Games, Ethics and Engagement

2011 ◽  
pp. 291-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sharman Siebenthal Adams ◽  
Jeremiah Holden
Keyword(s):  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Cognitive Learning ◽  
Political Conflict ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Simulation Games ◽  
Online Simulations ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Support Research

This chapter examines ethical ambiguities confronted by the design and play of serious games focused on civic engagement. Our findings derive from our examination of two educational simulation games that focus on contemporary issues related to social and political conflict. We believe game simulations are complex in nature and offer particularly rich environments for cognitive learning. Within the following chapter we examine the relationship between games and learning, specific approaches to game design, and the ability of games to encourage civic engagement. While we found that game participants gained knowledge of curricular content and practiced democratic skills during their experiences with the online simulations, there also occurred unintended consequences. In turn, we believe it is critical to analyze deeper ethical ambiguities related to the consequences of civic-minded game design and gameplay and support research efforts to further recognize and expand upon the development and research of serious games involving civic-minded educational online simulations.

scholarly journals Flow experience in game based learning – a systematic literature review

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arttu Perttula ◽  
Kristian Kiili ◽  
Antero Lindstedt ◽  
Pauliina Tuomi
Keyword(s):  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Performance Enhancement ◽  
Positive Influence ◽  
Serious Game ◽  
Game Based Learning ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Learning Factors ◽  
The Relationship

The entertaining elements implemented in a serious game are key factors in determining whether a player will be engaged in a play-learn process and able to achieve the desired learning outcomes. Thus, optimization of subjective playing experience is a crucial part of a game design process. Flow theory can be adopted for measuring user experience and analyzing the quality of serious game designs. In addition, flow seems to have a positive influence on performance enhancement, learning and engagement. The focus of this review is especially on examining the meaning of flow in the context of serious games as well as exploring the relationship between flow and learning, factors that influence occurrence of flow and how flow is operationalized. The review revealed that there are mainly conceptual considerations about flow in serious games, but no robust empirical evidence about the meaning of flow. This is in line with other studies. We argue that research on flow should focus on the specific aspects related to the very nature of serious games that combine enjoyment and learning. Furthermore, new methods to measure flow and analyse the data need to be developed and studied.

Development of Serious Games for Behaviour Change: A Practical Methodology (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Alberto Catalina Ortega ◽  
Svjetlana Kolić-Vehovec ◽  
Barbara Rončević Zubković ◽  
Sanja Smojver-Ažić ◽  
Tamara Martinac Dorčić
Keyword(s):  
Behaviour Change ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Intervention Mapping ◽  
Psychological Perspective ◽  
Game Development ◽  
Development Methodology ◽  
Intervention Mapping Protocol ◽  
Post Test

UNSTRUCTURED Objectives: The main purpose of the paper is to define a new methodology that allows the design of Serious Games that promote a behavioural change. The methodology is based on the Intervention Mapping Protocol (IMP) to define all the information and interventions and Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) to promote the behaviour change. Materials and methods: The methodology is based on the experience of game designers and psychologies within the eConfidence H2020 research project in which a new methodology was designed and implemented in two serious games. The game development methodology is described in six steps to be followed, with the psychological perspective integrated with the game design. Both games were tested in 10 schools with a pre and post-test for the data analysis. Results: Both games developed within the methodology present relevant findings on the change of behaviour of the users. Additionally, the proposed metric integrated allows a database improvement of the games to get better results. Conclusion: New methodology for design and study effectiveness of Serious Games that promote behavioural changes, was designed and integrated into two serious games that demonstrate changes in the users. The methodology could help other teams in the work of design and assess the effectiveness of a Serious Game for behavioural change.

scholarly journals Does Scientific Evaluation Matter? Improving Digital Simulation Games by Design-Based Research

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sven Ivens ◽  
Monika Oberle
Keyword(s):  
Civic Education ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Digital Simulation ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Simulation Game ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Scientific Evaluation ◽  
Simulation Games ◽  
Design Based Research ◽  
Term Evaluation

Grounded in a design-based research approach, the aim of this article is to determine whether scientific evaluations help to (a) identify and fix problems in educational interventions and (b) eventually foster a more effective and positive evaluated intervention. Therefore, data from a longer-term evaluation of short digital simulation games about the European Parliament for civic education in schools were used. The data included three cycles of interventions with pre- and post-evaluations starting with the first prototype in 2015/2016 (n = 209), the second cycle in 2017/18 (n = 97), and the last one in 2019/20 (n = 222). After each evaluation, major problems and critiques regarding the simulation game were discussed with the developers, and changes were implemented in the game design. The four most important problems, the processes by which they were improved and the reactions of the participants in the following evaluations are pointed out in the article. A comparison of the last and first evaluation cycle showed an overall improvement of the simulation game regarding its effectiveness in transferring EU knowledge and the participants’ general satisfaction with the simulation game. This study underlines the value of the design-based research approach for developing educational interventions and can be useful for further work on civic education measures and the implementation of digital simulation games.

scholarly journals The reputation trap of NGO accountability

2015 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-463 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen E. Gent ◽  
Mark J. C. Crescenzi ◽  
Elizabeth J. Menninga ◽  
Lindsay Reid
Keyword(s):  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
International Crisis ◽  
Governmental Organizations ◽  
Non Governmental Organizations ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Ngo Accountability ◽  
The Relationship

