Simulation-based Game Research Articles

Unified waste metrics: A gamified tool in next-generation strategic planning

A gamification approach for tackling waste management planning and urban development provide a more engaging and interactive experience with high pedagogical potential. Existing serious games involving waste management are complex in their data ingestion, use, and presentation, limiting individuals' opportunities to gain knowledge and decision-making skills transferrable to the real world. Simulations, by comparison, provide either an oversimplified and unrealistic user interface or explore in depth individual rather than aggregate key performance indicators for waste management, limiting potential knowledge retention. There is a clear opportunity in creating an informative, easy-to-use simulation-based game to help stakeholders build understanding of waste management policies, performance, and causal relationships. This gamified tool provides clear feedback through quick-visibility performance indicators (i.e., waste accumulation index, waste compositional analysis, prevention activities etc.) and offers the opportunity, through multi-criteria decision making, of simulating real-life scenarios and previewing the possible outcomes of certain in-game actions. The research question is how the process of gamification might serve as powerful tool for educating decision makers. The results are considered as a reference point to any policy maker intending to assess environmental performance, proposed activities to reach Circular Economy targets, and European Green Deal and UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Effectiveness of technology-enhanced teaching methods of undergraduate dental skills for local anaesthesia administration during COVID-19 era: students\u2019 perception

BackgroundTraditional face-to-face clinical learning became problematic for final year dental students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Distance-learning may help mitigate the immediate impact of dental school closures. Integrating e-learning technologies into the learning process helps bridge the gap between pre-clinical and clinical training. Simulation allows students to repeat procedures until they demonstrate acceptable levels of skill. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a serious game as an additional teaching tool during the COVID-19 era to improve dental students’ local anaesthesia administration technique and confidence.MethodsThis study applied a simulation-based serious game as an additional learning tool for training and educating dental students in local anaesthesia. Students used a mobile simulator in Serbian for 10 days from their homes. To evaluate the learning process, the students completed a post-training questionnaire.ResultsAll respondents felt comfortable using the simulator. Over 90% of respondents believed that the application facilitated the learning process and had advantages in terms of accessibility and ease of use. Also, students found augmented reality (AR) technology particularly interesting to use. The use of a mobile simulator designed as a 3D and AR environment allows for simpler localisation and identification of anatomical structures and reference points, which is a good base for clinical practice.ConclusionSerious games of local anaesthesia procedures as an additional e-learning tool during the COVID-19 era could improve students’ knowledge and skills.

Balancing Collaboration and Cognitive Load to Optimize Individual and Group Desirable Difficulties

We sought to identify factors that optimize individual learning in complex, technology-enhanced learning environments. Undergraduates viewed tutorials and played a simulation-based game either alone or in groups and in either high or low cognitive load sequences and later took tests measuring comprehension of tutorials and transfer of computer networking skills. A cognitive load by collaboration interaction was found for both immediate and delayed transfer measures, but not comprehension measures. Students working in groups performed best under high cognitive load whereas students working individually performed best under low cognitive load. These findings support the notions of optimal individual and group cognitive load and have implications for leveraging technology to design learning environments that allow students to collaborate and maximize individual learning.

A duopoly game model for pricing and green technology selection under cap-and-trade scheme

