results of two types of evaluation that address how successfully the wmin-SGP combines usability principles and game core drives based on the Octalysis gamification framework that lead to motivating games experiences. The evaluation results shows that the wmin-SGP: provides an intuitive environment and tools that support users without advanced technical skills to create in real-time bespoke roleplay simulations in advanced graphical interfaces; satisfies most of the usability principles; and provides balanced simulations based on the Octalysis framework core drives. The paper concludes with a discussion of future extension of this real time authoring tool and directions for further development of the Octalysis framework to address learning.

Nowadays, learning ought to be an active process that takes place inside the state of the lifelong learner capacity of learning how to learn through all of life and is impacted by the learner(s) capacity to learn, learning objects, and their surroundings. The problem is that learning occurs in a variety of learning environments, which are physical, digital, and virtual. This article examines the foundational literature on interactive learning strategies in higher education, emphasizing the definition of key terms, the design of teacher-centered and/or learner-centered learning environments, and the active engagement of students in lifelong learning processes. It explored concepts of learning strategies, diversity of learning strategies, and interactive learning strategies from the perspective of global challenges, opportunities, and risks. Additionally, this article is a crossroads publication: it remains the reader of the imperative to review the concept of interactive learning strategies in higher education, taking into account the dynamicity of learning theory and knowledge management models and the evidence of key findings from theory to practice of the impact of artificial intelligence on learning capacity. This commitment to theory and practice will enable an understanding of the importance of interactive learning strategies in and beyond higher education.

This study aims to analyze digital-based Indonesian language learning strategies in higher education through a systematic review of articles published between 2020 and 2024. Based on a literature search in Google Scholar, 100 relevant articles were found, of which 84 articles met the inclusion criteria. The analysis results show that the technologies used in Indonesian language learning include ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), digital learning media, social media platforms (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram), and interactive applications such as Kahoot and quizzes. Popular learning methods include flipped classroom, Problem-Based Learning (PBL), and Project-Based Learning (PJBL), which support the development of 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital learning, which significantly influenced Generation Z students' learning methods. However, limited access to the internet in remote areas remains the main challenge in implementing digital learning. Therefore, improving technology infrastructure and providing training for lecturers to optimize the use of technology in learning, as well as policies that support equitable access to digital education across Indonesia, are essential. This study provides insights for the development of digital-based learning strategies in higher education.

It seems necessary to review the literature to explore the effectiveness of serious games in education, since the number of studies on serious games is surging up. This study systematically reviewed the literature within around a recent decade. The trend of the number of publications related to use of serious games in education was firstly clarified based on the data retrieved from major databases. Secondly, various factors were determined that influenced the effect of serious game assisted learning. The major section identified both advantages and disadvantages of use of serious games in education. Use of serious games in medical science has been rising in a recent decade, which is thus highlighted in this study. Attitudes toward use of serious games in education were explored, as well as the new development of use of serious games in education. Future theoretical and practical exploration might need interdisciplinary cooperation.

The goal of this study was to validate a French version of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), a self-report questionnaire comprised of four subscales assessing affective (empathic concern and personal distress) and cognitive (fantasy and perspective taking) components of empathy. To accomplish this, 322 adults (18 to 89 years) completed the French version of the IRI (F-IRI). A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the four-factor structure of the original IRI. The F-IRI showed good scale score reliability, test–retest reliability, and convergent validity, tested with the French version of the Empathy Quotient. These findings confirmed the reliability and validity of the F-IRI and suggest that the F-IRI is a useful instrument to measure self-reported empathy. In addition, we observed sex and age differences consistent with findings in the literature. Women reported higher scores in empathic concern and fantasy than men. Older adults reported less personal distress and less fantasy. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved). (journal abstract)