May’s Journey is a game where you help a video game character, May, finding her friend and repairing the broken game world. This is a 3D puzzle game in which players solve an environmental maze by using the game’s pseudo code to manipulate the environment. The game is aimed at 12 to 18 year old girls and the purpose is to attract them into Computer Science fields by teaching them basics of programming by focusing on logics and concepts while still asking them to type simple instructions in our programming language. Players do this in a compelling environment, with characters they can identify with, embedded in a relevant story. Our design process was based on our research on young female preferences in games and current teaching techniques for programming. Each decision we made whether for the teaching content, the art style, or the game mechanics and the techniques used to develop this game are motivated by the goal of making programming more appealing and interesting for girls. For this we developed our own pseudo-code language in order to provide an interface that bridges the gap between drag and drop approach and real programming and introduce typing as part of the experience. We tested our game with 10 teenagers aged from 14 to 17 years old for educational content. We were pleased to see how engaged with the game they were. Overall, the testing results were mostly as expected. The players liked the game (rated 4.8 out of 6) and all of them wanted to play more of it. They all felt that they learned something and 8 of them expressed the will to learn more about programming. Unfortunately, the sample of players is too small to generalize our results so we plan to take the feedback into account, iterate and test it again with a larger study group and get conclusive results. Working on this project has allowed us to understand the importance of iterative design and early play test feedback. We have also learned the importance of tutorials in games and how that might completely change the users’ experience. Finally, a crucial point was the importance of the UI helpers and targeted feedback in serious games.

Educational games have become an established paradigm of instructional practice; however, there is still much to be learned about how to design games to be the most beneficial for learners. An important consideration when designing an educational game is whether there is good alignment between its content goals and the instructional behaviors it makes in order to reinforce those goals. Existing methods for measuring alignment are labor intensive and use complex auditing procedures, making it difficult to define and evaluate this alignment in order to guide the educational game design process. This thesis explores a way to operationalize this concept of alignment and demonstrates an analysis technique that can help educational game designers to both measure the alignment of current educational game designs and predict the alignment of prototypes of future iterations. In my work, I explore the use of Replay Analysis, a novel technique that uses in-game replays of player sessions as a data source to support analysis. This method can be used to capture gameplay experience for the evaluation of alignment, as well as other forms of analysis. The majority of this work has been performed in the context of RumbleBlocks, an educational game that teaches basic structural stability and balance concepts to young children. Using Replay Analysis, I leveraged replay data during a formative evaluation of RumbleBlocks to highlight some misalignments the game likely possesses in how it teaches some concepts of stability to players. These results led to suggestions for several design iterations. Through exploring these design iterations, I further demonstrate an extension of Replay Analysis called Projective Replay Analysis, which uses recorded student replay data in prototypes of new versions of a game to predict whether the new version would be an improvement. I implemented two forms of Projective Replay: Literal Projective Replay, which uses a naïve player model that replays past player actions through a new game version exactly as they were originally recorded; and Flexible Projective Replay, which augments the process with an AI player model that uses prior player actions as training data to learn to play through a new game. To assess the validity of this method of game evaluation, I performed a new replication study of the original formative evaluation to validate whether the conclusions reached through virtual methods would agree with those reached in a normal playtesting paradigm. Ultimately, my findings were that Literal Projective Replay was able to predict a new and unanticipated misalignment with the game, but Flexible Projective Replay, as currently implemented, has limitations in its ability to explore new game spaces. This work makes contributions to the fields of human-computer interaction by exploring the benefits and limitations of different replay paradigms for the evaluation of interactive systems; learning sciences by establishing a novel operationalization of alignment for instructional moves; and educational game design by providing a model for using Projective Replay Analysis to guide the iterative development of an educational game.