To implement green technology (GT) in the operational decisions of pollution generating companies, carbon emissions is the major constraint that needs to be considered under a cap-and-trade (C&T) scheme. Due to carbon emissions, GT needs to be considered based on optimal pricing decisions. In this paper, a two-party (one greener and one dirtier manufacturer) game model considering green consumption preferences is proposed. To achieve the desired results, simulation-based gaming was used and a conceptual model was developed to verify functions. Simulation experiments were designed by changing GT costs and carbon prices. The study discovered that whether greener or dirtier manufacturers implement GT depends on various scenarios of cost and carbon emissions reduction of GT and carbon emissions for producing per unit of product. As the GT cost increases, the chance of GT implementation by both manufacturers decreases. When the carbon price is too low, neither manufacturer will implement GT since it is cheaper to directly purchase emissions permits from the trading market. However, when the carbon price is sufficiently high, both resort to GT to reduce carbon emissions due to the high emissions costs. This issue is resolved by providing subsidies based on the emissions reduction rate to both manufacturers. The government adopted this policy because it leads to greater emissions reduction. We provide a higher subsidy rate to Manufacturer 2 (M2) than Manufacturer 1 (M1) because Manufacturer 2 is greener than Manufacturer 1. After receiving the 3.481996 renminbi (RMB) subsidy, Manufacturer 1 is capable of implementing GT and its optimum product price increases from 3.648808 RMB to 4.936556 RMB. When we provide a 3.6 RMB subsidy to M2, then it is able to implement GT, although its product price increases slightly from 7.921875 RMB to 7.990234 RMB because it bears higher unit production costs to maintain equilibrium and must therefore charge a higher product price.

Students' perceptions of playing a serious game intended to enhance therapeutic decision-making in a pharmacy curriculum

Background and purposeTherapeutic decision-making is a critical part of the skill set required by practicing pharmacists. A potentially straightforward way to teach and evaluate decision-making skills is use of real-time simulations. This study aimed to evaluate pharmacy students' perceptions of using a real-time simulation game to treat their own virtual patient. Educational activity and settingSecond professional year (Y2) and fourth professional year (Y4) pharmacy students were provided an opportunity to use a virtual patient simulation in their courses. Student perceptions of the game and use of the game for decision-making were evaluated by a questionnaire. The qualitative findings were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis. FindingsThe questionnaire was completed by 120 Y2 and 115 Y4 students. Four themes arose from the analysis that reflected the students' perceptions of autonomy in their learning and practice, the difficulty in committing to a decision, and having fun while learning. SummaryThis work provides an initial exploration of the perceptions of pharmacy students about playing a real-time, autonomous, simulation-based game for treating a patient. Future research should focus on more detailed evaluation of this game for learning therapeutic decision-making.

Economic Reasoning from Simulation-Based Game Models

Simulation modeling in economics has historically been viewed as an alternative to mainstream analytic technique, and as such has generally and intentionally avoided the focus on rational behavior and equilibrium reasoning that is characteristic of game-theoretic approaches. The emerging methodology of empirical game-theoretic analysis (EGTA) attempts to bridge agent-based simulation and game theory, combining the flexibility of simulation with the discipline of rationality criteria. The basic idea is to estimate a restricted game model from data generated by systematic simulation over a space of heuristic strategy profiles. EGTA enables a standard form of strategic analysis for complex economic scenarios previously addressed only in severely stylized form.

Situating and Sequencing Quagmire: The Role of Simulation-Based Gaming in Preparing Students for Future Learning at Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

We assessed the efficacy of the educational simulation Quagmire to deliver curriculum focused on park and protected area management in a time of record visitor use. Specifically, our study evaluated how Quagmire prepared contemporary students to maximize field-based learning during a week-long experience at Capitol Reef National Park, USA (Capitol Reef). Student essays and discussion responses (n = 71) were collected following the visit to Capitol Reef, and coded by two researchers familiar with Quagmire and simulation-based learning. Place-based education and preparation for future learning frameworks were used in qualitative analyses. Results indicate students perceived Quagmire prepared them to maximize learning at Capitol Reef, however, combining Quagmire with subsequent field-based learning did not substantially contribute to outcomes associated with connection to place. Implications for using Quagmire with contemporary student populations are discussed, as is the potential usefulness of sequencing simulation-based gaming with field-based learning.

