Fidelity of Task Structure as a Guiding Principle in the Development of Skill Trainers Based upon Complex Computer Games

1988 ◽  
Vol 32 (18) ◽  
pp. 1266-1270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Gopher ◽  
Maya Weil ◽  
Tal Bareket ◽  
Sigal Caspi

Fidelity of task structure is proposed to replace physical fidelity, as a cost effective guiding principle in the development of trainers for complex tasks. The paper describes a research project in which a complex computer game was designed to mimic the requirements of flight skill. It was then employed as part trainer within an actual flight training program. The game was mainly directed to teach subjects strategies of attention control and efficient allocation of processing resources. It was found to improve trainees performance in flight. The paper discusses the theoretical roots of the proposed approach and some results of its application in an actual training environment.

Author(s):  
Michael K. Gardner ◽  
David L. Strayer

Developers of educational computer games often have incomplete knowledge of the cognitive abilities of learners, yet this knowledge can be useful in informing game design. This chapter reviews two important cognitive abilities that underlie learning: working memory and attentional capacity/executive function. From a description of the developmental course of each ability, we derive a set of recommendations for game developers to follow when designing games for learners of different ages. The chapter next reviews the psychology of transfer of training, including two major theories on the issue. The doctrine of identical elements appears to give the better description of how transfer occurs from training environment (the educational computer game) to target environment (real world performance of the learned skill). It is recommended that games embody, as closely as possible, the end behavior they hope to produce, as this will produce maximal transfer. Finally, we review some controversial research demonstrating distant transfer in computer video gaming.


1992 ◽  
Vol 36 (17) ◽  
pp. 1285-1290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Gopher ◽  
Maya Weil ◽  
Tal Bareket

A study was conducted at the flight school of the Israeli Airforce to test the transfer of skills from a complex computer game to flight. The context relevance of the game to flight was argued on the basis of a skill oriented task analysis, anchored in contemporary models of the human processing system. The influence of two embeded training strategies was compared, one focusing on the specific skills involved in performing the game, the other designed to improve the general ability of trainees to cope with the high attention load of the flight task. Flight scores of two groups of cadets who received 10 hours of training in the computer game were compared with those of a matched group of cadets without game experience. Both game groups performed significantly better than the no game group in the subsequent test flights. They also had higher final percentage of graduation from the flight training program. The game has now been incorporated in the regular training program of the airforce.


Author(s):  
Michael K. Gardner ◽  
David L. Strayer

Developers of educational computer games often have incomplete knowledge of the cognitive abilities of learners, yet this knowledge can be useful in informing game design. This chapter reviews two important cognitive abilities that underlie learning: working memory and attentional capacity/executive function. From a description of the developmental course of each ability, we derive a set of recommendations for game developers to follow when designing games for learners of different ages. The chapter next reviews the psychology of transfer of training, including two major theories on the issue. The doctrine of identical elements appears to give the better description of how transfer occurs from training environment (the educational computer game) to target environment (real world performance of the learned skill). It is recommended that games embody, as closely as possible, the end behavior they hope to produce, as this will produce maximal transfer. Finally, we review some controversial research demonstrating distant transfer in computer video gaming.


2014 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4760-4766
Author(s):  
Sachchida Nand Prasad

This paper presents a design case study of SIDES: Design Interfaces to Develop Effective Public Efficiency. SIDES is a tool designed to help adolescents in Public group therapy, specifically individuals with Asperser’s Syndrome, practice effective group work efficiency using a four-player cooperative computer game that runs on computer games technology. We are represent the design process and evaluation of SIDES conducted over a period of six months with a middle school Public group therapy class. Our findings indicate that   computer games   are a motivating and supported tool for effective group work among. My target population and reveal different design lessons to inform the development of similar systems.


Author(s):  
Claire Johnson

Game Maker is widely used in UK secondary schools, yet under-researched in that context. This paper presents the findings of a qualitative case study that explores how authoring computer games using Game Maker can support the learning of basic programming concepts in a mainstream UK secondary setting.  The research draws on the learning theory of constructionism, which asserts the importance of pupils using computers as ‘building material’ to create digital artefacts (Papert, 1980; Harel and Papert, 1991), and considers the extent to which a constructionist approach is suitable for introducing basic programming concepts within a contemporary, game authoring context.  The research was conducted in a high achieving comprehensive school in South East England. Twenty-two pupils (12 boys; 10 girls; 13-14 years old) completed a unit of work in computer game authoring over an eight-week (16 x 50 minute lessons) period. In planning and developing their games, they worked in self-selected pairs, apart from two pupils (one boy and one girl) who worked alone, by choice. Nine of the ten pairs were the same gender. Data were collected in planning documents, journals and the games pupils made, in recordings of their working conversations, and in pair, group and artefact-based interviews. Findings indicate that as well as learning some basic programming concepts, pupils enjoyed the constructionist-designed activity, demonstrated positive attitudes to their work, and felt a sense of achievement in creating a complex artefact that had personal and cultural significance for them. However, the findings also suggest that the constructionist approach adopted in the research did not effectively support the learning of programming concepts for all pupils. This research arises out of a perceived need to develop accessible, extended units of work to implement aspects of the Computing curriculum in England. It suggests that using Game Maker may offer a viable entry, and identifies the programming concepts and practices which pupils encountered, the difficulties they experienced, and the errors they made when authoring computer games. It also offers recommendations to increase the readiness with which students engage with key programming concepts and practices when using this visual programming software. In so doing it makes a practical contribution to the field of qualitative research in secondary computing education. 


