No description available.

Abstract In this study, the role-playing game Final Fantasy 7 was analysed in regards of its qualities for English language development. Areas concerning language, specifically vocabulary, and video games explored in this study were academic words, words that express time, collocations, frequency, and keywords. Other areas investigated in this study are video games in connection to the syllabus for English, students’ outside of school interests, and implications for teaching. Data from a corpus-based vocabulary analysis showed that the players of Final Fantasy 7 will encounter a rich variety of words and linguistic features. Further, the text of Final Fantasy 7 shares a lot of the same qualities with texts from English 5 and 6, concerning academic words. Although, an analysis of keywords in the game and in the school texts also showed some differences, mainly in terms of grammatical variations, which indicate that Final Fantasy 7 can function as a complement to typical school texts.

This thesis explores the role of Chinese historical digital games in reconstructing historical narratives and engaging players. By using narrative interviews and game analysis, the study examines how players interact with these games and how game communities react to them. The emotional attachment of players to historical elements in these games is identified, which can lead to harmful disputes, but also foster tolerance, empathy, and inspiration. The study reveals the potential of historical digital games to encourage civic responsibility and reflection on social issues, but also highlights the challenges posed by restricted artistic expression and game content censorship in China. The research concludes that historical digital games can serve as a unique form of historical narrative that not only ensures the survival of history in popular culture but also fosters a more ideal and attractive future. The study calls for further research on specific games to fully understand the potential of Chinese historical digital games in promoting critical thinking and civic responsibility.

Digital games have been used mostly for entertainment but recently researchers have started to use digital games in other areas such as education and training. Researchers have shown that digital games can provide a compelling, creative, and collaborative environment for learning. However, the popularity of computers and the Internet brings this question to mind: Are the assessment methods falling behind and remaining traditional? Will the traditional methods of learning and knowledge assessment be sufficient for this new generation who are starving for new technology? This study investigates the effectiveness of using a digital interactive game as an assessments method - in this case a mini-game that was designed to assess the student's knowledge on basic Boolean logic. The study reports on the performance differences of the students who participated in this study and correlations between the performance of these students in a digital interactive game, written tests and their in-class performance to examine the effectiveness of using a digital game as a new knowledge assessment method.

No description available.

Digital games are often considered a pastime activity with little to no real or tangible benefits. This, however, is contrary to studies on the usefulness of digital games in second language (L2) learning. There are several aspects of L2 learning that are affected positively by gaming, as well as other extramural English (EE) activities. One of these aspects is vocabulary, which has been proven to be substantially improved by gaming through incidental learning.  Collocations are often referred to as word pairs that co-occur more frequently than any other two words. The definition of a collocation is a contested subject, making research and theories around collocations widespread and varied depending on what definition a given author subscribes to. In the present study Howarth’s (1996) definition of collocations has been used. The hard-to-define nature of collocations extends into the act of teaching - collocations are rarely taught because they follow no set rule or pattern. This means that L2 learners must acquire their collocation knowledge incidentally, either in the classroom or through EE activities.   The present study aims to investigate the relationship between EE activities, primarily gaming, and the collocation knowledge of 87 Swedish teenagers in upper compulsory school and upper secondary school. This was done through a Productive Collocation Test (PCK) as well as a questionnaire. The results of the study show that students who engage in EE activities are more knowledgeable in terms of collocations than those who do not. Additionally, out of the EE activities included in the questionnaire gaming seems to be the best way to acquire collocation knowledge.   The present study concludes that there is a connection between EE activities, especially gaming, and collocation knowledge. Informants that claimed to spend more time per week playing digital games generally scored higher on the collocation test. This was also true for the students who claimed to spend a considerable amount of time on visual media per week. These informants also had knowledge of collocations that very few of the respondents knew, particularly the students who partake in gaming. The findings of the present study suggest that digital games could be used as a tool for teaching collocations. However, more research is required to carry this idea further.

