Attuning a mobile simulation game for school children using a design-based research approach

We report on a design-based research study that was conducted over nine months. It chronicles the development and implementation of HeartRun, a cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training approach for school children. Comparable to an unexpected emergency, HeartRun consists of authentic activities involving different roles, game tasks, locations and physical objects to support process-oriented learning for first responders. It aims to enhance the psychological preparedness of the rescuer and thus promotes a more prompt and appropriate response. In this paper, we describe a cycle of three design-based research (DBR) studies in which HeartRun was explored with school children. In order to better understand how to design mobile game environments that support dimensions of seamless learning, we analysed children and their knowledge-building practices while learning with HeartRun. The mobile game has evolved significantly from its initial conception through an iterative process of (re) designing and testing the synchronization between physical and digital worlds, learner collaboration and ubiquitous knowledge access, i.e. dimensions of mobile seamless learning activities. Based on our experiences, we conclude by discussing challenges and shortcomings of mobile game-based learning environments.This research was financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), regions of the Euregio Meuse-Rhine and the participating institutions under the INTERREG IVa programme (EMR.INT4-1.2.-2011-04/070, http://www.emurgency.eu)

Mobile Games for Learning:A Pattern-Based Approach

The core concern of this thesis is the design of mobile games for learning. The conditions and requirements that are vital in order to make mobile games suitable and effective for learning environments are investigated. The base for exploration is the pattern approach as an established form of templates that provide solutions for recurrent problems. Building on this acknowledged form of exchanging and re-using knowledge, patterns for game design are used to classify the many gameplay rules and mechanisms in existence. This research draws upon pattern descriptions to analyze learning game concepts and to abstract possible relationships between gameplay patterns and learning outcomes. The linkages that surface are the starting bases for a series of game design concepts and their implementations are subsequently evaluated with regard to learning outcomes. The findings and resulting knowledge from this research is made accessible by way of implications and recommendations for future design decisions

Learning First Aid with a Video Game

Any citizen can be involved in a situation that requires basic first aid knowledge. For this reason, it is important to be trained in this kind of activity. Serious games have been presented as a good option to integrate entertainment into the coaching process. This work presents a video game for mobile platforms which facilitate the formation and training in the PWA (Protect, Warn, Aid) first aid protocol. Users have to overcome a series of challenges to bring theoretical concepts closer to practice. To easily change the point of view of the game play, Augmented Reality technology has been used. In order to make each game looks different, neural networks have been implemented to perform the behavior of the Non-Playable Characters autonomous. Finally, in order to evaluate the quality and playability of the application, as well as the motivation and learning of content, several experiments were carried out with a sample of 50 people aged between 18 and 26. The obtained results confirm the playability and attractiveness of the video game, the increase of interest in learning first aid, as well as the greater fixation of the different concepts dealt with in the video game. The results support that this application facilitates and improves the learning of first aid protocols, making it more enjoyable, attractive, and practical.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology (Project PID2019-106426RB-C32/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and the Universitat Jaume I research project UJI-B2018-56

Disrupting education using smart mobile pedagogies

© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019. As mobile technologies become more multifaceted and ubiquitous in society, educational researchers are investigating the use of these technologies in education. A growing body of evidence shows that traditional pedagogies still dominate the educational field and are misaligned with the diverse learning opportunities offered by the use of mobile technologies. There is an imperative to question those traditional notions of education, including how, where and when teaching and learning are enacted, and to explore the possible mediating roles of new mobile technologies. New smart pedagogies, which embrace the affordances offered by mobile technologies, have the potential to disrupt notions of schooling. In this chapter, we examine the nature of smart pedagogies and their intersection with mobile pedagogies. We unpack notions of innovation and disruption. We then discuss smart mobile learning activities for school students identified from a Systematic Literature Review, together with the pedagogical principles underpinning them. We argue to encourage smart pedagogies, teacher educators should support teachers to implement ‘feasible disruptions’. Consequently, implications for teacher education are explored

