Minorities are underrepresented in the science workforce yet adequately represented as players of computer games. Findings in career development research suggest that a decision to pursue a science career is directly impacted by a person’s investigative self-efficacy. Because minority students choose to spend a significant amount of time playing computer games this study examines the effects of computer games on investigative self-efficacy. The dissertation is composed of a systematic literature review, the development of a theoretical framework, and an application of the theoretical framework in a quasiexperimental study. In the systematic literature review, the small-to-moderate effect sizes of the 6 systematically identified studies suggest that elements in computer games can potentially affect self-efficacy. Unfortunately, the similarities across the small number of studies makes it difficult to generalize the results to other settings and content areas while variability across the studies makes it difficult to pinpoint which computer game elements or type of computer games affect self-efficacy. An exploration of theories and empirical research in cognitive psychology, career development, and performance in complex environments led to a theoretical framework. The theoretical framework integrates attention, flow, and self-efficacy theories as well as the results of Berry and Broadbent’s (1988) study that compared the effects of implicit and explicit instructions on performance. Using the theoretical framework developed in this dissertation, stealth educational games are proposed as an option for building the investigative self-efficacy of unmotivated or academically struggling learners. The effect of stealth educational games on minority students’ investigative selfefficacy was explored. Based on the statistical results in this study and the differences across each of the schools, the potential value of stealth educational games is still unknown. Future research should employ theory to systematically document and define the context in which the game is delivered, incorporate assessments built into the game instead of using surveys, include incentives for student participation and obedience, and compare the effects of a stealth educational game to an explicitly educational game.

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Thesis (Ed.D.)--University of West Florida, 2007. / Title from title page of source document. Document formatted into pages; contains 133 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A. in Security Studies (Homeland Security and Defense))--Naval Postgraduate School, June 2004. / Thesis advisor(s): Ted Lewis, Rudy Darken. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-113). Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of North Texas, May, 2009. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Ed.)--York University, 2008. Graduate Programme in Education. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-147). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL:http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:MR45929

Movement interaction in games has over the last years been a main subject in the area of game design and recent motion based interaction systems provide many improvements over earlier systems. Research has proven that motion based games provide several benefits over general games, they increase the players’ engagement level and may induce both mental and physical health benefits. Still, not much research has been conducted in the area of motion based platform games, even though the platform game genre is one of the most popular game genres. In this thesis, a case study is conducted in order to extract design principles and guidelines applicable for motion based platform games. The study includes implementation of a browser-based 2D platform game that uses the web camera to provide motion based interaction. One of the conclusions in this study indicates that many game features from ordinary platform games only require minor modifications to be applicable for motion based platform games.

Στόχος της εργασίας ήταν η ανάπτυξη και αξιολόγηση ενός διαδραστικού ηλεκτρονικού παιχνιδιού με αφηγηματικό περιεχόμενο. Για την μελέτη αυτή, αναπτύχθηκε ένα ηλεκτρονικό παιχνίδι περιπέτειας Point And Click τρίτου προσώπου σε γραφικό περιβάλλον (Third Person Point And Click Graphic Adventure Game), το οποίο υποστηρίζει την χρήση του από έναν παίκτη. Το παιχνίδι αυτό ανήκει σε ένα κλασσικό είδος παιχνιδιών που γνώρισαν μεγάλη άνθιση σε μία περίοδο από τα τέλη της δεκαετίας του 1980, μέχρι και τις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 2000, στα οποία ο παίκτης καλείται να λύσει γρίφους διαφόρων ειδών με στόχο την εξέλιξη της ιστορίας του παιχνιδιού. Το παιχνίδι που αναπτύχθηκε χρησιμοποιεί σαν βασικά στοιχεία την εξερεύνηση, την συλλογή στοιχείων και αντικειμένων από το περιβάλλον και τη συνομιλία με χαρακτήρες του παιχνιδιού με στόχο την επίλυση των γρίφων και τη συνέχιση της ιστορίας του παιχνιδιού. Η ανάπτυξη της εφαρμογής συνετελέσθη σειριακά ξεκινώντας με την συγγραφή της ιστορίας και ύστερα του σεναρίου του παιχνιδιού, πάνω στα οποία δημιουργήθηκαν οι γρίφοι. Ακολούθως άρχισε ο σχεδιασμός του παιχνιδιού ακολουθώντας ένα επαναληπτικό μοντέλο το οποίο περιελάμβανε τον προγραμματισμό, τη δημιουργία του καλλιτεχνικού κομματιού και τον επανασχεδιασμό διαφόρων σταδίων ανάπτυξης βασιζόμενοι μεταξύ άλλων και σε τεχνικές και μεθόδους αξιολόγησης. Η υλοποίηση πραγματοποιήθηκε για προσωπικού υπολογιστές με λειτουργικό σύστημα Windows της Microsoft, OS X της Apple και Linux. / The goal of the thesis was the development and evaluation of an interactive video game with narrative content.

Video games, as the fastest growing media, need set usability design standards. In this context, this study was motivated by the following kinds of questions: What makes a standard console game good? What makes it too frustrating to play? Each company has developed its own standards which can vary greatly. Game producers learn from experience what to do and what not to do. However, smaller companies that may have only produced a few games are left to chance. Moreover, startup game companies may fail at a game that would have otherwise succeeded if they had only had a set of standards to follow. Companies like Microsoft, Capcom and Electronic Arts rule the gaming industry mainly due to the fact that they have discovered what works. This study employs usability analysis to identify standards for assessing video game effectiveness, efficiency and player satisfaction. Experienced video game players participated in an online questionnaire. Conclusions about effective, efficient, and satisfying video games are derived from questionnaire results. Of several major findings presented in this analysis, this study reveals that the beginning of the game is an imperative experience that can determine if a player continues the game. / Department of Telecommunications

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the following research question: How does immersion occur in a virtual game environment? Specifically, this study will focus on the Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG) World of Warcraft. Approaching the question using a grounded theory methodology, the study finds that immersion takes place in two primary areas: Environmental and Social. Environmental immersion concerns technical aspects of the game including aesthetic detail, sensory stimulation, and narratives. Social immersion evolves as a paradigmatic opposition of cooperation and intimidation. Players are not fully immersed in the world until they have accepted cooperation as their dominant paradigm for play. / Department of Telecommunications