Engagement and learning in GameBased Learning GBL A

Engagement and learning in Game-Based Learning (GBL): A Systematic Review Ms Azita Iliya Abdul Jabbar Dr Patrick Felicia 1

Objectives of the presentation To present: q The review’s methodology (search terms, limits, inclusion/exclusion criteria/evaluation criteria) q The analysis (game variations, gaming elements, learning outcomes) q The results (of 38 papers) q The conclusion 2

Rationale of the study q Games can be effective for educational purposes because they offer enjoyable experiences and motivation. q Games have been successfully employed as a means to engage learners in several educational settings (primary, secondary and higher education). q There is a need for an empirically-based and better “understanding of learners’ engagement with games in order to fully appreciate the implications of adopting a game-based approach” (Whitton, 2011). 3

Research background Engagement with games for entertainment Enjoyment Self. Determination Theory (SDT) Immersion Game design concept Engagement Psychology Human. Computer Interaction (HCI) User Experience (UX) Flow theory Motivation (Boyle et al. , 2012) 4

Research background User engagement with games for entertainment q. Engagement in gameplay Ø An experience that is both emotional and physical in nature, and demonstrated in players’ feelings and thoughts as well as behaviour (Jennets et al, 2008, Ravaja, et al. , 2008) Ø Not just a feeling, thought or behaviour that happens, but also on how players interpret it (Ravaja et al. , 2005). Ø The result of many subjective feelings that shape experience, within sequence of gaming events, not necessarily pleasant during the event (Klimmt, Rizzo, Vorderer, Koch and Ficher, 2009) and each having impact on player’s feeling and thought (Jennets et al. , 2008, Ryan et al. , 2009). Ø The emotional attachment players have to the gaming features and interaction they have with the gaming activities to achieve their goals in the process (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990, van Reekum et al. , 2004). (Boyle et al. , 2012) 5

Research background Learning outcomes and impacts of gameplay q Students’ performance Ø Research has shown mixed results of students performance for knowledge acquisition/content understanding though students preferred using games and enjoy using it. Ø Competitive-based game along with feedback lead to improved performance in knowledge acquisition. Ø Students performed better when they could use a history mechanism to help them remember events in a complex project management game. Ø Increased self-efficacy in simulation games, and collaboration in virtual 3 D online serious game and structured support can be used to prompt players for advancement. (Connolly et al. , 2012) 6

Research background Limitations of previous reviews q Lack of acknowledgement of how gaming principles of engagement enable learning q Lack of guidance about how gaming elements of can support engagement and learning in different phases of learning and ways q Lack of understanding how gaming elements might facilitate engagement and match desired learning outcomes in a learning process. 7

Objective of the study q To understand how schoolchildren learn q To understand how gaming elements engage learners and enable learning How are user engagement and gameplay experience linked to the learning outcomes? 8

Methodology: Search terms q Games (General terms: e. g. : edutainment, game-based learning; learning games; Variations of games: e. g. : role-play game, puzzle; Platform: e. g. : video, computer) q Outcomes and impacts (e. g. : effect, engagement, motivation, learning) q Factors and link (e. g. : relations, elements, characters, attributes) q Criterion, justification and context (e. g. : evidence, data, school) 9

Methodology: Searched electronic databases ERIC Academic Search Complete Psych. INFO ISI Web of Knowledge Wiley Online Library JSTOR Emerald Journals Science Direct ACM Digital Library IEEE Xplore Digital Library 10

Methodology: Search limit Broad search limit Publication year (2003 -2013) Specific search limit M ts an et ho cip do lo rti Pa gy Peer reviewed journal/articles 11

Methodology: Inclusion and exclusion criteria Study design Participants’ age group Exclusion Inclusion Criteria use of games/design purpose Learning and motivational outcomes in relations to gaming for learning Selected articles 12

Methodology: Criteria for evaluation q q q Experimental study Observational study Descriptive study Correlational study Mixed-methods study Methods and analysis q Participants selection q Settings and condition q Number of participants External validity (generalizability, applicability) q q Random assignment of groups Control group design Pretest and posttest No comparisons are made Internal validity (validity) 13