Getting the forest for the trees: Situation transcending is massively multiplayer online games

There seems to be a dearth in the literature concerning how resources in MMOGs can be appropriated by language learners and the implications appropriation of resources has on their learning both in and outside of the virtual environment. Some work examining MMOGs in terms of their multimodal resources and affordances (Rama, Black, Van Es, & Warschauer, 2012; Zheng, Newgarden, & Young, 2012) has found that the design of these game environments can promote communicative activities and provide opportunities for learning that cannot be easily replicated in a classroom. In a separate study, Zheng (2012) argues that MMOGs can “provide learners with social, historical, and cultural materials to augment action and interaction across space and time” (p. 557). This study differs in that it seeks to examine vocabulary learning in these environments and to answer how language learners appropriate resources in World of Warcraft (WOW)

30 : 2: A Game Designed to Promote the Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Protocol

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first-aid key survival technique used to stimulate breathing and keep blood flowing to the heart. Its effective administration can significantly increase the survival chances of cardiac arrest victims. We propose 30 : 2, a videogame designed to introduce the main steps of the CPR protocol. It is not intended for certification and training purpose. Driven by the 2010 European Resuscitation Council guidelines we have designed a game composed of eight mini games corresponding to the main steps of the protocol. The player acts as a helper and has to solve a different challenge. We present a detailed description of the game creation process presenting the requirements, the design decisions, and the implementation details. In addition, we present some first impressions of our testing users (25 children, five of each age from 8 to 12 years old and 12 males and 13 females). We evaluated clarity of instructions and three settings of the game: the aesthetics of scenarios, the playability, and the enjoyability of each mini game. All games were well punctuated, and there are no significantly differences between their sex. The proposed game can be a suitable tool to disseminate and promote CPR knowledge

Measuring the effectiveness of virtual training : a systematic review

The amount of research on virtual reality learning tools increases with time. Despite the diverse environments and theoretical foundations, enough data have been accumulated in recent years to provide a systematic review of the methods used. We pose ten questions concerning the methodological aspects of these studies. We performed a search in three databases according to the PRISMA guidelines and evaluated several characteristics, with particular emphasis on researchers' methodological decisions. We found an increase over time in the number of studies on the effectiveness of VR-based learning. We also identified shortcomings related to how the duration and number of training sessions are reported. We believe that these two factors could affect the effectiveness of VR-based training. Furthermore, when using the Kirkpatrick model, a significant imbalance can be observed in favor of outcomes from the ‘Reaction’ and ‘Learning’ levels compared to the ‘Behavior’ and ‘Results’ levels. The last of these was not used in any of the 330 reviewed studies. These results highlight the importance of research on the effectiveness of VR training. Taking into account the identified methodological shortcomings will allow for more significant research on this topic in the future

Incorporating android conversational agents in m-learning apps

Smart Mobile Devices Have Fostered New Learning Scenarios That Demand Sophisticated Interfaces. Multimodal Conversational Agents Have Became A Strong Alternative To Develop Human-Machine Interfaces That Provide A More Engaging And Human-Like Relationship Between Students And The System. The Main Developers Of Operating Systems For Such Devices Have Provided Application Programming Interfaces For Developers To Implement Their Own Applications, Including Different Solutions For Developing Graphical Interfaces, Sensor Control And Voice Interaction. Despite The Usefulness Of Such Resources, There Are No Strategies Defined For Coupling The Multimodal Interface With The Possibilities That These Devices Offer To Enhance Mobile Educative Apps With Intelligent Communicative Capabilities And Adaptation To The User Needs. In This Paper, We Present A Practical M-Learning Application That Integrates Features Of Android Application Programming Interfaces On A Modular Architecture That Emphasizes Interaction Management And Context-Awareness To Foster User-Adaptively, Robustness And Maintainability.This work was supported in part by Projects MINECO TEC2012-37832-C02-01, CICYT TEC2011-28626-C02-02, CAM CONTEXTS (S2009/TIC-1485