Introduction: Surgical patients need knowledge to participate in their own care and to engage in self-care behaviour in the perioperative period which is important for their recovery. Patient education facilitates such knowledge acquisition and several methods can be used to facilitate it, for example, face-to-face education and brochures or using information technology such as website or computer games. Healthcare professionals have been slow to seize the possibilities that information technology has to offer within the field, including the use of serious games. To optimise patient education, the information is needed on the patients’ needs and preferences and what they think about the idea of using a serious game to learn about self-care. Aim: The overall aims of this thesis were to describe the knowledge expectations of surgical patients, to describe how surgical patients want to learn, and to explore the potential use of serious games in patient education. Methods: This thesis includes four studies that used both quantitative and qualitative data to describe aspects of patient learning in relation to surgery. Study I has a prospective and comparative design with survey data collected before surgery and before hospital discharge from 290 patients with osteoarthritis undergoing knee arthroplasty. Data was collected on fulfilment of knowledge expectations and related factors. Study II is a cross-­‐sectional study in 104 patients with heart failure who had been scheduled for cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT) device implantation. Data was collected on knowledge expectations and related factors. In Study III the perceptions of 13 surgical patients towards novel and traditional methods to learn about post-operative pain management are explored in a qualitative interview study using content analysis. Study IV describes the development and evaluation of a serious game to learn about pain management with the participation of 20 persons recruited from the public. The game was developed by an interdisciplinary team following a structured approach. Data on the efficacy and usability of the game was collected in one session with questionnaires, observations and interviews. Results: Participants reported high knowledge expectations. Knowledge expectations were highest within the bio-physiological knowledge dimension on disease, treatment and complications and the functional dimension on how daily activities are affected, both of which include items on self-care. Most participants wanted to know about the possible complications related to the surgery procedure. In none of the knowledge dimensions the expectations of participants were fulfilled. Participants received most knowledge on the physical and functional issues and received least on the financial and social aspects of their illness. The main predictor of fulfilment of knowledge expectations was having access to knowledge in the hospital from doctors and nurses. Trust in the information source and own motivation to learn shaped how the participants thought about different learning methods. Although the participants were open to using novel learning methods such as websites or games they were also doubtful about their use and called for advice by healthcare professionals. To develop a serious game with the goal to learn about pain management, theories of self-care and adult learning, evidence on the educational needs of patients about pain management and principles of gamification were found useful. The game character is a surgical patient just discharged home from hospital who needs to attend to daily activities while simultaneously managing post-operative pain with different strategies. Participants who evaluated a first version of the serious game improved their knowledge and described usability of the game as high. They were positive towards this new learning method and found it suitable for learning about pain management after surgery in spite of some technical obstacles. Conclusions: Surgical patients have