An approach to evaluating the user experience of serious games

The use of serious games to support learning continues to expand across a range of educational and training settings. Hence, a need exists to understand more fully how users experience such games. This study seeks to describe and assess an approach to the evaluation of user-experience applied within the context of a specific serious game developed to address the training needs of people working in social enterprises. Drawing on an extensive literature review, the development of a survey instrument to capture the multi-dimensional nature of user-experience is explained as is the evaluation process employed. Findings from surveys of individuals working in social enterprises are analysed and discussed. The results demonstrate the value of the proposed method of user-experience evaluation. Recommendations for practice and further research are outlined, identifying in particular the importance of qualitative insights in the evaluation process and the need for greater understanding of the inter-relationships between the various dimensions and attributes of user-experience in serious games

The Necessary Evil in Mixed-motivational Systems: The Negative Effect of Entropy in Serious Games

Randomness is common in mixed-motivational system environment. Yet, it is attributable to information deprivation which is not always favored. In this paper, we use the concept entropy to quantitatively capture the rather overlooked influence of randomness embedded in a system. With the use of a serious game, we conducted a study with university students in a classroom setting. We show that entropy has an adverse impact on intention to use. The adverse impact is mediated by perceived control and curiosity. We further demonstrate that people having a strong arousal-avoidance pre-usage state are less prone to the negative effect of entropy. On theoretical implications, the study is among early attempts to examine the negative consequences of information deprivation due to randomness. It shows the mechanisms through which entropy leads to deteriorated intention to use. On practical implications, we suggest that manipulation of pre-usage user states alleviates the adverse impacts of entropy

Training the working memory in older adults with the “Reta tu Memoria” video game

[EN] The objective of this study was to train the visuospatial and semantic working memory of a sample of Colombian older adults through the design of a serious game. The sample was composed of 20 older adults whose ages ranged from 50 to 77 years and showed signs of normal ageing. The sample belonged to the Edad de Oro group from the Universidad de Ibagué in Colombia. Participation in this study was voluntary, and the socio-demographic data and Mini-Mental state examination questionnaires were administered. The video game’s creative process was developed over six months by a team made up of psychologists and systems engineers. The video game was created using 2D Construct3 game editor, and the use of JavaScript programming language and an advanced knowledge of HTML were required. Before training, two pilot sessions were carried out to adjust the video game structure. After that, the procedure was applied to the sample for 20 sessions. The time spent and errors made in the video game’s five levels were registered. The results show values of significant effect size. In conclusion, the Latin American samples help corroborate the central training hypothesis. Training through video games leads to improved visuospatial and semantic working memory performance.This work was supported by Universidad de Ibagué project reference 16-445-SEMPuerta-Cortés, DX.; Hernández, JK.; Olaya, AM.; Tovar, J.; Varela, D. (2020). Training the working memory in older adults with the “Reta tu Memoria” video game. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 341-349. https://doi.org/10.4995/INN2019.2019.10219OCS34134

Undergraduates’ experience and satisfaction of massive open online course in Malaysia

While massive open online course (MOOC) is gaining popularity, studies have shown how negative user experience of the learning platform can lead to issues related to poor learning performance. OpenLearning, as the official national coordinated MOOCs program for higher education institutions in Malaysia, is still considerably gaining momentum in this country, thus much can still be observed in the usability aspect of this platform from the student’s perspective. This study aimed to evaluate the aspects of user experience and learning satisfaction of MOOC OpenLearning involving undergraduate students in a public university in Malaysia. Data were gathered through the online survey method which adapted questions from the user experience questionnaire (UEQ) and the usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use (USE) questionnaire. Descriptive analyses revealed moderate positive levels of user experience and learning satisfaction towards MOOC OpenLearning among the respondents. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between both factors, suggesting the importance of considering user experience as the key factor in enhancing students’ satisfaction with MOOC. Recommendations arising from the students’ perceptions and concerns on the usability aspect contribute towards developing strategic guidelines for enhancing students’ learning experiences, especially during circumstances that necessitate effective online learning strategies

Implementation of design based learning for the development of SDGs educational games

Education on sustainable education (ESD) is gaining momentum to ensure that SDGs are met by 2030. The educational institutions have significant role in fostering ESD. However, there is lack of educational resources to be used for ESD. Particularly, teaching the concept of SDGs needs an attention grabbing and engaging approach and Design Based Learning (DBL) holds much potential. The main objective of this investigation was to describe the development of SDGs education resources i.e., SDGs educational games using DBL approach. Besides, the generic skills of the students during DBL were assessed during game development phase. The outputs of DBL were Bingo Mat game, Carrom board game and Sugoroku game. These games were validated for their effectiveness as resource for teaching and learning SDGs. The results revealed the positive impact on the generic skills of students through DBL during game development phase. Moreover, the response results of the players highlighted that carrom board game offered them the gaming experience while Bingo and Sugoroku offered them learning experience. Another important finding of this study is the need to teach SDGs from the younger age as the level of education had significantly impacted on their knowledge about SDGs. The results of this study will contribute to the domain of ESD by articulating an alternative pedagogy of integrating DBL with SDGs as invigorating educational resources and faculty development methodPeer Reviewe

