Un juego para enseñar y aplicar el design thinking en la innovación

Objective: Develop and apply a game to facilitate the use of design thinking for innovation. Method: The construction of the game was based upon the Constructivism Theory. The game was developed following the steps of: (i) understanding the target audience and the context; (ii) defining learning objectives; (iii) structuring the experience; (iv) identifying resources and applying gamification elements; (v) evaluation. Originality/Relevance: Design Thinking emerges as an alternative to improve the innovation process in companies. To facilitate this innovation process, this paper presents a game, through its development and application, based on the principles and stages of Design Thinking, focusing on difficulties of its implementation. Results: The game provides an iterative passage through all stages of the design thinking, giving a holistic view of the process, starting with a deep understanding of the problem, and coming to a design solution. Social / management contributions: The results of the game application have shown its potential to: (i) ease teamwork, avoiding negative discussions and providing active participation from all students; (ii) lead to insight generation in a comprehensible way, making clear the difference between insights and ideas; (iii) simplify the use of inspiring methods and techniques (such as Persona, Empathy Map and Napkin Pitch); (iv) develop creative confidence; (v) provide a pleasant and motivating learning environment for collaborative multidisciplinary work. Theoretical/Methodological contributions: The game provides a method for building serious games and the game as a method of applying Design Thinking for Innovation.Objetivo: Desenvolver e aplicar um jogo para facilitar o uso do design thinking para inovação. Método: A construção do jogo foi baseada na Teoria do Construtivismo. O jogo foi desenvolvido seguindo as etapas de: (i) compreensão do público-alvo e do contexto; (ii) definir objetivos de aprendizagem; (iii) estruturação da experiência; (iv) identificar recursos e aplicar elementos de gamificação; (v) avaliação. Originalidade / Relevância: O Design Thinking surge como alternativa para melhorar o processo de inovação nas empresas. Para facilitar esse processo de inovação, este artigo apresenta um jogo, por meio de seu desenvolvimento e aplicação, baseado nos princípios e etapas do Design Thinking, com foco nas dificuldades de sua implementação. Resultados: O jogo fornece uma passagem iterativa por todas as fases do design thinking, dando uma visão holística do processo, começando com uma compreensão profunda do problema e chegando a uma solução de design. Contribuições sociais / gerenciais: Os resultados da aplicação do jogo mostraram seu potencial para: (i) facilitar o trabalho em equipe, evitando discussões negativas e proporcionando a participação ativa de todos os alunos; (ii) levar à geração de insights de forma compreensível, deixando clara a diferença entre insights e ideias; (iii) simplificar o uso de métodos e técnicas inspiradoras (como Persona, Empathy Map e Guardanapo); (iv) desenvolver confiança criativa; (v) proporcionar um ambiente de aprendizagem agradável e motivador para o trabalho multidisciplinar colaborativo. Contribuições teórico-metodológicas: O jogo fornece um método para a construção de serious games e o jogo como método de aplicação do Design Thinking para a inovação.Objetivo: Desarrollar y aplicar un juego para facilitar el uso del Design Thinking para la innovación. Método: La construcción del juego se basó en la Teoría del Constructivismo. El juego se desarrolló siguiendo los pasos de: (i) comprender al público objetivo y el contexto; (ii) definición de objetivos de aprendizaje; (iii) estructurar la experiencia; (iv) identificación de recursos y aplicación de elementos de gamificación; (v) evaluación. Originalidad / Relevancia: El Design Thinking surge como una alternativa para mejorar el proceso de innovación en las empresas. Para facilitar este proceso de innovación, este trabajo presenta un juego, a través de su desarrollo y aplicación, basado en los principios y etapas del Design Thinking, enfocándose en las dificultades de su implementación. Resultados: el juego proporciona un pasaje iterativo a través de todas las etapas del Design Thinking, brindando una visión holística del proceso, comenzando con una comprensión profunda del problema y llegando a una solución de Design. Contribuciones sociales / de gestión: Los resultados de la aplicación del juego han demostrado su potencial para: (i) facilitar el trabajo en equipo, evitar discusiones negativas y proporcionar una participación activa de todos los estudiantes; (ii) conducir a la generación de conocimientos de una manera comprensible, dejando clara la diferencia entre conocimientos e ideas; (iii) simplificar el uso de métodos y técnicas inspiradoras (como Persona, Empathy Map y Napkin Pitch); (iv) desarrollar la confianza creativa; (v) proporcionar un entorno de aprendizaje agradable y motivador para el trabajo multidisciplinario colaborativo. Contribuciones teóricas / metodológicas: El juego proporciona un método para construir juegos serios y el juego como método de aplicación del Design Thinking para la innovación

Math empowerment: a multidisciplinary example to engage primary school students in learning mathematics