Educational games intend to make learning more enjoyable, but at the potential cost of compromising learning efficiency. Therefore, instead of creating educational games, we create learning environment with game-like elements: the elements of games that are engaging. Our approach is to assess each game-like element in terms of benefits such as enhancing engagement as well as its costs such as sensory or working memory overload, with a goal of maximizing both engagement and learning. We developed different four versions of a math tutor with different degree of being game-like such as adding narrative and visual feedback. Based on a study with 297 students, we found that students reported more satisfaction with more 'game-like' tutor but we were not able to detect any conclusive difference in learning among the different tutors. We collected student data of various types such as their attitude and enjoyment via surveys, performance within tutor via logging, and learning as measured by a pre/post-test. We created a causal model using software TETRAD and contrast the causal modeling approach to the results we achieve with traditional approaches such as correlation matrix and multiple regression. Relative to traditional approaches, we found that causal modeling did a better job at detecting and representing spurious association, and direct and indirect effects within variables. Causal model, augmented with domain knowledge about likely causal relationships, resulted in much more plausible and interpretable model. We propose a framework for blending exploratory results from causal modeling with randomized controlled studies to validate hypotheses.

This study investigates the potential of using a newly developed sub-game in the Magical Garden research platform as a method of teaching preschool children subitizing. Thirty preschool children played the game, identifying formation with four, five and six objects. Some formations with five objects were scaffolded by changing the sprites of some of the objects. Results showed that children were significantly faster and accurate at formations with four objects than five and six. No significant difference was found between five and six objects, which were also considerably similar in both time and accuracy. Analysis suggests that perceptual subitizing was used to a greater degree when presented with four objects and that counting was used for higher numerosities. The study showed that there were some problems with the study design, with formations being more difficult at formations with five objects. Suggestions are made for how the game should be altered, including a dynamic difficulty changing component to account for the large individual differences. Additionally, it is suggested to lower the amount of time the formations are shown in order to elicit the use of conceptual subitizing and focus on lowering the difficulty in terms of the number of items and formation pattern rather than altering time. There was no significant difference for performance when comparing scaffolded formations with non-scaffolded formations. The reason could be that the formations were not subitized. Future studies should include the suggested changes and conduct longitudinal studies looking at improvements over time and whether children are improving.

In recent years, much attention has been directed to the use of educational games for learning computer science concepts. The motivation of game-based learning with positive experience has been deeply studied in the literature, but game design for improving code reading skills have much room for improvement. Being good at the reading code is important to a professional developer. To address this issue, we defined a new educationally-oriented mobile game application, aimed at promoting the development of code reading skills in a new and fun way. The strategy of this game is to find errors in pieces of codes. At each level, students should find all syntactic and semantic errors in the code in a certain time in order to advance to the next level. Of the numerous programming languages, we chose Java because it is one of the most popular programming languages. In many colleges, Java plays a major role in introductory courses. Our vision is to allow instructors to employ the game in their introduction to programming in Java course. In addition, we hope it could be adapted for use in introductory courses using different programming languages. Data collected during the project helps us evaluate the impact of game-based learning on code reading in programming languages. We asked undergraduate students at the department of computer science at Virginia Tech to play with the game during Spring 2017 semester. The collected data analyzed, and students believe that Code Reading Dojo improves their code reading skills in Java and overall programming ability, in additions to help them find errors in their own program. / Master of Science / In recent years, much attention has been directed to the use of educational games for learning computer science concepts. The motivation of game-based learning with positive experience has been deeply studied in the literature, but game design for improving code reading skills have much room for improvement. Being good at the reading code is important to a professional developer. To address this issue, we defined a new educationally-oriented mobile game application, aimed at promoting the development of code reading skills in a new and fun way. The strategy of this game is to find errors in pieces of codes. At each level, students should find all syntactic and semantic errors in the code in a certain time in order to advance to the next level. Of the numerous programming languages, we chose Java because it is one of the most popular programming languages. In many colleges, Java plays a major role in introductory courses. Our vision is to allow instructors to employ the game in their introduction to programming in Java course. In addition, we hope it could be adapted for use in introductory courses using different programming languages. Data collected during the project helps us evaluate the impact of game-based learning on code reading in programming languages. We asked undergraduate students at the department of computer science at Virginia Tech to play with the game during Spring 2017 semester. The collected data analyzed, and students believe that Code Reading Dojo improves their code reading skills in Java and overall programming ability, in additions to help them find errors in their own program.