high knowledge expectations about all aspects of their upcoming surgery and although they prefer direct communication with healthcare professionals as a source for knowledge they might be open to try using more novel methods such as games. Preliminary short-­‐term results demonstrate that a serious game can help individuals to learn about pain management, and has the potential to improve knowledge. A careful introduction, recommendation, and support from healthcare professionals is needed for implementation of such a novel method in patient education. / Fræðsla gerir sjúklingum betur kleift að taka þátt í umönnun sinni sem er mikilvægt fyrir bata eftir skurðaðgerð. Sjúklingafræðslu má veita með ýmsum aðferðum, til dæmis munnlega, með bæklingum eða með því að nota upplýsingatækni á formi vefsíðna eða kennslutölvuleikja. Heilbrigðisstarfsfólk hefur verið lengi að tileinka sér möguleika upplýsingatækninnar í sjúklingafræðslu, þar með talið notkun kennslutölvuleikja. Þörf er á meiri þekkingu um fræðsluþarfir skurðsjúklinga en jafnframt um viðhorf sjúklinga til nýrra námsaðferða. Kennslutölvuleikir eru ein leið sem gæti gagnast sjúklingum en notagildi þeirra hefur lítið verið rannsakað. Meginmarkmið þessarar ritgerðar var að lýsa væntingum skurðsjúklinga til fræðslu, lýsa því hvernig þeir vilja læra og að kanna möguleika kennslutölvuleikja í sjúklingafræðslu. Ritgerðin samanstendur af fjórum rannsóknargreinum. Notuð vorumegindleg og eigindleg rannsóknargögn til að lýsa ýmsum hliðum náms einstaklinga sem fara í skurðaðgerð. Rannsókn I er framsýn samanburðarrannsókn sem gerð var á 290 sjúklingum með slitgigt sem gengust undir hnéliðskipti. Gögnum var safnað með spurningalistum fyrir skurðaðgerð og fyrir útskrift af sjúkrahúsi um uppfyllingu væntinga til fræðslu og tengda þætti. Rannsókn II er þversniðsrannsókn með þátttöku 104 sjúklinga með hjartabilun sem voru á leið í aðgerð til að fá ígræddan sérstakan hjartagangráð (e. cardiac resynchronisation therapy (CRT)). Gögnum var safnað með spurningalistum, fyrir ígræðsluna, um væntingar til fræðslu og tengda þætti. Rannsókn III er eigindleg rannsókn með þátttöku 13 sjúklinga sem nýlega höfðu farið í liðskiptaaðgerð eða hjartaskurðaðgerð. Gögnum var safnað með viðtölum þar sem sjúklingar lýstu viðhorfum sínum til nýrra og hefðbundinna aðferða til að læra um verkjameðferð eftir  skurðaðgerð. Gögnin voru greind með innihaldsgreiningu. Rannsókn IV lýsir þróun og mati á kennslutölvuleik til að læra um verkjameðferð eftir skurðaðgerð, með þátttöku 20 sjálfboðaliða. Leikurinn var þróaður af þverfaglegum hópi hjúkrunarfræðinga og tölvunarfræðinga. Gagnsemi og notagildi leiksins voru metin með spurningalistum, áhorfi og viðtölum. Þátttakendur höfðu miklar væntingar til fræðslu. Væntingar voru mestar á sviði lífeðlisfræði um atriði er sneru að sjúkdómi, meðferð og fylgikvillum og á sviði færni um áhrif veikinda á daglegar athafnir. Bæði sviðin fela í sér atriði um sjálfsumönnun. Flestir þátttakendur vildu fá fræðslu um mögulega fylgikvilla skurðaðgerðar. Væntingar voru ekki uppfylltar á neinu þekkingarsviði þó best á sviði lífeðlisfræði og færni en síst er vörðuðu fjárhag og félagslegan stuðning í tengslum við veikindi. Væntingar voru best uppfylltar meðal þeirra sem höfðu góðan aðgang að fræðslu á spítalanum frá hjúkrunarfræðingum og læknum. Viðhorf þátttakenda til mismunandi námsaðferða mótaðist af trausti á fræðslumiðli og eigin áhugahvöt. Þátttakendur voru opnir fyrir notkun nýjunga á borð við vefsíður og kennslutölvuleiki en jafnframt nokkuð tortryggnir og töldu mikilvægt að fá ráðleggingar og aðstoð heilbrigðisstarfsfólks við slíka notkun. Kenningar um sjálfsumönnun og nám fullorðinna, aðferðir leikjahönnunar og tiltæk þekking á fræðsluþörfum sjúklinga um verkjameðferð voru notaðar til grundvallar við hönnun kennslutölvuleiksins. Persóna leiksins er nýlega útskrifuð af sjúkrahúsi eftir skurðaðgerð og þarf að sinna daglegum athöfnum jafnframt því að meðhöndla verki sína. Þátttakendur rannsóknarinnar sem lögðu mat á kennsluleikinn bættu þekkingu