Analysis of the study Categorization of games Artificial world created for entertainment Game world Type Genre Game event Additional varieties embedded in the game world to create specific experience Game learning content Platform Technical features Game purpose 14

Analysis of the study Categorization of engagement Formal elements Cognitive Engagement (CE) Motivational Elements (ME) Interactive Elements (IE) Provide players the opportunities with participation and involvement in gaming activities (e. g. : competition, collaboration) Dramatic elements Influence players’ thoughts, actions, and reactions (e. g. : objectives, choices, rules) Trigger players’ sense of enjoyment and excitement (e. g. : challenge, narration) Emotional engagement (EE) Fun Elements (FE) Multimedia Elements (MME) Attract players’ physical attention (e. g. : animation, graphics, video, texts, audios) 15

Analysis of the study Categorization of learning experience and outcomes Motivational outcome (e. g. : willingness to learn) Knowledge anticipation Knowledge acquisition Cognitive learning Behaviour change Intellectual aspects of learning and skills or abilities performed by learners Affective learning Content understanding Practice and process Reflection Knowledge application Behavioural change and motivational aspect of learning Skills acquisition (Adapted from Silver and Perini (2010), and Kolb’s (1984), Connolly et al. 2012 ) 16

Analysis of the study q Random Controlled Trials (RCT) q Quasiexperiment q Cohort study q Case control study q Comparative case study q Case series q Survey Study design q Short term q Long term Coding of methods Participants q Size of samples (small, medium, large) Data collection q q Surveys Interviews Observation Mixedmethods Duration of study 17

Results of the study Database searched 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Number of papers identified in search Number of papers meeting inclusion criteria 12 18 20 11 249 48 343 1, 241 5 10 4 3 9 3 3 41 7 8 16 8 240 45 340 1186 0 8 4 1 3 5 2 0 2 9 3 3 38 268 964 12 33 256 931 7 - 5 33 ERIC Academic Search Complete Psyc. INFO ISI Web of Knowledge Wiley Online Library JSTOR Emerald journals Science Direct 9 ACM Digital Library 10 IEEE Xplore Digital Library Total Search result 3174 123 Number of papers extracted Not meeting Duplicate inclusion criteria 3037 23 Number of articles for review 100 18

Results (Based on 17 papers of IEEE Xplore Digital Library on role play-based games) Game type: Role-play based game Gaming elements Criteria that facilitate engagement Learning and motivational impacts and outcome Storyline/narration (FE) • Arouse curiosity (EE) Credit points (reward structure)- (ME) • Individual • Group • • Support advancement (CE) • Sense of competition • (against others/other team) – (CE) • • 3 D virtual reality (VR) environment/GUI (FE & MME) • Active exploration of content (CE) Sense of virtual presence (EE) • • • Increases in content knowledge Higher virtual presence Higher cognitive load 3 D character (people/pet) – (FE) Support advancement - (provide advice and guidance) – (CE) • Wanting to play more Quests (IE/FE) Not discussed • • • Motivated to explore Motivated to complete more missions Building confidence Motivated to complete mission (for points) Solving problem Complete mission 19

Results (of 17 papers of Science Direct database on role-play based games) Game type: Role-play based game Gaming elements Criteria that facilitate engagement Learning and motivational impacts and outcome Multiple built-in objects (IE /FE) Provide a high level of flow (Experience ‘control, immediacy of communication, consistency, persistency) § § High level of flow Enhanced self- efficacy of using computers to learn Multi-player option (IE) §Competition §Team-based • • Confidence in peer learning/teambased/collaborative learnin Multiple learning environment in game (IE) Observation Significant gain in content knowledge Multiple contexts and situation/location Not discussed Multiple-media (game, portal, email ) –(IE) Provide flow in learning Not discussed Provide sense of competition Collaborative learning Completion of learning tasks 20