This paper describes an educational project conducted in a primary school in Italy (Scuola Primaria Alessandro Manzoni at Mulazzano, near to Milan). The school requested our collaboration to help improve upon the results achieved on the National Tests for Mathematics, in which students, aged 7, registered performances lower than the national average the past year. From January to June, 2016, we supported teachers, providing them with information, tools and methods to increase their pupils’ curiosity and passion for mathematics. Mixing our different experiences and competences (instructional design and gamification, information technologies and psychology) we have tried to provide a broader spectrum of parameters, tools and keys to understand how to achieve an inclusive approach that is ‘personalised’ to each student. This collaboration with teachers and students allowed us to draw interesting observations about learning styles, pointing out the negative impact that standardized processes and instruments can have on the self‐esteem and, consequently, on student performance. The goal of this programme was to find the right learning levers to intrigue and excite students in mathematical concepts and their applications. Our hypothesis is that, by considering the learning of mathematics as a continuous process, in which students develop freely through their own experiments, observations, involvement and curiosity, students can achieve improved results on the National Tests (INVALSI). This paper includes results of a survey conducted by children ‐’About Me and Mathematics‘

Can gamification help in software testing education? Findings from an empirical study

Software testing is an essential knowledge area required by industry for software engineers. However, software engineering students often consider testing less appealing than designing or coding. Consequently, it is difficult to engage students to create effective tests. To encourage students, we explored the use of gamification and investigated whether this technique can help to improve the engagement and performance of software testing students. We conducted a controlled experiment to compare the engagement and performance of two groups of students that took an undergraduate software testing course in different academic years. The experimental group is formed by 135 students from the gamified course whereas the control group is formed by 100 students from the non-gamified course. The data collected were statistically analyzed to answer the research questions of this study. The results show that the students that participated in the gamification experience were more engaged and achieved a better performance. As an additional finding, the analysis of the results reveals that a key aspect to succeed is the gamification experience design. It is important to distribute the motivating stimulus provided by the gamification throughout the whole experience to engage students until the end. Given these results, we plan to readjust the gamification experience design to increase student engagement in the last stage of the experience, as well as to conduct a longitudinal study to evaluate the effects of gamification

Higher Education Students’ Assessments towards Gamification and Sustainability: A Case Study

: Some academics are pushing for teaching staff to implement didactical practices to obtain sustainable behavior. Moreover, a fundamental element of gamification in all educational stages is the noteworthy effect it has on student motivation. In our study, we examined higher education students’ assessments in the University of Malaga on the design of educational gamification and the teaching criteria that relate to gamification, and its effect on student’s motivation, the applications of gamification, and the attitude towards sustainability. A questionnaire was administered to students studying for degrees in education from the University of Malaga. A total of 187 valid surveys were obtained. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was computed for these data based on an exploratory–confirmatory model and using SmartPLS version 3.3.2. A positive relationship between assessment of students’ motivation and sustainability attitude was found. We found that the opinions of the students about the role of their training and teaching design material in education would affect students’ motivation and the sustainability behavior, although the power of this last construct is moderate

Recent Trends in Software Testing Education: A Systematic Literature Review

Testing is a critical aspect of software development. Far too often software is released with critical faults. However, testing is often considered tedious and boring. Unfortunately, many graduates might join the work force without having had any education in software testing, which exacerbates the problem even further. Therefore, teaching software testing as part of a university degree in software engineering and is very important. But it is an open challenge how to teach software testing in an effective way that can successfully motivate students. In this paper, we have carried out a systematic literature review on the topic of teaching software testing. We analysed and reviewed 30 papers that were published between 2013 and 2017. The review points out to a few different trends, like the use of gamification to make the teaching of software testing less tedious

A Comparison of Registered Nurses’ Motivation and Knowledge Levels Between Gamified And Traditional Courses

Registered nurses (RNs) working in today’s healthcare environment must consistently learn new knowledge and skills, keep abreast of practice changes, and implement strategies to improve patient outcomes. However, healthcare organizations face significant challenges as they attempt to facilitate efficient training. Nursing professional development practitioners miss opportunities to leverage learner motivation, which drives investment, knowledge retention, and practice application. Gamification, which strategically embeds game elements and mechanics into an educational design to boost motivation, offers a potential solution. It aims to increase learner engagement by presenting learners with challenges, tracking their progress, and offering feedback, ultimately leading to knowledge retention and application. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine whether gamification leads to increases in motivation to learn and knowledge levels for RNs. Specifically, the study focused on RNs who did not have previous cardiac monitoring experience. The study used flow theory and self-determination theory to optimally incorporate gamification. A quasi-experimental posttest-only design with a comparison group allowed for comparisons among RNs who completed a traditional ECG course with those who completed a gamified ECG course. The comparison group contained 66 eligible participants who completed the survey and the experimental group contained 64 participants. Post-course surveys were electronically distributed to registered nurses who completed either the traditional or the gamified version of the ECG course. Research instruments included a demographic survey, the Flow Perceptions Questionnaire (a self-reporting motivational survey), and an ECG knowledge test. Additionally, RNs who completed the gamified version were administered a short survey measuring the motivational effects of included game elements and mechanics. Two hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to identify differences between the comparison and experimental groups when controlling for age and current patient care environment. The first indicated the addition of the variable class type to the prediction of ECG test scores was statistically significant (ΔR2 = .116, p \u3c.001). Therefore, the experimental group scored statistically significantly higher than the comparison group. The second hierarchical multiple regression suggested the addition of the variable class type to the prediction of Flow Perceptions Questionnaire scores was not statistically significant (ΔR2 = .006, p = .397). Thus, no significant differences were discovered between the two groups specific to learner motivation. In fact, the comparison group reported higher motivation levels than the experimental group. The proposed theoretical framework effectively guided the ECG course’s gamification design; however, since anticipated learner motivation scores were not achieved, minor adjustments might be warranted. Game mechanics and game elements, specifically selected for the gamified ECG course based on learner personas, were mostly rated as promoting higher motivation levels. Future research must be conducted to improve sample diversity, control, and motivation measurement, in addition to exploring qualitative data, longitudinal outcomes, and gamification’s various technological sophistication levels

