Games For Educational Purposes Research Articles

Evaluating support systems and interface efficiency in Hour of Code’s Minecraft Adventurer

Hour of Code is a widely recognized global event that aims to introduce programming to novice users and integrate computer science into education. This paper presents an analysis of the effectiveness of the support system and user interface of Minecraft Adventurer, a serious game designed for the Hour of Code global event. Although previous studies have primarily focused on the educational benefits of Hour of Code games, there has been limited research on their support methods. Therefore, this paper aims to address this gap with an empirical study of the experience of 104 students who played the game for one hour. Student progress was tracked by an administering teacher and after the game session, a questionnaire was administered to collect data on the participant’s perceptions of the support system, interface efficiency, and overall experience with Hour of Code. The results of the study reveal significant problems with the aforementioned systems, which apply not only to Minecraft Adventurer but also to several other similar serious games. Additionally, the findings showed a correlation between the utilization of the support system and student performance, indicating that student’s comprehension of the support system significantly influences their learning outcomes. This paper concludes by providing potential solutions to address the identified insufficiencies, offering valuable insights for future researchers and game developers on the design and evaluation of serious games for educational purposes.

How to Create Serious Games? Proposal for a Participatory Methodology

The demand for practical, engaging, and enjoyable learning experiences has led to a shift in student preferences. Students now seek active learning approaches that prioritize their involvement and utilize technology. In response to this demand, simulators and serious games have emerged as effective strategies in education. Serious games offer numerous benefits, including the promotion of critical thinking, creativity, problem-solving skills, and improved knowledge retention. However, it is crucial to ensure that serious games are well-designed to maintain their appeal and playful nature. Inadequate requirements definition during the initial stages of development can lead to issues in game design. This article emphasizes the importance of establishing clear requirements and objectives in the creation of serious games for educational purposes. By doing so, effective serious games can be developed that meet the needs of students and align with educational goals. This systematic approach to game development ensures that the games are engaging, effective, and conducive to learning.

The aesthetics of visual style, fulfillment of creative need for games, and use of games for educational purposes on the example of Minecraft.

This article reviews the instruments and distinctive features that allow conducting creative activity within the game “Minecraft”, which implies modification of world and its rules, as well as the game project at the choice of the gamer. The author also examines the application of this game in educational sphere, including higher educational institutions. The subject of this research is the game “Minecraft”, or rather its peculiarities viewed from the perspective of aesthetics, mechanics and instruments for carrying out creative and educational activity. The author draws parallels between this and other game projects that have similar mechanics with Minecraft for determining the common properties and characteristics for carrying out the designated activities. The novelty consists in assessment of the value of games as a versatile topic for domestic research, as well as in demonstration of their successful application for educational purposes. The relevance is defined by fact that the topic of studying video games in Russia is in the infancy of its dynamic development, and the problem of distance education is especially acute due to COVID-19 pandemic. The conclusion is made that the universal neutral minimalistic style of Minecraft, alongside other features of this project, is a powerful instrument for the fulfillment of creative and educational projects.

Gamification and Technology-Based Learning: Uncovering the Potential of Using Games in Language Teaching and Learning

The use of games in education has received much attention from educators who perceive games as a motivational tool that can enhance their teaching and learning practice. Gamification in education is a relatively new field that promotes the use of games for educational purposes. Gamification or game-bases teaching is a growing trend among educational institutions, which use it to promote training, develop problem-solving skills in learners, and enhance the learning experience. The present paper aims to revisit the literature on the use of gamification in educational settings. Specifically, the paper discusses the use of gamification for teaching and learning English in the ESL/EFL context. Games have been used effectively with language learners to develop their skills in speaking, listening, writing, reading, and grammar.