Development of Enhanced User Interaction and User Experience for Supporting Serious Role-Playing Games in a Healthcare Setting

Education about implicit bias in clinical settings is essential for improving the quality of healthcare for underrepresented groups. Such a learning experience can be delivered in the form of a serious game simulation. WrightLIFE (Lifelike Immersion for Equity) is a project that combines two serious game simulations, with each addressing the group that faces implicit bias. These groups are individuals that identify as LGBTQIA+ and people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The project presents healthcare providers with a training tool that puts them in the roles of the patient and a medical specialist and immerses them in social and clinical settings. WrightLIFE games are distributed on both mobile and desktop devices and go through the entire cycle of providing healthcare professionals with experiential learning, which starts with defining the goals of the simulation and ends with collecting feedback. In this thesis work, cross-platform software frameworks like the Unity Engine have been used to develop survey scenes to comprehensively document users’ pre- and post-simulation experience and attitudes towards implicit bias. Life course scenes were designed to convey an enhanced user experience that bridges the socio-technical gap between the real and virtual worlds. By applying existing user-experience design methodologies to design the survey scenes and life course scenes, it was possible to create an immersive experiential-learning assessment tool that has the potential to deliver data-driven and targeted learning

Developing an Inclusive Education Game Using a Design Science Research Gestalt Method

As business firms seek a diverse talent pool to attain a competitive advantage, the need for inclusive education has become even more apparent across academic domains. An essential way to impart inclusive education today includes digital tools such as educational games. In this study, we apply the design science research (DSR) Gestalt methodology to develop an inclusive educational game that would advance learning for both male and female engineering students. We also assess the game’s efficacy in achieving performance improvements using a survey-based experimental design. Results demonstrate that the game resulted in greater student performance compared to traditional round-table discussions. Additionally, the game had a greater positive impact on female students’ performance compared to male students. The study shows that one can apply the DSR gestalt method to develop gender-inclusive educational games

Playing for cognition: investigating the feasibility and user experience of a virtual reality serious game for cognitive assessment in children with congenital heart disease

Background In order to facilitate the development and implementation of innovative technology in clinical practice, it is important to understand the user experience of end-users. Virtual Reality (VR) offers the possibility to assess cognitive functioning in a dynamic environment that simulates real-world situations. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the feasibility of a VR Serious Game for cognitive assessment in school-aged children with congenital heart disease (CHD). The sub-aims were two-fold: (1) to objectively evaluate the feasibility of the VR Serious Game in children with CHD in comparison to typically developing (TD) children and (2) to explore the user experience of both groups following their interaction with the VR Serious Game. Results A total of 101 children participated in this study; 98 children were included in the final analysis (CHD: n = 54; TD: n = 47). The VR Serious Game appeared feasible for both children with CHD and TD children, with 88% children completing the innovative VR assessment without encountering any issues. There were no discernible differences in completion rates between groups. Children with CHD reported significantly lower scores than TD children on three user experience scales: Engagement, Flow and Presence. Nonetheless, the scores for Engagement and Flow were still considered "moderate to good". Both groups reported minimal adverse physiological reactions. Conclusions The findings suggested that the VR Serious Game was feasible for children with CHD and that the user experience was positive. Future research should investigate the effectiveness of the VR Serious Game compared with a conventional or digital neuropsychological assessment, prioritising the development of novel outcome measures that can better estimate and explain the impact of cognitive impairment on daily functioning

Diretrizes para o design e construção de videogames educacionais sérios

In recent years, one of the most widespread themes in different application contexts is that of serious games, therefore, as its use expands, it is convenient to better articulate serious games in the educational context, in such a way that, enable the development of competencies defined in the study plans and are designed centered on the user. In this article, a set of 51 guidelines for the design, construction and evaluation of serious educational video games is proposed as a contribution, which include aspects related to usability, learning and play. The guidelines were used to inspect the lightbot video game, in order to determine the design aspects to improve in said video game. The guidelines proposed in this work are intended to be linked in the development process and in the methodologies for the construction of video games, in order to promote the generation of serious educational video games focused on the user and more relevant to the desired educational context.En los últimos años una de las temáticas más difundidas en diferentes contextos de aplicación es la de los juegos serios, por tanto, a medida que su uso se masifica es conveniente articular de mejor forma los juegos serios en el contexto educativo, de tal manera que, posibiliten el desarrollo de competencias definidas en los planes de estudio y se diseñen centrados en el usuario. En este artículo, se propone como contribución un conjunto de 51 directrices para el diseño, construcción y evaluación de videojuegos serios educativos, las cuales incluyen aspectos relacionados con usabilidad, aprendizaje y el juego. Las directrices fueron empleadas para inspeccionar el videojuego lightbot, con el fin de determinar los aspectos de diseño a mejorar en dicho videojuego. Las directrices propuestas en este trabajo pretenden vincularse en el proceso de desarrollo y en las metodologías para la construcción de videojuegos, de cara a propiciar la generación de videojuegos serios educativos centrados en el usuario y más pertinentes al contexto educativo deseado.Nos últimos anos, um dos temas mais difundidos em diferentes contextos de aplicação é o dos serious games, portanto, à medida que seu uso se expande, é conveniente articular melhor os serious games no contexto educacional, de forma que, possibilitam o desenvolvimento de competências definidas nos planos de estudos e são desenhados centrados no usuário. Neste artigo, um conjunto de 51 diretrizes para o design, construção e avaliação de videogames educacionais sérios é proposto como uma contribuição, que inclui aspectos relacionados à usabilidade, aprendizagem e brincadeira. As diretrizes foram utilizadas para inspecionar o videogame lightbot, a fim de determinar os aspectos de design a serem melhorados no referido videogame. As diretrizes propostas neste trabalho pretendem estar articuladas no processo de desenvolvimento e nas metodologias de construção de videogames, de forma a promover a geração de videogames educacionais sérios voltados para o usuário e mais relevantes para o contexto educacional desejado. Palavras chave: aprendizagem, orientação, videogame, satisfação, motivaçã