An interactive simulation-based game of a manufacturing process in heavy industry

The modernization of industrial manufacturing processes has been driven by sophisticated equipment aimed at very large scale productions. For workers, this often has meant learning new and highly specific skills on-the-job, as they adapt to the new machinery. Additionally, the knowledge of most industrial pipelines is scattered among the many workers involved. Current training methods only partly solve the problem, as they tend to be time-intensive, expensive, still potentially hazardous and focused on specific tasks. In this regard, interactive simulation-based games have attracted much attention, and are being considered as a useful tool for improving operational task training and education through operations close to real-world experience. In this work, we present a simulation-based game of steel plates stamping for the heavy industry, describing the main components of the learning environment and the several game resources. An UX evaluation with 13 heavy equipment operators in their actual industrial environment was performed. Moreover, the results show that simulation based methods can be used to provide a global understanding of the entire production pipeline for all employees, instead of a focused effort on just ground-level workers or management staff, contributing to create a motivational working environment and, therefore, making learning much more entertaining.

The RETAIN Simulation-Based Serious Game-A Review of the Literature.

Background: Each year, over 13 million babies worldwide need help to breathe at birth. While guidelines recommend the Neonatal Resuscitation Program course, medical errors remain common. Frequent simulation training and assessment is needed to address this competence gap; however, alternative approaches are needed to overcome barriers to access. The RETAIN (REsuscitation TrAINing) simulation-based serious game (Retain Labs Medical Inc., Edmonton, AB, Canada) may provide a solution to supplement traditional training. This paper aims to review the available evidence about RETAIN for improving neonatal resuscitation education. Method: Literature searches of PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases were performed to identify studies examining the RETAIN serious game for neonatal resuscitation training. All of the studies describing the RETAIN board game and computer game were included. Results: Three papers and one conference proceeding were identified. Two studies described the RETAIN board game, and two studies described the RETAIN computer game. RETAIN was reported as usable and clinically relevant. RETAIN also improved knowledge of neonatal resuscitation by 12% and functioned as a summative assessment. Further, performance on RETAIN was moderated by players’ self-reported mindset. Conclusion: RETAIN can be used for the training and assessment of experienced neonatal resuscitation providers. Further studies are needed to understand the effectiveness of RETAIN to (i) improve other cognitive and non-cognitive skills, (ii) in diverse populations of neonatal resuscitation providers, (iii) in comparison to current standard training approaches, and (iv) in improving clinical outcomes in the delivery room.

Learning Deviation Payoffs in Simulation-Based Games

We present a novel approach for identifying approximate role-symmetric Nash equilibria in large simulation-based games. Our method uses neural networks to learn a mapping from mixed-strategy profiles to deviation payoffs—the expected values of playing pure-strategy deviations from those profiles. This learning can generalize from data about a tiny fraction of a game’s outcomes, permitting tractable analysis of exponentially large normal-form games. We give a procedure for iteratively refining the learned model with new data produced by sampling in the neighborhood of each candidate Nash equilibrium. Relative to the existing state of the art, deviation payoff learning dramatically simplifies the task of computing equilibria and more effectively addresses player asymmetries. We demonstrate empirically that deviation payoff learning identifies better approximate equilibria than previous methods and can handle more difficult settings, including games with many more players, strategies, and roles.

Learning by playing – using computer games to enhance ultrasound education

In ultrasound education, there is often a lack of hands-on experience due to the limited availability of experienced tutors, patients, volunteers, and ultrasound machines. Simulators can substitute training with real humans to some extent, but they are not widely used, mainly because of their costs. Playing a computer game might be a way to add to the training opportunities in ultrasound education. An example for such a game is the SonoGame that has been developed as part of a medical imaging research project with the help of computer science students from the Flensburg University of Applied Sciences in Germany. This simulation-based game requires only a standard computer and off-the-shelf gaming hardware, thus making it widely deployable.