Captology in game-based education: a theoretical framework for the design of persuasive games

ABSTRACT Research relevant to Captology in education is in its infancy. Despite its relative newness, a dearth of literature exists on the subject that addresses the design of a persuasive game for educational purposes. Up to this point, the literature does not include any instructional design theories or theoretical frameworks that can be used specifically to design a persuasive game for educational use. This paper provides a theory-driven framework to guide instructional and game designers through the process of persuasive game design in education. The framework was developed based on multiple theories in learning, motivation, psychology, communication, as well as in other related disciplines. The framework covers the attitude-to-behavior process in designing persuasive games comprehensively: starting with strategies of designing a persuasive message and moving to principles of sending the message, which is followed by addressing the player’s motivation, ability, cognition, and metacognition when receiving the message, and ending with the conditions that surround the player’s behavior change due to the attitude. Research-based suggestions for the design of persuasive games for educational purposes are provided.

Web Platform to Create Memory Games for Educational Purposes

Games are considered entertaining activities that help the mental and physical stimulation of people; they are especially useful and necessary for learning and cognitive development in children. On the other hand, human's memory has an important role in playing games because of the concentration and memorization processes that are carried out. The memory game in particular serves as a complement in the cognitive development of the human being; it consists of finding equal pairs of cards in a diverse set of them. This paper presents a web platform to create memory games for educational purposes, intended to support the teaching-learning process of different subjects for primary school children. The platform is divided into two systems: the administrator system, which is used by teachers in order to create memory games; and the games themselves, which are generated by the platform for the students to play. The modules that compose the web platform are described and some of the interfaces of the system are shown. A comparative analysis of five existing tools for memory games is also presented, in which the most relevant features were reviewed, such as the possibility to generate new games, the cost to play games, the option to create different types of memory games, the possibility to store the games in the system, the interactivity of the interface, among others.

English Language Learning through Games

Nowadays there are controversial views regarding the acquisition, learning of languages by children. It is commonly agreed that language is learned through imitation, especially as per behavioral theories. This implies that both first and second or foreign languages are learned in the same way. They say, learning languages irrespective of whether they are first, second, third, or nth follows the same steps.The purpose of the study is to point the main ideas of English language learning using games. The objectives are to study the problem of teaching-learning English as a foreign language, to study trends in teaching a second or foreign language, to study related to language games and different language games used in the classroom for teaching English as a foreign language; it was also examined the impact of language games on classroom interaction.The methodology includes a literature review related to the topic; methods of analysis, classification, and comparative analysis.The most important results are understanding how children learn a language, basics of EFL teaching-learning, comparing monitor and input hypothesis, some theories such as accommodation theory, multiple intelligence, different types of interaction through language games.It is concluded that it is necessary to make EFL learning enjoyable, playful and stress-free. The best way to do this is to introduce the new language through games. When using games for educational purposes in a classroom setting is accepted as fruitful and beneficial, you can begin to devise language games of different types. Games for teaching EFL have a number of advantages in addition to the teaching language elements.

Obszary i warianty wykorzystania gier w działalności bibliotecznej

Teza/cel – Problematyka wykorzystania gier w bibliotekach jest tematem stosunkowo często poruszanym w literaturze przedmiotu, ale głównie w odniesieniu do ich zastosowań w promocji i działaniach PR bibliotek. Brakuje opracowań pokazujących w sposób kompleksowy możliwości wykorzystania gier i procesów grywalizacji w różnych obszarach działalności bibliotek, związanych tak z obsługą użytkowników, jak i z optymalizacją procesów wewnętrznych. Celem tego artykułu jest dokonanie charakterystyki obszarów i wariantów wykorzystania gier w bibliotekach. Metoda – Zastosowano metodę analizy i krytyki piśmiennictwa. Analizie poddano literaturę przedmiotu z zakresu bibliologii i informatologii opublikowaną w latach 2008-2018 w języku polskim i angielskim, związaną z problematyką wykorzystania gier w działalności bibliotek. Podstawą wyszukiwania piśmiennictwa były źródła, takie jak: katalog i bazy BN, bazy BJ, katalog WorldCat, wyszukiwarka zasobów naukowych Google Scholar przeszukująca bazy udostępniane przez rożnych wydawców oraz bazy abstraktowe BABIN i LISTA. Wyniki – Gry mogą znajdować zastosowanie w działalności bibliotecznej w wielu wariantach, takich jak: gry o dowolnej tematyce rozgrywane w bibliotece, gry o tematyce książkowej i bibliotecznej, gry oparte na dziełach literackich, mające potencjał dla promocji czytelnictwa, gry realizowane poza biblioteką, ale przez nią organizowane, gry wypożyczane w bibliotekach oraz książki będące grami, usługi realizowane z elementami grywalizacji, gry w działaniach edukacyjnych oraz grywalizacja procesów wewnętrznych. Wnioski – Przeprowadzona analiza pokazała, że gry mogą pełnić w bibliotece różne funkcje i być wykorzystywane zarówno dla celów edukacyjnych, promocyjnych zarówno w usługach bibliotecznych, jak i potencjalnie dla usprawniania wewnętrznych procesów bibliotecznych.