sína og töldu nothæfni leiksins mikla. Þeir voru jákvæðir gagnvart þessari nýju námsaðferð og fannst hún henta vel til að læra um verkjameðferð eftir skurðaðgerð þrátt fyrir nokkra  tæknilega örðugleika. Sjúklingar hafa miklar væntingar til fræðslu fyrir skurðaðgerð. Þeir kjósa helst að leita þekkingar hjá heilbrigðisstarfsfólki en eru þó opnir fyrir að prófa nýjungar eins og kennslutölvuleiki. Fyrstu niðurstöður sýndu að kennslutölvuleikur getur hjálpað einstaklingum að læra um verkjameðferð. Við innleiðingu nýjunga innan sjúklingafræðslu er vönduð kynning, meðmæli og stuðningur af hálfu heilbrigðisstarfsfólks mikilvægur fyrir viðtökur sjúklinga. / <p>The online version is a corrected version of the printed thesis. Download the errata list in order to see thecorrections.</p>

The purpose of this study was to explore the variables that might affect the learning outcomes of a serious game for disaster preparedness. Literature review in the field has revealed a number of variables that might have effects on the learning outcome with serious games, including: prior knowledge, in game guidance, gaming frequency, and playing skills. However, there has been no study on the relationships and effects between the types of knowledge (i.e., declarative, or procedural) used in serious games and the intended learning outcomes. Using disaster preparedness as a learning context, this study examines the two types of knowledge: (1) declarative (i.e., learners’ ability to retain facts and information), and (2) procedural knowledge (learners’ ability to perform actions and procedures), and their relationships with the learning outcomes of a serious game. The research question was: “To what extent do: prior knowledge, in-game guidance, and gaming frequency, predict the learning outcomes, in the forms of declarative and procedural knowledge of a disaster preparedness serious game?”

A inclusão de História da Contabilidade na formação do contador é frequentemente ignorada nos cursos superiores de Ciências Contábeis, dado seu viés tecnicista, o que contribui para que tal profissional seja visto como um mero técnico, em vez de um indutor de mudança social. Essa pesquisa visou favorecer a disseminação de conhecimentos relacionados à História da Contabilidade, a fim de fornecer subsídios para a reflexão sobre o mito da neutralidade contábil. Para tanto, desenvolvemos o jogo digital Deborah Game, que foi integrado ao curso de História da Contabilidade, disponibilizado em duas plataformas online (Coursera e Moodle), utilizado como tratamento experimental em três turmas durante o ano de 2015. Os participantes responderam a um pré e a um pós-teste, por meio dos quais verificamos que a aprendizagem de aspectos históricos da Contabilidade afeta o posicionamento do indivíduo com relação ao mito da neutralidade da Contabilidade. Assim, fornecemos subsídio para a recomendação de eliminação do mito da neutralidade na Estrutura Conceitual para Elaboração e Divulgação de Relatório Contábil-Financeiro e equivalente internacional, Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting. / Accountants not rarely are seen as mere technical professionals rather than as social changers. This stereotype tends to be reinforced since colleges usually ignore Accounting History as a component in their Accounting courses. We aimed to disseminate Accounting History content in order to provoke critical reflection on the accounting neutrality myth. So, we have developed Deborah Game, a serious game which was part of the Accounting History course on Coursera and Moodle online platforms, used as experimental treatment in three groups in 2015. Participants have answered a pre and post-test which enabled us to check that learning historical aspects of Accounting impacts subject positioning regarding accounting neutrality myth. Thus, we provide subsidies to recommend eliminating the statement that accounting information is neutral from the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting and its Brazilian correspondent norm.

