Browsing by Subject "Serious games"
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Item 3D modeling tool selection for research-based educational games: an experience(2016-05) Qiu, Yajun, M.A.; Liu, Min, Ed. D.; Horton, LucasNowadays, serious games are gaining wide recognition, and many studies have been conducted regarding their implementation. However, the value of serious games in education and research is still subject to debate. Serious game designers might have difficulty selecting appropriate tools for 3D game development since most 3D modeling tools and game engines are designed for developing commercial games. This report highlights the value of research-based educational games and suggests an Education Modeling Tool Framework for 3D modeling tools and game engine selection. The author modifies Petridis and De Freitas’s (2012) framework for serious game engine selection to meet the specialized needs of research-based educational games. The unique features identified are high compatibility with game engines, moderate visual fidelity, smooth learning curve, ample documentation and support, and low cost. Then, the report discusses the actual use of the Education Modeling Tool Framework for the development of a research-based educational game Alien Rescue. The framework was applied in selecting 3D modeling tools as well as game engines for Alien Rescue development. Finally, the conclusion includes suggestions for possible applications and utility of the Education Modeling Tool Framework in other research-based educational game projects.Item Designing a Real-time Strategy Game about Sustainable Energy Use(2011-08-08) Doucet, Lars AndreasThis thesis documents the development of a video game about sustainable energy use that unites fun with learning. Many other educational games do not properly translate knowledge, facts, and lessons into the language of games: mechanics, rules, rewards, and feedback. This approach differs by using game mechanics in new ways to express lessons about energy sustainability. This design is based on the real time strategy (RTS) genre. Players of these types of games must manage economic problems such as extracting, refining, and allocating resources, as well as industrial problems such as producing buildings and military units. These games often use imaginative fantasy elements to connect with their audience, but also made-up economic numbers and fictional resources such as magic crystals which have little to do with the real world. This thesis' approach retains the fantasy elements and gameplay conventions of this popular genre, but uses numbers, resources, and situations based on research about real-world energy production. The intended result is a game in which the player learns about energy use simply by trying to overcome the game's challenges. In addition, a combined quantitative/qualitative study was performed, which shows that players of the game learned new things, enjoyed the game, and became more interested in the topic of energy use.Item El Mundo de Comida : the relative effectiveness of digital game feedback and classroom feedback in helping students learn Spanish food vocabulary(2014-12) Wendorf, Arthur Herman II; Koike, Dale AprilFeedback has been defined as “helpful information or criticism that is given to someone to say what can be done to improve a performance, product, etc.” (Merriam-Webster, 2014) Within the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) researchers have shown that language learners acquire languages best when they are provided with feedback (Gass & Selinker, 2008; Loewen, 2012). Because of the importance of feedback to the language learning process, there is an ongoing line of investigation that seeks to determine whether differences in how and when feedback is provided lead to different results in acquisition (Loewen, 2012). To date this research has primarily been focused on comparing the effectiveness of the different types of feedback that naturally occur within language classrooms, as identified by such classic studies as Lyster and Ranta (1997; Bargiela, 2003). However, there are other possible approaches to feedback than those that naturally occur within the language classroom. One of these alternatives is the approach to feedback used in digital games. Similar to what is found in the field of SLA, within the field of digital game research it has been established that feedback is important for successful learning (Schell, 2008). Nevertheless, to date no research has been conducted which compares the SLA approach to feedback and the digital game approach to feedback in order to determine which would lead to better language acquisition within a digital game. Answering this question is the goal of the present dissertation. In order to answer this question I created two versions of a digital game, called “Mundo de Comida” (MuCo) ‘World of Food’, which is designed to help novice Spanish learners acquire food vocabulary. One version of the game employs feedback strategies based on the most commonly employed feedback used in Spanish language classes, while the other uses feedback designed according to the most commonly used feedback mechanisms in commercial digital games. A comparison of the vocabulary gains according to feedback type allows us to see which type of feedback seems to help learners of Spanish acquire vocabulary within the context of MuCo. The findings indicate that MuCo does indeed help participants acquire food vocabulary. However, there is no significant difference in the effectiveness of the two different feedback types, which is likely due to the fact that both feedback types have been refined within their respective environments. Nevertheless, there is evidence to suggest that participants found the game that contained the digital game-style feedback to be more game-like than the other version. It was also found that, for several participants, MuCo did motivate them in the sense that they played more of the game than was required. Finally, there was no significant effect found for the participants’ self-reported gaming habits, personalities, or motivation. These findings suggest that well-designed digital games can help learners acquire Spanish vocabulary, and that the impact of differences among participants is negligible when the game is well designed.Item Game on : redesign of a teacher professional development platform for use with the serious game alien rescue(2016-05) Stamets, Sara E.; Liu, Min,Ed. D.; French, KarenThis report explores the design and development process of a teacher professional development platform and digital teacher’s manual for use with the serious game Alien Rescue. It begins with a comprehensive overview of current best practices informing professional development, specifically for use with serious educational games and other educational technologies. The design considerations, methods, layout, and goals of the platform, called the Alien Rescue Teacher Portal (the Portal), are described. Evaluation methods and subsequent revisions made to the Portal are then detailed. Finally, overall evaluation of the process and product in light of best practices and future directions are discussed.