Summary of results q. Most motivational outcomes are unintended, but fun and motivational elements in games create the experience which trigger emotions as a point of engagement and engagement to learning. q. Both formal and dramatic elements are integrated in roleplay based games to create a cohesive learning environment for engaged learning. 21

Summary of results q. Fun elements such as narration in game design create motivational effect for motivational outcome q. Motivational elements such as credit points provide motivational effect to learners for them to achieve the desired learning outcome. q. Interactive elements such as multiple objects, environment, player mode and media provide learners with opportunity to become engaged learners (getting involved and participate in gaming and learning events) 22

Summary of results Storyline/ narration 3 D VR environment Knowledge anticipation Knowledge acquisition Exploring of content more deeply and mastering of essential skills and knowledge Making sense of content Hooked to learning by different reasons Knowledge acquisition Personalizing what has been learned and experienced Motivated to explore Motivated to complete mission Cognition Confidence Wanting to learn more Reflection Multipleplayer option Emotio n Multiple learning environment Multiple builtin objects Practice and process Content understanding Quests Knowledge application & skill acquisition Multiple media Credit points Character Skills acquisition and knowledge application Applying learning strategies, knowledge or skills through activities or tasks 23

Conclusion q Games provides opportunities for players to have something to gain from the gameplay. q Games helps the learners acquire and develop skills and knowledge to keep playing, strengthening the ability to handle the experiences the games direct. q Most research did not discuss in details how some elements in these role-play based games facilitate engagement and learning. 24

Q&A Suggestions ? Comments? Questions? 25

Thank you azitailiya@yahoo. com 26

Appendix 1. Game world 1. 1 Game type 1. 2 Game genre 1. 3 Game platform 1. 4 Game technical features Categorization of game Description of the gameplay Subcategories puzzle, simulation, action (fighting, shooting, racing, driving, sports), adventure, strategy, role-playing game (RPG), logical, first shooting game (FSG) Description of the narrative content of the game Medium or methods of delivery drama, mystery, crime, fantasy, horror, mystery, science fiction Gameplay modes, approaches and strategies that encompasses some gaming elements or mixture of concepts, methods, techniques and platforms. single/multi-player, linear/non-linear synchronous, sequential, gamification, persuasive, pervasive, (ARG) alternate reality game, immersive, collaborative, competitive, context-aware learning computer, video, online/web-based, networked, mobile, board and card (nondigital), augmented reality, virtual reality (VR), second life, 2 D/3 D, hypertexts, console/handheld, multiple-mouse 27

Appendix 2. Categorization of game Game event 2. 1 Game learning content 2. 2 Game purpose Description Subcategories Subject or content areas or Mathematics, Languages, skills Science (Biology, Physics, Chemistry) Social Science (Geography, History, Economy), general knowledge and public awareness (health, poverty) Learning experience Knowledge acquisition and content understanding, skills acquisition 28

Appendix Categorization of engagement Description 1. Cognitive engagement Formal elements 1. 1 Motivational elements 1. 2 2. (Usefulness) Interactive elements (Interactivity) Emotional engagement Attributes A factor to support and enhance learning performance Elements that form the structure of a game (Fullerton, 2008) Elements that influence players’ Objectives (e. g. : race, escape, construct, thoughts, actions and reactions explore, solution), rules, choices, progress, boundaries, outcome (e. g. : win/lose, ranking, reward), adaptation Elements that provide players’ the procedure, collaborative/ opportunities for participation and cooperative/team-based, competition, involvement in gaming activities resources (multiple objects, multiple media, people), conflicts (e. g. : dilemma, obstacles) A factor for purposeful learning and behaviour Dramatic elements Elements that give context to gameplay, overlaying and integrating the formal elements of the system into a meaningful experience (Fullerton, 2008) Fun elements (Playfulness) Elements that trigger players’ Challenge (goals and feedback, control), play, sense of enjoyment and excitement premise/fantasy, immersive, story/narration, character, objects, mystery Multimedia elements Elements that attract players’ physical attention 2. 1 2. 2 Sensory stimuli (graphics, animation, videos, texts, audio) (Attractiveness) 29