1997 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Thornborrow

The focus of this article is the language of computer game previews and guides in the magazine Sega Mean Machines. I examine the presence of conflicting discourses within these texts, and discuss the possible effects they may have on the construction of gender-specific identities for the reader. Through a stylistic analysis of these texts, I will argue that entering the computer game-playing world means essentially a shift for the female readers/players into male-centred discourses.


1987 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 847-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yili Liu ◽  
Christopher D. Wickens

We report here the first experiment of a series studying the effect of task structure and difficulty demand on time-sharing performance and workload in both automated and corresponding manual systems. The experimental task involves manual control time-shared with spatial and verbal decisions tasks of two levels of difficulty and two modes of response (voice or manual). The results provide strong evidence that tasks and processes competing for common processing resources are time shared less effectively and have higher workload than tasks competing for separate resources. Subjective measures and the structure of multiple resources are used in conjunction to predict dual task performance. The evidence comes from both single task and from dual task performance.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chin-En Yen

BACKGROUND Computer games can increase children’s interest in learning, and then improve their nutritional knowledge, and their dietary intake behavior. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effectiveness of computer games on preschool children's nutrition knowledge and junk food intake behavior. This study was a cross-sectional study. METHODS We recruited 104 preschool children age 5-6 years from preschools and randomly assign to experiment group (n=56) and control group (n=48). The researchers used Construct 2 to design and produce the "Healthy Rat King" computer game as a nutrition education tool for children. The computer game courses intervention was one hour per week for four consecutive weeks in experiment group, and the control group did not received computer game intervention. RESULTS The results showed that the nutrition knowledge score of children in experiment group were significant higher than the control group after four weeks of computer game course intervention, and the frequency of chocolate, candies, and ice cream intake was significantly reduced in experiment group after four weeks of computer game intervention. CONCLUSIONS computer game teaching suggested that improved children’s nutrition knowledge and decreased the frequency of junk food intake.


Author(s):  
A.A. Vasiliev ◽  
◽  
Yu.V. Pechatnova ◽  

The article is devoted to a comprehensive interdisciplinary study of the term «game» and its relatively new variety – computer game. The need to use an interdisciplinary approach to the study of the term is explained by the versatility and multi-aspect nature of the phenomenon under study. The article reveals the meaning of the concept «game» in the philosophical, aesthetic, historical, cultural, linguistic, psychological, technological and legal dimensions. The research methodology includes historical, systematic methods, as well as the method of formal legal analysis. The author emphasizes the influence of the development of forms of game activity on the development of social evolution, as well as the interaction of the game and the achievements of scientific and technological progress. The relevance of studying the term «computer game» lies in the fact that computer games have become the most popular type of gaming activity and the most profitable commercial product on the modern market. In this regard, terminological certainty is necessary due to the economic feasibility and effective legal regulation of the development, implementation and use of computer games. The authors propose to identify the main features of the concept «game», in general, and the specific features of the term «computer game», in particular. Based on the set of features, the author's definition of the concept «computer game» is proposed. In order to distinguish the studied concept from related categories, the analysis of the terms «electronic game» and «video game» is carried out. In conclusion, the authors assess the approaches to the legal regulation of computer games from the point of view of domestic legislation. As a result of the analysis of the possibility of attributing a computer game to a variety of programs for electronic computers or a variety of multimedia products, the choice was made in favor of the latter. Thus, at present, in order to solve legal problems related to the development and use of a computer game, the authors propose the application of the law analogy.


2006 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 53-58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger K. C. Tan ◽  
Adrian David Cheok ◽  
James K. S. Teh

For better or worse, technological advancement has changed the world to the extent that at a professional level demands from the working executive required more hours either in the office or on business trips, on a social level the population (especially the younger generation) are glued to the computer either playing video games or surfing the internet. Traditional leisure activities, especially interaction with pets have been neglected or forgotten. This paper introduces Metazoa Ludens, a new computer mediated gaming system which allows pets to play new mixed reality computer games with humans via custom built technologies and applications. During the game-play the real pet chases after a physical movable bait in the real world within a predefined area; infra-red camera tracks the pets' movements and translates them into the virtual world of the system, corresponding them to the movement of a virtual pet avatar running after a virtual human avatar. The human player plays the game by controlling the human avatar's movements in the virtual world, this in turn relates to the movements of the physical movable bait in the real world which moves as the human avatar does. This unique way of playing computer game would give rise to a whole new way of mixed reality interaction between the pet owner and her pet thereby bringing technology and its influence on leisure and social activities to the next level


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