O Acidente Vascular Cerebral (AVC) é uma das maiores preocupações da saúde no mundo, sendo a segunda maior causa de morte no mundo e a terceira maior de incapacitação. Sendo a cognição uma das capacidades que são afetadas pelo AVC, é comum o uso de exames para verificar em que nível de estado mental o paciente se encontra. Os pacientes que apresentam incapacidades passam por um longo e complexo programa de reabilitação. Esses indivíduos tornam-se limitados na realização das Atividades de Vida Diárias (AVDs), como caminhar, devido a problemas envolvendo alterações da motricidade em um lado do corpo. O tornozelo é uma articulação importante pois está diretamente ligada à capacidade de caminhar e se manter em pé. Existem diversos exames cognitivos e motores para avaliar o dano causado aos indivíduos, bem como sua melhora ao longo da terapia, porém a área da saúde carece de ferramentas que possam unir a avaliação com os recursos de reabilitação. Portanto, este projeto tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de um jogo voltado para reabilitação motora para o membro inferior e cognitiva para pessoas que sofreram AVC baseado em um exame de análise cognitiva e interface com temática familiar, utilizando um mecanismo projetado especificamente para reabilitação de tornozelo. O principal objetivo deste projeto é desenvolver um jogo que o desempenho do jogador se correlacione com o desempenho do mesmo no Addenbrooke\'s Cognitive Examination Revised (ACE-R). Pensando no público de maior incidência do AVC, o jogo tem uma temática de familiaridade visando a fácil identificação e imersão do indivíduo no processo de reabilitação, para esse fim foi desenvolvido um jogo baseado em cartas de baralho. Dessa forma o projeto focou em três frentes principais: a articulação a ser reabilitada, a patologia e o perfil de usuário. Este trabalho seguiu uma metodologia para seu desenvolvimento desde a fase de estratégia, especificações e planejamento, concepção e homologação. Os resultados se mostraram satisfatórios dentro dos objetivos estabelecidos dando abertura para diversas frentes de estudo em relação a desenvolvimento de jogos, imersão e desempenho de indivíduos em jogos virtuais, cinemática do tornozelo e níveis cognitivos. Este trabalho também pode ser utilizado como guia para novos desenvolvimentos de jogos sérios integrado com mecanismos robóticos para reabilitação. / The Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) or Stroke is one of the greatest health concerns in the world, being the second largest cause of death in the world and the third largest cause of disability. Since cognition is one of the capacities that are affected by stroke, it is common to use tests to find out what level of the patient\'s mental state is. Patients with disabilities experiences need a long and complex rehabilitation program. They become limited in performing Daily Life Activities (DLA), such as walking, due to problems involving the movement alterations in one body\'s side. The ankle is directly linked to to walk and stand ability. There are several cognitive and motor tests to evaluate the damage caused to subjects, as well as their improvement throughout therapy, but the health care area lacks tools that can integrate the evaluation with the rehabilitation tools. Therefore, this project aims to develop an ankle rehabilitation game for people who have suffered from stroke, based on a cognitive analysis examination that has interface with family thematic, using a mechanism designed specifically for ankle rehabilitation. The main goal of this project is to develop a specifically game that correlates with Addenbrookes Cognitive Examination (ACE-R). Thinking about the audience of higher incidence of CVA, the game will have a familiar theme for the easy identification and immersion of the individual in the rehabilitation process, for this purpose a game based on playing cards was developed. In this way the project was focused on three main fronts: the articulation, the pathology and the user\'s profile. This work followed a methodology to be developed since its strategy, specifications and planning, conception, testing and homologation. The results proved to be satisfactory within the stated objectives, opening up several study fronts in relation to game development, immersion and performance of individuals in virtual games, ankle kinematics and cognitive levels. This work also can be used as a guide for new serious game development integrated with robotic mechanisms for rehabilitation.