Can concerns for one’s reputation cause non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to alter their behavior to the detriment of achieving their policy goals? To answer this question, we explore the relationship between NGOs and their donors. Our theoretical model reveals that reputation can be a key piece of information in the decision to fund an NGO’s activities. Reputation can become so important to the NGO’s survival that it interferes with the long-term policy goals of the organization. As such, reputations can become a double-edged sword, simultaneously providing the information donors seek while constraining NGOs from realizing policy goals. We apply this logic to the problem of NGO accountability, which has received increasing attention in recent years, and demonstrate that the tools used by donors to improve accountability can trigger unintended consequences. We illustrate this strategic dynamic with two types of NGO activity: water improvement and international crisis mediation.

scholarly journals The Impacts of College Students’ Civic Responsibility on Civic Engagement via Online Technology: The Mediations of Civic Learning and Civic Expression

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110319
Author(s):  
Pi-Chun Hsu ◽  
I-Hsiung Chang ◽  
Ru-Si Chen
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Civic Engagement ◽  
Indirect Effects ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Model ◽  
Civic Responsibility ◽  
Civic Learning ◽  
Online Technology ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
The Relationship

This study focused on college students’ attitudes toward the relationship between online civic responsibility and online civic engagement and its impacts. It also investigated the mediating roles of online civic learning and online civic expression in this relationship. A survey was conducted in Taiwan, testing for indirect effects with mediated variables using a structural equation model. The study tested hypotheses about the mediations of online civic learning and online civic expression on this relationship between online civic responsibility and online civic engagement for college students. The results indicate that the mediators of online civic learning and online civic expression fully mediate the relationship between online civic responsibility and online civic engagement.

scholarly journals Modeling the relationship between motivational beliefs, cognitive learning strategies, and academic performance of teacher education students

2018 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles Magoba Muwonge ◽  
Ulrich Schiefele ◽  
Joseph Ssenyonga ◽  
Henry Kibedi
Keyword(s):  
Teacher Education ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Cognitive Learning ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Motivational Beliefs ◽  
Education Students ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Teacher Education Students

Although self-regulated learning has received much attention over the past decades, research on how teacher education students regulate their own learning has been scarce, particularly in third world countries. In the present study, we examined the structural relationships between motivational beliefs, cognitive learning strategies, and academic performance among teacher education students in Uganda. The sample comprised of 1081 students selected from seven universities. Data were collected using several subscales from the modified Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and were analyzed by structural equation modeling. Cognitive learning strategies fully mediated the relationship between motivational beliefs and academic performance. Motivational beliefs contributed to students’ academic performance mainly through influencing their critical thinking and organizational skills. Therefore, interventions to improve teacher education students’ academic performance should focus not only on boosting their motivation but also on enhancing their use of cognitive learning strategies.

Adapting game’s evaluation metrics to virtual reality serious games and its validation on “Hellblade: Senu’s Sacrifice” (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Martinez ◽  
Maria Isabel Menéndez-Menéndez ◽  
David Checa ◽  
Andres Bustillo
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Video Game ◽  
Game Design ◽  
Serious Games ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Quantitative Rating ◽  
Study Case ◽  
Definition Of

BACKGROUND The design of Virtual Reality Serious Games (VR-SG) is a subject still developing. One of its open developments is the definition of metrics to evaluate the fun and learning result. In this way, weaknesses and strengths in the design of serious games can be found for future works in this research field. OBJECTIVE This paper aims to create a metric that can be used to rate the gameplay of VR-SG. This metric’s novelty allows to evaluate the different fun and learning features and give them a quantitative rating. A study case shows the capability of implementing this evaluation to identify strengths and weaknesses of VR-SGs. METHODS The new VR-SG metric is developed on the basis of the Mechanics, Dynamics and Aesthetic (MDA) framework but including User Experience (UX) elements and adapting them to VR-SG. This metric includes 1) UX aspects: VR-headsets, training tutorials and interactive adaptions to avoid VR inconveniences; and 2) MDA aspects: exclusive VR audiovisual elements and its aesthetics interactions. RESULTS The selected indie serious game is Hellblade, developed to raise awareness about the difficulties of people suffering from psychosis with two versions: one for 2D-screens and the other for VR devices. The comparison of metric´s scores for both versions shows: 1) some VR dynamics increase the gameplay impact and therefore, the educational capacity; and 2) flaws in game design where the scores drop down. Some of these flaws are: reduced number of levels, missions and items, lack of a tutorial to enhance usability and lack of strategies and rewards in the long-term to increase motivation. CONCLUSIONS This metric allows to identify the elements of the gameplay and UX that are necessary to learn in VR experiences. The study case shows this research is useful to evaluate the educational utility of VR-SG. Further works will analyze VR applications to synthetize every game element influencing its intrinsic sensations. CLINICALTRIAL The trials have not been registered, as testing for this metric has not involved people with mental conditions or addressed other medical applications. Hellblade is a commercial video game that anyone can purchase and play. The trials have been carried out to obtain results on the gaming experience of different people in relation to the educational purpose of raising awareness of psychosis.

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