MODEL E-PROMOTION DAN PERCEIVED VALUE TERHADAP E-PURCHASE DECISION MELALUI USER EXPERIENCE : Survei terhadap premium user Spotify Indonesia

Spotify mendapati peringkat pertama dengan pangsa pasar tertinggi, meskipun demikian Spotify membukukan kerugian yang cukup besar. Rendahnya e-purchase decision disinyalir menjadi penyebab kerugian yang dialami Spotify. E-purchase decision dapat tercipta melalui e-promotion, perceived value dan user experience. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh gambaran e-promotion, perceived value, user experience dan e-purchase decision serta pengaruh e-promotion dan perceived value dalam meningkatkan e-purchase decision dengan mediasi user experience pada premium user Spotify di Indonesia. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kuantitatif dengan metode deskriptif verifikatif. Teknik sampel menggunakan purposive sampling sebanyak 400 responden premium user Spotify dan teknik analisis data menggunakan Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Hasil temuan penelitian ini menunjukkan gambaran e-promotion yang memiliki dimensi communication dengan tingkat ketercapaian tertinggi dan connection dengan tingkat ketercapaian terendah, gambaran perceived value yang memiliki dimensi functional value dengan tingkat ketercapaian tertinggi dan emotional value dengan tingkat ketercapaian terendah, gambaran user experience yang memiliki dimensi adaptability dengan tingkat ketercapaian tertinggi dan desirability dengan tingkat ketercapaian terendah, dan gambaran e-purchase decision yang memiliki dimensi price dengan tingkat ketercapaian tertinggi dan brand choice dengan tingkat ketercapaian terendah. Selain itu hasil penelitian ini menunjukan bahwa terdapat pengaruh positif antara variabel e-promotion terhadap user experience, perceived value terhadap e-purchase decision, user experience terhadap e-purchase decision, dan e-promotion terhadap e-purchase decision melalui mediasi user experience, adapun variabel yang tidak berpengaruh yakni variabel perceived value terhadap user experience, e-promotion terhadap e-purchase decision, dan perceived value terhadap e-purchase decision melalui mediasi user experience. Spotify diharapkan dapat lebih memaksimalkan indikator-indikator user experience selaku faktor yang paling berpengaruh dalam pembentukan e-purchase decision. Spotify was ranked first with the highest market share, even though Spotify posted quite a large loss. The low e-purchase decision is allegedly the cause of the losses experienced by Spotify. E-purchase decision can be created through e-promotion, perceived value, and user experience. This research aims to obtain an overview of e-promotion, perceived value, user experience, and e-purchase decision as well as the influence of e-promotion and perceived value in improving e-purchase decisions by mediating user experience on Spotify premium users in Indonesia. This research uses a quantitative approach with descriptive verification methods. The sampling technique used purposive sampling of 400 Spotify premium user respondents and the data analysis technique used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The findings of this research show a picture of e-promotion which has a communication dimension with the highest level of achievement and a connection with the lowest level of achievement, a picture of perceived value which has a functional value dimension with the highest level of achievement and an emotional value with the lowest level of achievement, a picture of user experience which has dimensions adaptability with the highest level of achievement and desirability with the lowest level of achievement, and a picture of e-purchase decision which has the price dimension with the highest level of achievement and brand choice with the lowest level of achievement. Apart from that, the results of this research show that there is a positive influence between the e-promotion variables on user experience, perceived value on e-purchase decisions, user experience on e-purchase decisions, and e-promotion on e-purchase decisions through the mediation of user experience, as for variables that have no effect are the variable perceived value on user experience, e-promotion on e-purchase decisions, and perceived value on e-purchase decisions through user experience mediation. It is hoped that Spotify can further maximize user experience indicators as the most influential factor in forming e-purchase decisions