Les jeux sérieux connaissent aujourd’hui un succès retentissant, notamment dans le milieu éducatif où ils sont utilisés pour reconfigurer l’activité des apprenants. Ces jeux sérieux sont des dispositifs ludiques, qui reprennent souvent les codes culturels et l’apparence des jeux vidéo pour transmettre un ensemble de savoirs et de savoir-faire. Le changement proposé est de taille : transposer le jeu au travail, et exploiter le potentiel pédagogique de l’activité de jeu. Mais le jeu sérieux est un dispositif qui n’existe que par la coordination de plusieurs mondes sociaux, issus des secteurs publics et privés. Il opère des médiations techniques, d’épreuves d’intéressement en opérations de traduction, de sorte que les acteurs de l’innovation parviennent à stabiliser de larges chaînes sociotechniques jusqu’à son arrivée dans la salle de classe, où apprenants et enseignant en façonnent le cadre d’usage. La question de ses usages soulève donc une problématique englobant celle de l’activité de travail en classe ; la façon dont l’outil s’inscrit au cœur de l’activité des acteurs qui portent à son terme l’innovation par le jeu. L’usage du jeu sérieux est mis en tension par des problématiques techniques, politiques, professionnelles, marchandes et scientifiques. Cette thèse est cofinancée par la région Midi-Pyrénées et l’INU J.-F. Champollion d’Albi. Elle propose de mettre en concordance les sociologies de l’activité, des usages, des politiques publiques et des marchés pour analyser le développement et les usages d’un jeu sérieux, Mecagenius®, développé à l’INU Champollion d’Albi par l’équipe Serious Game Research Lab. En privilégiant l’analyse vidéo-ethnographique des usages, d’entretiens semi-directifs et de corpus de littérature grise, ce travail porte sur l’activité des acteurs qui font l’innovation par le jeu ; les conditions de leur coordination, leur appropriation de l’objet technique, et la capacité du jeu à reconfigurer leur activité. / Serious games meet a great success, especially in education where they intend to transform the learners’ activity. The serious games are playful devices, which are often based on the cultural codes and appearances of video games in order to transmit a set of knowledges and professional skills. This is a significant cultural switch: to transpose the game to working activity with the intention of exploiting the pedagogical potential of the playing activity. But the serious game can only exist through the coordination of various social worlds from public and private sectors. It operates technical mediations during mutual determination of the innovation’s interest and translation operations, so that innovation actors manage to stabilize wide sociotechnical chains until the game arrives in the classroom where learners and teachers shape its frame of use. Therefore, the question of its usage raises an issue encompassing the one about class's academic activity; how does the game fits in the heart of the professional’s activity? The use of the serious games are tensed by technical, political, professional, market and scientists' dimensions. This thesis is co-financed by the Region Midi-Pyrénées and the INU J.-F. Champollion in Albi. It aims at converging the sociology of activity, use, public policies and markets to analyze the development and use of a serious game, Mecagenius®, developed at the INU Champollion in Albi by the Serious Game Research Lab team. By focusing on the video-ethnographic analysis of use, semi-directive interviews and analysis of a grey literature corpus, it focuses on actors’ activity: their coordination, the way they use the serious game and the ability of the game to transform their activity.

A inclusão de História da Contabilidade na formação do contador é frequentemente ignorada nos cursos superiores de Ciências Contábeis, dado seu viés tecnicista, o que contribui para que tal profissional seja visto como um mero técnico, em vez de um indutor de mudança social. Essa pesquisa visou favorecer a disseminação de conhecimentos relacionados à História da Contabilidade, a fim de fornecer subsídios para a reflexão sobre o mito da neutralidade contábil. Para tanto, desenvolvemos o jogo digital Deborah Game, que foi integrado ao curso de História da Contabilidade, disponibilizado em duas plataformas online (Coursera e Moodle), utilizado como tratamento experimental em três turmas durante o ano de 2015. Os participantes responderam a um pré e a um pós-teste, por meio dos quais verificamos que a aprendizagem de aspectos históricos da Contabilidade afeta o posicionamento do indivíduo com relação ao mito da neutralidade da Contabilidade. Assim, fornecemos subsídio para a recomendação de eliminação do mito da neutralidade na Estrutura Conceitual para Elaboração e Divulgação de Relatório Contábil-Financeiro e equivalente internacional, Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting. / Accountants not rarely are seen as mere technical professionals rather than as social changers. This stereotype tends to be reinforced since colleges usually ignore Accounting History as a component in their Accounting courses. We aimed to disseminate Accounting History content in order to provoke critical reflection on the accounting neutrality myth. So, we have developed Deborah Game, a serious game which was part of the Accounting History course on Coursera and Moodle online platforms, used as experimental treatment in three groups in 2015. Participants have answered a pre and post-test which enabled us to check that learning historical aspects of Accounting impacts subject positioning regarding accounting neutrality myth. Thus, we provide subsidies to recommend eliminating the statement that accounting information is neutral from the Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting and its Brazilian correspondent norm.