Ein gesundes Alter(n) ist sowohl auf individueller Ebene als auch auf gesellschaftlicher Ebene von großer Relevanz. So wächst die Bedeutung von Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung bis ins hohe Alter – einerseits, um die Autonomie, Selbstbestimmtheit, soziale Teilhabe und Lebensqualität des älteren Menschen aufrecht zu erhalten und andererseits, um den durch den demografischen Wandel bedingten gesundheitspolitischen Herausforderungen begegnen zu können. Dabei weist der gesundheitliche Status im Alter neben hoher Vulnerabilität eine Vielzahl an Ressourcen und somit Ansatzpunkte für präventive und gesundheitsförderliche Interventionen auf. Technische Innovationen bieten hier ein wachsendes Potenzial, um Maßnahmen dieser Art zu stützen. Zur Erschließung des neuartigen Themenfeldes werden die Ergebnisse dreier Einzeluntersuchungen berichtet, in welchen sowohl qualitative als auch quantitative Methoden angewandt werden. Mit Hilfe der Durchführung von Expertinneninterviews werden Bedarf und Potenzial innovativer Technik in Prävention und Gesundheitsförderung für Ältere und erste Anforderungen an eine solche Technik erfasst. Eine innovative Möglichkeit zur Umsetzung präventiver und gesundheitsförderlicher Interventionen bieten digitale Bewegungsspiele. So werden darauffolgend im Rahmen einer quasi-experimentellen Kohortenstudie gesundheitsbezogene Veränderungen durch das Spielen sog. Serious Games im Setting (teil-)stationäres Pflegewohnen evaluiert. Die Ergebnisse zeigen erste gesundheitsförderliche Tendenzen. Innerhalb einer Fokusgruppe werden abschließend drei digitale Bewegungsspielsysteme unter Beachtung zielgruppenspezifischer Bedarfe bewertet und notwendige Ressourcen für den erfolgreichen Einsatz im Anwendungskontext erarbeitet. Um die neugewonnenen Erkenntnisse in nachhaltiger Form nutzbar zu machen, werden diese in einem Anforderungskatalog für die erfolgreiche Implementierung eines digitalen Bewegungsspiels im Kontext der Pflege zusammengefasst. / Being healthy in old age and aging healthily is of great relevance at both the individual and societal level. Thus, the importance of prevention and health promotion even in an old age is growing - on the one hand, to maintain the autonomy, self-determination, social participation and quality of life of the elderly and, on the other hand, to be able to meet the health policy challenges caused by demographic change. Health in old age is not only highly vulnerable but also offers a multitude of resources and starting points for preventive and health-promoting interventions. Technical innovations offer a growing potential to support measures of this kind. In order to open up this new field of research, the results of three individual studies are reported, in which both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. By conducting expert interviews, the need and potential of innovative technology in prevention and health promotion for the elderly as well as first requirements for such a technology are identified. Digital exercise games offer an innovative possibility for the implementation of preventive and health-promoting interventions. Subsequently, health-related changes caused by playing digital exercise games, so-called serious games, in the setting of nursing care are evaluated within the framework of a quasi-experimental cohort study. The results show first health-promoting tendencies through playing serious games. Last, three digital exercise game systems will be evaluated in a focus group on the basis of the needs of the target group. Additionally, the necessary resources for successful use of such systems in a real application context are developed in a participatory way. In order to make the newly gained knowledge usable in a way that is sustainable and relevant for practical use, it is then summarized in a catalogue of requirements for the successful implementation of a digital exercise game in the nursing environment.

在創新系統中，產、學、研為新技術與知識積蓄的點，創新網絡中節點與節點之間的互動扮演重要的角色。區域內領導性廠商為了取得技術優勢，提供經費購買技術、引進技術等外部資源建立核心能力，在區域內形成產、學、研的技術聯盟組織，形塑區域特殊產業。各單位所交織形成的網絡動態為有助於區域創新活動的決定性因素。 透過這樣的角度來檢視台灣，本研究以區域創新系統的角度出發，觀察「數位遊戲」這項新興產業在技術與知識網絡中，行動者之間彼此的互動連結。將廠商、相關研究機構、產業公協會、人才培育機構、大專院校與育成中心視為區域創新網絡的驅動角色，透過問卷調查與社會學中的網絡分析工具，觀察網絡中技術與知識的互動關係。本研究的主要結論如下： ㄧ、由本研究實證結果發現，台灣北部區域所形塑遊戲產業產官學研合作所環繞的創新氛圍十分強烈。北部區域中，又以台北縣中和「遠東世紀廣場科技園區」與台北市「南港軟體工業園區」分別為遊戲產業高度密集聚點。 二、由於台灣數位遊戲產業各廠商之間的封閉性，各單位間技術與知識的互動關係偏低。廠商之間的網絡活動主要是以垂直性的關係為主，而非水平性的關係。廠商傾向倚賴國際之間網絡技術資源。 三、知識網絡中越是有能力的單位，越可能處於技術網絡的核心位置。也就是原本在遊戲產業中處於優勢地位的單位，基於資訊流通與知識傳遞方便的優勢，技術能力的掌握能力亦強，少數特定單位重複扮演技術與知識互動的重要角色。本研究從網絡結構中證實了技術與知識的高度關係。 四、技術網絡的連結模式呈現環環相扣的環狀結構，彼此交流與技術互動的相當頻繁與快速。知識網絡的星狀連結模式，具有明顯的核心單位，此類結構有利於知識的傳遞，處於散佈節點的單位居處特別重要的地位。 / In the innovation system, firms, schools and research institutes are new technology and knowledge storage places. The interactions between nodes play important roles in the innovation networks. In order to gain technology advantages, leading firms provide expenses to purchase and introduce technology to establish core ability. They form consortia with other firms, schools, and research institutes to build up regional specific industries in the regions. The dynamic network formed from the interaction of units is the main factor to facilitate regional innovative activities. This thesis is on the basis of Regional Innovation System (RIS) in Taiwan and takes “Digital Games” for example. Each actor interacts in the technology and knowledge networks in the RIS. Regarding firms, associate research institutes and industry associations as driving roles in the innovative networks, this thesis applies innovation networks surveys and the methodology of Social network analysis in Sociology to observe technology and knowledge interactions in the innovative networks. The major conclusions are as follows: First, “Far East Century Scientific Square” in Jhonghe City and “ Nan-Gang Software Industrial Park” in Taipei City are surrounded extremely strongly innovation milieu in the north of Taiwan. Secondly, owing to self-contained, digital games firms are deficient in interaction with each other. Activities in the networks are vertical relations almost, not horizontal ones. Firms tend to depending on international technology resources in the networks. The third, many competent actors basing on the advantage of information and knowledge transfer very quickly and conveniently in knowledge networks are located in the core of technology networks. A small number of firms repeatedly play the important role in technology and knowledge networks. From the network structure, this thesis proved technology and knowledge have a close relationship. Finally, technology networks display circular structures which exchange and transfer quite frequently and quickly; knowledge networks display star structure which have apparent core units and which are advantageous to transfer knowledge.