COMPUTER GAMES FOR INTEGRATED INFORMATICS AND MATHEMATICS LESSONS

The article discusses the psychological and pedagogical problems of using computer games in school education. Graphic and animation capabilities of visual programming language Scratch, as well as computer games for educational purposes as a means of increasing cognitive interest and educational motivation of students to study informatics and mathematics are demonstrated.

Digitale spil i undervisningen

Forskningen i anvendelsen af digitale spil i undervisningen har flere årtier på bagen og vidner om positive resultater med øget motivation og læringsudbytte. Samtidig er der ofte uklarhed om de didaktiske muligheder og begrænsninger, der knytter sig til forskellige måder at anvende digitale spil i undervisningen. I denne oversigtsartikel vil jeg først indkredse, hvad der kendetegner digitale spil og kort opsummere forskningen i spil og læring. Dernæst vil jeg give et overblik over den danske forskning i fire forskellige didaktiske tilgange til digitale spil i undervisningen: 1) anvendelse af læringsspil, 2) anvendelse af kommercielle computerspil, 3) brug af spilelementer i ikke-spil sammenhænge (gamification), og 4) arbejde med design af spil. Undervejs vil jeg give uddybende eksempler på dansk forskning inden for området, herunder artikler fra Læring Og Medier samt egen forskning. Ambitionen er at præsentere et overblik over den danske forskning i brug af digitale spil i undervisningen, der kan bidrage til at kvalificere didaktiske valg ved udvælgelse og anvendelse af spil.

A global simulation-optimisation approach for inventory management in a decentralised supply chain

ABSTRACTThe optimal calibration of inventory management policies in a multi-echelon linear supply chain (SC) constitutes a complex problem. The difficulty to provide a clear and unique answer leads to frustration in using serious games for educational purposes. In this work, a simulation-based optimisation approach, using a dynamic tabu search metaheuristic, is developed and applied to a specific case of a four-echelon linear SC. A stochastic demand with constant mean is used and different service levels to the market are considered. The results indicate significant differences of the required on-hand inventory, cost contributions and cost element importance between the different echelons. The non-linear influence of the service level on the various parameters and costs is also observed. The obtained results are consistent and provide a clear answer to the stated problem. The methodology developed can be easily generalised to other cases.

Evaluation of a Digital Game-Based Learning Program for Enhancing Youth Mental Health: A Structural Equation Modeling of the Program Effectiveness.