As mudanças que as inovações tecnológicas têm promovido em nossas vidas tem se tornado cada vez mais profundas e rápidas. O convívio social, os ambientes de trabalho, as opções de entretenimento transformam-se continuamente. As crianças de hoje são nativos digitais, convivendo com videogames, smartphones e computadores algumas vezes até antes de sua alfabetização. A educação, que é uma das bases que propiciou esta revolução, e, de uma forma mais especifica o ensino de matemática, essencial no campo de ciências e engenharia, tem a necessidade de acompanhar estas mudanças, através da adoção de novas tecnologias e métodos em sala de aula. Este trabalho tem por objetivo buscar uma resposta para uma das questões levantadas por este cenário: qual a real efetividade do uso de jogos sérios eletrônicos como auxiliares no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de matemática na educação básica? Através de uma revisão sistemática apresentamos um panorama do estudo acadêmico sobre o tema nos últimos cinco anos, concluindo que realmente os jogos sérios eletrônicos são ferramentas de alavancagem no processo de ensino-aprendizagem de matemática, apontando caminhos futuros a serem explorados dentro da realidade brasileira. / Technological innovations have promoted changes our lives, in a way ever deeper and faster. Social networking, work environments, entertainment options are continually changing. Todays kids are digital natives, playing video games, using smartphones, and computers sometimes even before their literacy. Education, which is one of the foundations for this revolution, and, more specifically, the teaching of mathematics, which is essential in the field of science and engineering, has the need to follow these changes through the adoption of new technologies and methods in classroom. This paper aims to find an answer to one of the questions raised by this scenario: what is the real effectiveness of the use of serious electronic games as aids in the teaching-learning process of mathematics in basic education? Through a systematic review we present a panorama of the academic study on the subject in the last five years, concluding that serious electronic games are actually powerful tools in the teaching-learning process of mathematics, pointing out new paths to be explored within the Brazilian reality.

The field of education is constantly evolving, and digital technology in the classroom is commonplace and includes the utilization of films, internet, computer aided instruction, educational video games, presentation software, edutainment, digital photography, cinematography, and computer aided drafting. As technology has advanced, so have the opportunities for its use in the classroom. This is particularly the case with serious games.<p> Serious games are generally defined as games whose primary intent is training or learning with definable learning goals, instead of being primarily intended for entertainment (Hartz & Stern, 2008). Closely related to educational video games and often used synonymously, serious games commonly incorporate simulations and role play. The design and focus of serious games are being recognized by a widening array of audiences including educators of primary and secondary education.<p> Much of the past research on serious games has focused largely on supporting the use of digital games in education. Little research has been done not only on why and how the games are effective, but also on how to incorporate the games into the curriculum (Becker, 2007). As the availability of serious games increases, it is important to build studies around specific games, exposing their potential and usability for specific curricular areas.<p> This case study utilizes the serious game <i>Building Homes of Our Own</i>, which has been created to educate students on the processes of planning, building, and selling a house. The study involved 18 Grade eleven students who were enrolled in Practical and Applied Arts (P.A.A.) and were engaged in the construction portion of their course. Three methods of data collection were used to explore four basic research questions: 1) How well does the game teach curriculum objectives? 2) How well does the game facilitate higher-order thinking? 3) What kind of environment is created by serious gaming in teaching construction? and, 4) What do students think about using serious games in the classroom? Research methods included the administration and evaluation of pre- and post-tests, administration and evaluation of critical thinking questions, direct observation of the serious gaming learning environment, and the utilization of a focus group interview.<p> Findings in the study provide important information that serves to answer the main question addressed by this study, namely, what is the potential of serious games for teaching high-school construction technologies? The findings report how effectively the serious game <i>Building Homes of Our Own </i>supports Saskatchewans construction curriculum objectives. Findings also include relevant information on a variety of critical-thinking skills learned as a result of playing this particular serious game. The researcher and his assistant made significant observations of the learning environment created by this serious game, and, finally, the students provided important information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of using <i>Building Homes of Our Own</i> and serious games in general, for learning in the context of P.A.A.