O presente estudo busca explicar de que forma o uso de jogos digitais contribui para o processo de desenvolvimento de gestores públicos, considerando-se que a capacitação gerencial é fundamental para o alcance de resultados e para a prestação de serviços públicos de qualidade. O primeiro passo da pesquisa foi compreender na literatura o que significa o uso de jogos digitais para fins educacionais e de desenvolvimento, o que foi feito por meio de um estudo bibliométrico. Na prática, o uso de jogos digitais relaciona-se a conceitos como jogos sérios (serious games), gamificação (gamification) e aprendizado por meio de jogos (game-based learning). O estudo envolveu, então, o desenvolvimento do serious game Liderança em Jogo: Competências, Papéis e Responsabilidades, que leva em conta o contexto do setor público e foi pensado justamente como ferramenta para o desenvolvimento de gestores públicos. A aplicação do jogo foi feita por meio de um curso especialmente concebido para este trabalho e a avaliação de sua eficácia considerou o modelo de quatro níveis de Kirkpatrick (reação, aprendizado, comportamento e resultados). O impacto do uso desse jogo digital foi avaliado comparativamente por meio de um conjunto de dois experimentos completamente aleatorizados, com grupo de controle e no formato pré-teste/pós-teste (experimento 1) e pós-teste apenas (experimento 2). A pesquisa foi multimétodo, envolvendo triangulação metodológica, sendo complementada por análises qualitativas (entrevistas semiestruturadas e análise de conteúdo). Como principais resultados, foram verificados impactos nos quatro níveis avaliados. Os experimentos mostraram que, em comparação ao grupo de controle, quem joga (grupo experimental) gosta mais do processo de aprendizado (reação) e apresenta maiores níveis de atenção e relevância do modelo ARCS, desenvolvido por John M. Keller, utilizado para avaliar a motivação; demonstra maiores níveis de aquisição de conhecimento (aprendizado); desenvolve uma visão de gestão mais atrelada aos aspectos humanos (atitude como antecedente do comportamento); e vê mais impactos do treinamento sobre o resultado projetado de seu trabalho para o futuro (resultados). As entrevistas ainda indicaram que o jogo, além de ter seguido os preceitos de game design que o caracterizam como tal, provocou reflexões que resultaram em mudança de comportamento em situações do dia a dia. Assim, considerando-se o desenvolvimento gerencial do ponto de vista das competências como o conjunto de Conhecimentos, Habilidades e Atitudes (CHA) da pessoa, vê-se que o jogo digital utilizado é efetivo para o desenvolvimento gerencial, uma vez que os experimentos detectaram aquisição de conhecimentos e mudanças de atitudes. A contribuição do estudo é relevante pois, além de trazer evidências empíricas necessárias à literatura, integra em um framework conceitual as inter-relações de diversos referenciais teóricos como base para uma pesquisa operacionalizável. As principais limitações do estudo estão associadas à artificialidade dos experimentos e ao não controle de variáveis que possam ter impacto no aprendizado. Além da opção de avaliar apenas os níveis mais baixos de aprendizado da taxonomia de Bloom, com a utilização de questões diretas no instrumento de avaliação de conhecimento, o reduzido número de participantes também foi uma limitação, impactando as possibilidades estatísticas de identificar efeitos sobre os níveis de profundidade do conhecimento adquirido ou diferentes assuntos considerados no curso/treinamento. / This study aims to explain how the use of digital games can contribute to the process of development of public managers, considering that managerial capacity is key to the achievement of results and the provision of good quality public services. The first step of the research was to seek in the literature what the use of digital games means in terms of educational and development purposes. That was done through a bibliometric study. In practice, the use of digital games is related to concepts such as serious games, gamification and game-based learning. The following step involved the development of the serious game entitled Liderançaem Jogo: Competências, Papéis e Responsabilidades, which takes into account the context of the Public Sector and was built specifically as a tool for the development of public managers. The application of the game was made through a course specially designed for this study and the assessment of its effectiveness considered Kirkpatrick\'s four-level model (reaction, learning, behavior and results). The impact of the use of this digital game was evaluated through a set of two randomized experiments, with a control group and in the pre-test /post-test format (experiment 1) and post-test only (experiment 2). The research was multi-method, involving methodological triangulation and was complemented by qualitative analyzes (semi-structured interviews and content analysis). The main results show impacts in the four evaluated levels. The experiments showed that, in comparison with the control group, the subjects who play (experimental group) enjoy more the learning process (reaction) and present higher levels of attention and relevance, according to the ARCS model developed by John M. Keller, used to evaluate motivation. In addition, they demonstrate higher levels of knowledge acquisition (learning); develop a management vision more linked to human aspects (attitude as antecedent of the behavior) and see more impact of the training on the outcomes of their job for the future (results). The interviews also indicated that the game, in addition to having followed the precepts of game design led to reflections that resulted in behavior change in day-to-day situations. Therefore, considering the managerial development from the point of view of the competences as the sum of knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) of a person, it is seen that the digital game used is effective, once the experiments detected acquisition of knowledge and changes in attitudes. The contribution of this study is relevant because, in addition to bringing empirical evidence to the literature, it integrates the inter-relationships of several theoretical references into a conceptual framework as the basis for an executable research. The main limitations of the study are associated with the artificiality of the experiments and the non-control of variables that may have an impact on learning. Besides evaluating only the lower learning levels according to the Bloom\'s taxonomy, using direct questions in the assessment instrument, the small number of participants was also a factor of limitation, which might have impacted on statistical inference of the effects on the levels of depth of knowledge acquired or on the different topics approached in the course/training.