BackgroundDigital game-based learning (DGBL) makes use of the entertaining power of digital games for educational purposes. Effectiveness assessment of DGBL programs has been underexplored and no attempt has been made to simultaneously model both important components of DGBL: learning attainment (ie, educational purposes of DGBL) and engagement of users (ie, entertaining power of DGBL) in evaluating program effectiveness.ObjectiveThis study aimed to describe and evaluate an Internet-based DGBL program, Professor Gooley and the Flame of Mind, which promotes mental health to adolescents in a positive youth development approach. In particular, we investigated whether user engagement in the DGBL program could enhance their attainment on each of the learning constructs per DGBL module and subsequently enhance their mental health as measured by psychological well-being.MethodsUsers were assessed on their attainment on each learning construct, psychological well-being, and engagement in each of the modules. One structural equation model was constructed for each DGBL module to model the effect of users' engagement and attainment on the learning construct on their psychological well-being.ResultsOf the 498 secondary school students that registered and participated from the first module of the DGBL program, 192 completed all 8 modules of the program. Results from structural equation modeling suggested that a higher extent of engagement in the program activities facilitated users’ attainment on the learning constructs on most of the modules and in turn enhanced their psychological well-being after controlling for users’ initial psychological well-being and initial attainment on the constructs.ConclusionsThis study provided evidence that Internet intervention for mental health, implemented with the technologies and digital innovations of DGBL, could enhance youth mental health. Structural equation modeling is a promising approach in evaluating the effectiveness of DGBL programs.

Pre-service teachers’ perceptions on TPACK development after designing educational games

This qualitative case study aimed to investigate Early Childhood Education (ECE) pre-service teachers’ perception of development in their technological, pedagogical, content knowledge (TPACK) after designing educational computer games for young children. Participants included 21 ECE pre-service teachers enrolled in the course Instructional Technology and Material Design. The data were collected through focus group interviews, observations, and journals. The results indicated a perceived improvement in TPACK. Moreover, participants described initial difficulty designing educational computer games since they had limited technological knowledge (TK), design knowledge (DK), or experience designing educational computer games (TPACK). However, during the game design, specific TPACK was disseminated, and participants reported increased abilities in using technology and designing computer games for educational purposes.

The Impact of Students’ Temporal Perspectives on Time-On-Task and Learning Performance in Game Based Learning

The use of games for educational purposes has been considered as a learning methodology that attracts the students’ attention and may allow focusing individuals on the learning activity through the SG game dynamic. Based on the hypothesis that students’ Temporal Perspective has an impact on learning performance and time-on-task, this paper aims to analyze the relation between these variables in the SG MetaVals. The authors expect students’ TP to relate to higher performance, both for individual and collaborative GBL. Moreover, they analyze the relation between the time-on-task and the students’ temporal perspectives. A case study was conducted in a Masters course in finance. Results showed no significant differences in game performances among individuals with different TP. However, present-oriented students showed a higher time-on-task, both for individual and collaborative phases of the game. These results could point to the fact that including SG in the curriculum could help leveraging students learning performance.

The Use of Digital Games and Simulators in Veterinary Education: An Overview with Examples

In view of current technological possibilities and the popularity of games, the interest in games for educational purposes is remarkably on the rise. This article outlines the (future) use of (digital) games and simulators in several disciplines, especially in the veterinary curriculum. The different types of game-based learning (GBL)-varying from simple interactive computer board games to more complex virtual simulation strategies-will be discussed as well as the benefits, possibilities, and limitations of the educational use of games. The real breakthrough seems to be a few years away. Technological developments in the future might diminish the limitations and stumbling blocks that currently exist. Consequently, educational games will play a new and increasingly important role in the future veterinary curriculum, providing an attractive and useful way of learning.

Testing Metaphorical Educational FPS Games

It is widely recognized that there is value in making use of modern Games Technology in Serious Games for educational purposes in the classroom and yet tools that enable teachers to construct such Educational Serious Games (ESGs) with minimal programming, artistic, or GT skills are not yet widely available. In this paper we investigate the feasibility of employing the FPS game genre for teaching purposes in the classroom. This is done by starting with a typical FPS game and constructing metaphorical correspondences with the desired ESG category. This mapping highlights the mentality level of FPS games and what it would take to modify them towards the level for real knowledge acquisition as in ESGs. By changing the game world rules to correspond with a classroom study area, we create a metaphorical educational FPS game. In this paper we describe two metaphorical educational FPS games and report on preliminary testing of their use in education. If testing of these metaphorical educational FPS games indicates that they would be beneficial in school classes then we intend to pursue the design of software tools and tutorials to enable teachers to develop their own metaphorical educational FPS games in two months or less.