Situating Quagmire: Simulation-Based Gaming as Preparation for Field-Based Study

Situating Quagmire: Simulation-Based Gaming as Preparation for Field-Based Study

The Impact of the Chukwin Mini-Unit on Students’ Understanding of Natural Selection

Natural selection is a widely misunderstood yet critical element to understanding evolution, a concept already fraught with controversy and challenges to its instruction. This necessitates creative methods to improve student learning in this area. A constructivist mini-unit incorporating simulation-based games involving a population of imaginary creatures called Chukwins was created to maximize student learning and motivation. It was tested in one elementary and three junior high classrooms in different locations. Changes in understanding were assessed before and after treatment. Surveys and interviews provided additional evidence on students’ attitudes toward the mini-unit and its impact on their learning and engagement. Students made statistically significant improvements on assessments regarding natural selection, reducing their number of misconceptions and slightly improving their ability to apply it. Retention scores indicate that the changes are long-lasting.

A Virtual Emergency Telemedicine Serious Game in Medical Training: A Quantitative, Professional Feedback-Informed Evaluation Study.

BackgroundSerious games involving virtual patients in medical education can provide a controlled setting within which players can learn in an engaging way, while avoiding the risks associated with real patients. Moreover, serious games align with medical students’ preferred learning styles. The Virtual Emergency TeleMedicine (VETM) game is a simulation-based game that was developed in collaboration with the mEducator Best Practice network in response to calls to integrate serious games in medical education and training. The VETM game makes use of data from an electrocardiogram to train practicing doctors, nurses, or medical students for problem-solving in real-life clinical scenarios through a telemedicine system and virtual patients. The study responds to two gaps: the limited number of games in emergency cardiology and the lack of evaluations by professionals.ObjectiveThe objective of this study is a quantitative, professional feedback-informed evaluation of one scenario of VETM, involving cardiovascular complications. The study has the following research question: “What are professionals’ perceptions of the potential of the Virtual Emergency Telemedicine game for training people involved in the assessment and management of emergency cases?”MethodsThe evaluation of the VETM game was conducted with 90 professional ambulance crew nursing personnel specializing in the assessment and management of emergency cases. After collaboratively trying out one VETM scenario, participants individually completed an evaluation of the game (36 questions on a 5-point Likert scale) and provided written and verbal comments. The instrument assessed six dimensions of the game: (1) user interface, (2) difficulty level, (3) feedback, (4) educational value, (5) user engagement, and (6) terminology. Data sources of the study were 90 questionnaires, including written comments from 51 participants, 24 interviews with 55 participants, and 379 log files of their interaction with the game.ResultsOverall, the results were positive in all dimensions of the game that were assessed as means ranged from 3.2 to 3.99 out of 5, with user engagement receiving the highest score (mean 3.99, SD 0.87). Users’ perceived difficulty level received the lowest score (mean 3.20, SD 0.65), a finding which agrees with the analysis of log files that showed a rather low success rate (20.6%). Even though professionals saw the educational value and usefulness of the tool for pre-hospital emergency training (mean 3.83, SD 1.05), they identified confusing features and provided input for improving them.ConclusionsOverall, the results of the professional feedback-informed evaluation of the game provide a strong indication of its potential as an educational tool for emergency training. Professionals’ input will serve to improve the game. Further research will aim to validate VETM, in a randomized pre-test, post-test control group study to examine possible learning gains in participants’ problem-solving skills in treating a patient’s symptoms in an emergency situation.

Elevers møte med komplekse utfordringer i digitale spill i naturfag<br/>Students’ dealing with complex issues in video gaming in school science

In this design-based study we have examined students’ encounters with a computer game, Energispillet.no, in school. How do students deal with complex issues related to energy and environment in a digital simulation-based video game? How does the meetings between the gaming arena and the school arena unfold? The study was conducted in a vocational class (electricity), two groups with respectively 3 and 4 pupils. We have analyzed spoken and written student texts with selected elements from Halliday’s systemic functional grammar. In our material, we saw two different encounters between the gaming arena and the school arena. One group that predominantly interpreted Energispillet in a gaming frame and one group that drew on working methods associated with both gaming- and school arena. In the game the students encounter “texts” that do not convey facts or certain knowledge, but on the contrary entrusts the players to do their own considerations. Based on their own values ​​and attitudes students must jointly make use of knowledge from different disciplines such as natural science, social studies, economics and ethics to make ongoing assessments, argue points of view, and make informed choices during gameplay. One group explored the game extremely and one-sided and reflected on the complex issues in the game once they left the game world. The other group did more joint reflection, both during and after gaming.