Gaming in Action

The «Gaming in Action» project, which brought the publicaion of this book, involved institutions from different countries that deal with adult education. For almost three years, the partners worked with teachers and trainers who applied innovative pedagogical scenarios of game-based learning and gamification, all oriented from a rigorous pedagogical perspective. The project's main goal was to increase the acquisition of pedagogical innovation skills in these models and incorporate them into their pedagogical practices. The project searched to highlight the need for quality pedagogical training in a new, technologically digital, era: in this, education has less to do with reproducing information passively and has more to do with the development of creativity, critical thinking, problem- solving and decision-making.Erasmus Plus "Gaming in Action – engaging adult learners with games and gamification" Project number: 2018-1-TR01-KA204-05931

Videojogos 2019: 11th International Conference on Videogames Sciences and Arts: book of abstracts

Videojogos is an annual conference on videogame sciences and arts, promoted by the Portuguese Society of Video Games Sciences (SPCV). Since its first edition, in 2009, the conference has been promoting the scientific gathering of researchers and professionals in the expanded field of videogames. As in the first edition, Aveiro once again holds the conference. The 11th Conference on Videogame Sciences and Arts – Videojogos 2019 takes place in the University of Aveiro, Portugal, during November 27-29. The event is co-organized by the Department of Communication and Art of the University of Aveiro (DeCA), DeCA’s DigiMedia Research Center and the Portuguese Society of Video Games Sciences (SPCV). This year, 10 years after the first conference, SPCV and the co-organizers decided to convert the conference into a full international event, with English as a working language. As one of the outcomes of this decision, the proceedings of Videojogos 2019 will be published by Springer in their “Communications in Computer and Information Science” (CCIS) book series, part of a post-conference volume with the number 1164. This Book of Abstracts is more than a shortened version of the proceedings. Besides abstracts from the 20 selected papers that will be published in the book series, it contains abstracts from the research posters (8) and videogame demos (9) accepted for the conference, as well synopsis for other activities held at the conference such as keynotes (2) and workshops (3). Thanks to UA Editora, we were able to present this book in time for the conference, providing an overview into the diversity of contributions gathered in the videogame context. We would like to thank the scientific board for their contribution to guarantee and deliver the highest scientific quality, allowing the outstanding relevance of this selection. We also would like to thank the program chairs (demo, poster and workshops) and the organization team for all their concerns and efforts in the organization, an extremely important contribution for the overall success of the Videojogos 2019 Conference. Finally, a note of appreciation to the American Corner of the University of Aveiro, which provided essential logistical support, namely by ensuring the presence of Professor Ernest Adams as Keynote Speaker and to the University of Aveiro publisher, UA Editora, for their support and collaboration in this publication.publishe

The Industry and Policy Context for Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion:Market Analysis, Future Prospects and Key Challenges in Videogames, Serious Games and Gamification

The effective use of digital games for empowerment and social inclusion (DGEI) of people and communities at risk of exclusion will be shaped by, and may influence the development of a range of sectors that supply products, services, technology and research. The principal industries that would appear to be implicated are the 'videogames' industry, and an emerging 'serious games' industry. The videogames industry is an ecosystem of developers, publishers and other service providers drawn from the interactive media, software and broader ICT industry that services the mainstream leisure market in games, The 'serious games' industry is a rather fragmented and growing network of firms, users, research and policy makers from a variety of sectors. This emerging industry is are trying to develop knowledge, products, services and a market for the use of digital games, and products inspired by digital games, for a range of non-leisure applications. This report provides a summary of the state of play of these industries, their trajectories and the challenges they face. It also analyses the contribution they could make to exploiting digital games for empowerment and social inclusion. Finally, it explores existing policy towards activities in these industries and markets, and draws conclusions as to the future policy relevance of engaging with them to support innovation and uptake of effective digital game-based approaches to empowerment and social inclusion.JRC.J.3-Information Societ