Yes / This study aims to examine how inclusivity measures are understood and applied in game-based learning (GBL). It considers the perspectives of various stakeholders, such as educators, game designers, and students. The focus is on creating accessible and engaging games that meet the diverse needs and characteristics of players. The methodology adopted a combination of primary and secondary data sources to pursue these aims. The primary data collection involved focus groups with educators, game designers, and students. The study employed a participatory design approach, involving multiple stakeholders in the exploration of inclusivity measures. The data collected from the focus groups, along with findings from the literature review, helped in formulating a set of inclusivity metrics for educators to create educational games that cater to diverse student needs. The obtained results emphasize the limited state of analogue GBL accessibility in scholarly and professional literature, while emphasizing the existing frameworks to be adopted by educators, designers, and publishers. Stakeholder discussions revealed themes related to inclusivity measures, including motor, sensory, and cognitive needs of players. Game designers can enhance accessibility by considering these requirements and incorporating alternative communication channels, accessible cues, adaptable gameplay options, and diversified knowledge-based requirements. In addition to inclusivity, addressing instances of exclusion, managing teams effectively, promoting inclusive communication, and incorporating gameplay limitations, educational components, diverse perspectives, and real-world applicability are discussed as important in education game design, to this extent.

<p dir="ltr">Use of serious games and gamified applications for language learning have increased substantially over the past decade. They are an effective way to supplement language learning. These applications utilize a range of language learning methods such as grammar-translation, audio-lingual and task-based learning in combination. Task-based language learning particularly suits the typical gameplay elements of narratives and quests. Thus, this study aims to develop a serious game for learning Bengali, world’s 7th most spoken language. The literature in this area indicates that hubshaped quest landscape design is found to be most effective for game-based learning environments. So, the study implements a branching, hubshaped narrative for learning Bengali language.</p><p dir="ltr">This application also implemented a hidden object mechanism for vocabulary acquisition instead of traditional grammar-translation methods used in other language learning software. The prototype was assessed from user feedback in a qualitative manner across four broad heuristic categories comprising of learning, tutorials, engagement and cultural elements. In the process, the study sought to understand whether cultural context-based interventions in the narrative improve learner motivation.</p><p dir="ltr">The results show a positive impact of cultural elements on the learners’ motivation to progress. Further, the hidden object mechanism was received as a satisfactory method to learn foreign vocabulary. This form of interactive, narrative based educational application has the potential to supplement traditional lessons for foreign language acquisition.</p>

Children are born with an intrinsic motivation to play games. Over the past decade, educational video games have invaded mainstream classroom instruction and researchers are “considering how games might be used in pursuit of engaging, effective learning experiences� (Squire and Jenkins, 2003). This research encompasses designing math games using a constructivist and embodied cognition pedagogy in an effort to answer the question: “Will overlapping wearable technology and mathematical objectives with traditional children’s games show improved efficacy in students’ math skills and increase students’ motivation to learn math in 4th thru 6th grade students?� Methods of research include a usability study and four subsequent iterative studies to improve the game and the technology, measuring students’ math self-efficacy and motivation to learn math. The final goal of this thesis is to design, test and document an engaging children’s math learning game using wearable technology that requires active physical experiences while involved in deep thinking and complex problem solving (Gee, 2003) within real world environments, beyond classrooms, pencil and paper, and even beyond traditional computer games in front of a computer screen.