Probabilistic analysis of simulation-based games

The field of game theory has proved to be of great importance in modeling interactions between self-interested parties in a variety of settings. Traditionally, game-theoretic analysis relied on highly stylized models to provide interesting insights about problems at hand. The shortcoming of such models is that they often do not capture vital detail. On the other hand, many real strategic settings, such as sponsored search auctions and supply-chains, can be modeled in high resolution using simulations. Recently, a number of approaches have been introduced to perform analysis of game-theoretic scenarios via simulation-based models. The first contribution of this work is the asymptotic analysis of Nash equilibria obtained from simulation-based models. The second contribution is to derive expressions for probabilistic bounds on the quality of Nash equilibrium solutions obtained using simulation data. In this vein, we derive very general distribution-free bounds, as well as bounds which rely on the standard normality assumptions, and extend the bounds to infinite games via Lipschitz continuity. Finally, we introduce a new maximum-a-posteriori estimator of Nash equilibria based on game-theoretic simulation data and show that it is consistent and almost surely unique.

Math-City: an educational game for K-12 mathematics

Recent United States national test results indicate a continuing need to improve K-12 student achievement in mathematics. In an effort to address this need and to expose young students to basic renewable energy concepts, we have developed an educational game called Math-City. Math-City is a simulation-based game in which students can create and maintain their own city with residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, as well as renewable and non-renewable power sources, while practicing different mathematical concepts. In this paper, we present the Math-City game along with the results of a small survey on the game with K-12 teachers.

CancerSpace: a simulation-based game for improving cancer-screening rates.

Can playing a video game help save lives? It might seem unlikely, especially if the first image that comes to mind at the word gamer is that of an overstimulated, underdeveloped teenager who desperately needs a suntan and a girlfriend. However, like many of today's gamers, video games are moving out of their parents' basement and into the real world. Video games are maturing and facing adaptation to serious applications. Such serious games are seeing use in a variety of fields, from the military to corporate management, and are finally being employed in healthcare. One of the biggest, most challenging areas is modeling simulations for medical training, particularly for managing chronic illness and providing system-level population-based care.

Synthetic Learning Environment Games: Prototyping a Humanities-Based Game for Teaching African American History

Generational differences and financial and motivational barriers have limited student access to humanities resources. We contend that Simulation-based Learning Games (SLGs) offer a potential means for delivering humanities content in a format that is more accessible to students and more appealing – both visually and interactively – than traditional educational materials. To explore this assertion, a prototype SLG was developed by students and faculty at the University of Central Florida. This prototype was created using off-the-shelf game technology, and was designed to incorporate sound principles drawn from both the science of learning and the area of game design. Additionally, the SLG is designed to reference and incorporate Florida's Sunshine State Educational Standards to ensure relevance to and support of traditional educational methods.

Using Virtual Reality with and without Gaming Attributes for Academic Achievement

A subcategory of computer-assisted instruction (CAI), games have additional attributes such as motivation, reward, interactivity, score, and challenge. This study used a quasi-experimental design to determine if previous findings generalize to non simulation-based game designs. Researchers observed significant improvement in the overall population for math skills in the non-game CAI control condition, but not in the game-based experimental condition. The study found no meaningful, significant differences in language arts skills in any of the conditions. This finding has implications for the design of future learning games, suggesting that a simulation-based approach should be integrated into the gaming technology.