Although soundtracks play an essential role in the experience delivered by digital games, there are a number of design restrictions it suffers from due to technology limitations. This is specially true for real-time effects, a natural demand in the interactive media of games. Developers may either implement their own solutions each time, rely on proprietary software, or neglect the soundtrack altogether. Besides, even the best commercial tools support only sample-based audio, which is one of the main causes for the aforementioned design restrictions. Thus, this thesis proposes VORPAL, a free software game audio middleware implementation that focuses on procedural audio instead while maintaining the possibility of sample-based audio as a more accessible and adequate tool for composing real-time soundtracks for digital games. The middleware, inspired by its commercial predecessors, is divided in two main pieces of software: an audio engine and a soundtrack creation kit. The audio engine comprises a native C++ programming library, which games and game engines can be linked to to play and control in real-time soundtrack pieces created using the soundtrack creation kit, which consists of building blocks provided as Pure Data abstractions. We have interviewed and partnered with professional sound designers to validate our technology, and came to develop a proof of concept game called Sound Wanderer, which showcases the possibilities and limitations of the VORPAL middleware. / Muito embora trilhas sonoras desempenhem um papel essencial na experiência criada por jogos digitais, elas sofrem de diversas restrições de projeto causadas por limitações tecnológicas. Isso afeta principalmente efeitos em tempo real, que são uma demanda natural na mídia interativa dos jogos. Desenvolvedores precisam optar entre implementar uma solução própria caso a caso, investir em software proprietário, ou simplesmente negligenciar a trilha sonora por falta de opção melhor. Além disso, mesmo as melhores ferramentas comerciais trabalham apenas com áudio baseado em amostras, o que é uma das principais causas das ditas restrições de projeto. Portanto, esta dissertação propõe VORPAL, um middleware livre para áudio em jogos que foca em áudio procedural mas mantém compatibilidade com áudio baseado em amostras como uma ferramenta mais acessível e adequada para a composição de trilhas sonoras em tempo real para jogos digitais. O middleware, inspirado em seus antecessores comerciais, é dividido em duas principais componentes de software: um motor de áudio e um kit de criação de trilhas sonoras. O primeiro é constituído por uma biblioteca de programação nativa em C++, com a qual jogos e motores de jogos podem se ligar para reproduzir e controlar, em tempo real, peças da trilha sonora criadas usando a outro componente, que é um kit de blocos de construção providos como abstrações de Pure Data. Projetistas de som profissionais foram entrevistados e depois trabalharam em parceria com os autores para validar a tecnologia proposta, o que levou ao desenvolvimento de um jogo de prova conceitual chamado Sound Wanderer, que demonstra as possibilidades e limitações do middleware VORPAL.