The ultimate goals of adaptive serious educational games (adaptive SEG) are to promote effective learning and maximising enjoyment for players. Firstly, we develop the SEG by combining knowledge space (learning materials) and game content space to be used to convey learning materials. We propose a novel approach that serves toward minimising experts' involvement in mapping learning materials to game content space. We categorise both content spaces using known procedures and apply BIRCH clustering algorithm to categorise the similarity of the game content. Then, we map both content spaces based on the statistical properties and/or by the knowledge learning handout. Secondly, we construct a predictive model by learning data sets constructed through a survey on public testers who labelled their in-game data with their reported experiences. A Random Forest algorithm non-intrusively predicts experiences via the game data. Lastly, it is not feasible to manually select or adapt the content from both spaces because of the immense amount of options available. Therefore, we apply reinforcement learning technique to generate a series of learning goals that promote an efficient learning for the player. Subsequently, a combination of conditional branching and agglomerative hierarchical clustering select the most appropriate game content for each selected education material. For a proof-of-concept, we apply the proposed approach to producing the SEG, named Chem Dungeon, as a case study to demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods.

<p>The Squares Family is a game developed as a learning aid in mathematics. With its graphical representation of the decimal system, the four basic arithmetic operations and positive and negative numbers together with a learning agent as pedagogical approach, the game’s primary purpose is to motivate students in their learning of mathematics. Although the game is strictly based on mathematical rules it attempts to encourage students to play and work with math without experiencing it as mathematics as this is initially not obvious. The game being internationally tested on normal performing students, this project introduced the game to six Swedish students who experience low motivation for and/or difficulties in mathematics. The students from fifth up to seventh grade participated therefore in a three weeks’ study. The ultimate goal of this project is to make suggestions on the integration of the game in the students’ learning environment and on the adaptation of it to fit their needs. In order to be able to make such recommendations, following question was raised: How does the learning situation look like for students experiencing difficulties in mathematics? An attempt to understand the complexity of their learning situation was made through several tests in students’ attitude, self-efficacy and understanding of mathematics, through observations of their game playing, interview with their pedagogue and through a questionnaire on their attitude towards the game and their special education in mathematics and in their understanding of traditionally vs. graphically represented mathematical problems. Despite the time limited study it is obvious that the students’ difficulties in mathematics are not independent of other factors, as the majority of these students display a negative attitude, a low self-efficacy and a sensibility for disturbances and reactions from their social network.</p> / <p>Räkna med Rutiga Familjen är ett spel utvecklat som läromedel i matematik. Spelets huvudmål är att motivera elever i sitt lärande genom sin grafiska representation av decimalsystemet, de fyra räknesätten, positiva och negativa tal samt genom sin pedagogiska ansats av en lärande agent. För att motivera elever att spela och arbeta med matematik utan att initialt vara medveten om det, är matematiken i spelet trots sin matematiska grund, nedtonad. Spelet som testas internationellt mot normaltpresterande elever, introducerades i detta projekt till sex svenska elever med låg motivation för och/eller svårigheter i matematik. Eleverna som är från femte till sjunde klass deltog i denna undersökning under en tre veckors period. Projektets huvudmål är att föreslå rekommendationer för matematikspelets integration i undervisningen av elever med matematiksvårigheter och för anpassning av spelet till deras behov. Som utgångspunkt för framtagning av rekommendationerna ställdes följande fråga: Hur ser lärsituationen ut för elever som upplever svårigheter i matematik? I ett försök att förstå komplexiteten av elevernas lärsituation genomfördes flera tester i deras attityd, självvärdering och matematikförståelse, observationer av deras spelande, intervju med specialpedagogen samt enkät kring deras attityd gentemot spelet och specialundervisningen och kring deras förståelse för traditionellt vs grafiskt representerade matematikuppgifter. Trots studiens tidsbegränsning är det uppenbart att elevernas svårigheter i matematik hänger samman med andra faktorer, då majoriteten av eleverna uppvisar en negativ inställning, en låg självvärdering samt känslighet för störningar och reaktioner från sitt sociala nätverk.</p>