Cette thèse, réalisée dans le cadre d'un projet de recherche pluridisciplinaire financé par le Ministère de l'Économie, de l'Industrie et de l'Emploi, étudie le fonctionnement de systèmes didactiques scolaires et universitaires dans un contexte d'apprentissage médiatisé par un serious game dédié au génie mécanique appelé Mecagenius®. Les travaux ont pour partie contribué à produire des outils de conception de ce serious game et à étudier les usages didactiques de professeurs et d'élèves dans des classes de lycée, d'IUT et d'université. Le processus de conception et d'évaluation s'est appuyé sur trois études emboitées relevant de programmes épistémologique, didactique et cognitif. Les résultats ont permis de rendre compte de l'usage didactique de Mecagenius® dans des classes ordinaires à travers la manière dont les professeurs l'utilisent et d'identifier les stratégies d'études individualisées mises en oeuvre par des élèves contrastés selon leur position d'excellence dans la classe. La recherche met en évidence des usages contrastés d'intégration de l'artefact à la pratique des enseignants allant de modalités transmissives à des formes de genèse instrumentale spécifiques leur permettant, au fil des interactions avec les élèves, d'utiliser le serious game en plus ou moins grande adéquation avec les choix didactiques ayant présidé à sa conception. Du côté des élèves, les résultats pointent des stratégies différentielles pouvant contribuer pour les meilleurs au développement de compétences spécifiques de génie mécanique ; les plus faibles n'étant pas en mesure de dépasser les obstacles à l'apprentissage rencontrés dans le jeu. La conclusion envisage des pistes pour la formation des enseignants relative à l'usage des serious games en classe.

The field of education is constantly evolving, and digital technology in the classroom is commonplace and includes the utilization of films, internet, computer aided instruction, educational video games, presentation software, edutainment, digital photography, cinematography, and computer aided drafting. As technology has advanced, so have the opportunities for its use in the classroom. This is particularly the case with serious games.<p> Serious games are generally defined as games whose primary intent is training or learning with definable learning goals, instead of being primarily intended for entertainment (Hartz & Stern, 2008). Closely related to educational video games and often used synonymously, serious games commonly incorporate simulations and role play. The design and focus of serious games are being recognized by a widening array of audiences including educators of primary and secondary education.<p> Much of the past research on serious games has focused largely on supporting the use of digital games in education. Little research has been done not only on why and how the games are effective, but also on how to incorporate the games into the curriculum (Becker, 2007). As the availability of serious games increases, it is important to build studies around specific games, exposing their potential and usability for specific curricular areas.<p> This case study utilizes the serious game <i>Building Homes of Our Own</i>, which has been created to educate students on the processes of planning, building, and selling a house. The study involved 18 Grade eleven students who were enrolled in Practical and Applied Arts (P.A.A.) and were engaged in the construction portion of their course. Three methods of data collection were used to explore four basic research questions: 1) How well does the game teach curriculum objectives? 2) How well does the game facilitate higher-order thinking? 3) What kind of environment is created by serious gaming in teaching construction? and, 4) What do students think about using serious games in the classroom? Research methods included the administration and evaluation of pre- and post-tests, administration and evaluation of critical thinking questions, direct observation of the serious gaming learning environment, and the utilization of a focus group interview.<p> Findings in the study provide important information that serves to answer the main question addressed by this study, namely, what is the potential of serious games for teaching high-school construction technologies? The findings report how effectively the serious game <i>Building Homes of Our Own </i>supports Saskatchewans construction curriculum objectives. Findings also include relevant information on a variety of critical-thinking skills learned as a result of playing this particular serious game. The researcher and his assistant made significant observations of the learning environment created by this serious game, and, finally, the students provided important information regarding the strengths and weaknesses of using <i>Building Homes of Our Own</i> and serious games in general, for learning in the context of P.A.A.