xDelia final report: emotion-centred financial decision making and learning

xDelia is a 3-year pan-European project building on the knowledge, skills, and competences of seven partner organisations from a variety of research disciplines and from business. The principal objective of xDelia is to develop technology-enhanced learning approaches that help improve the financial decision making of investors who trade frequently using an electronic trading platform. We focus on emotions, and how they affect maladaptive decision biases and trading performance. Our earlier field work with traders has shown that the development of emotion regulation skills is a key facet of trader expertise. For that reason we consider expert traders our benchmark for adaptive behaviour rather than normative rationality. Our goal is to provide investors with the tools and techniques to develop greater self-awareness of internal states, increase their ability to reflect critically on emotion-informed choices, develop emotion management skills, and support the transfer of these skills to the real-world practice setting of financial trading. This report provides a comprehensive overview of what xDelia is about and what we have achieved over the life of the project. In the sections that follow, we explain the decision problems investors are faced with in a fast paced environment and the limitations of traditional approaches to reduce cognitive errors; introduce an alternative, technology-enhanced learning approach of diagnosis and feedback, skill development, and transfer; describe the learning intervention comprising twelve autonomous learning elements that we have developed; and present evidence from thirty-five studies we have conducted on learning effects and stakeholder acceptance

Virtual Reality Games for Motor Rehabilitation

This paper presents a fuzzy logic based method to track user satisfaction without the need for devices to monitor users physiological conditions. User satisfaction is the key to any product’s acceptance; computer applications and video games provide a unique opportunity to provide a tailored environment for each user to better suit their needs. We have implemented a non-adaptive fuzzy logic model of emotion, based on the emotional component of the Fuzzy Logic Adaptive Model of Emotion (FLAME) proposed by El-Nasr, to estimate player emotion in UnrealTournament 2004. In this paper we describe the implementation of this system and present the results of one of several play tests. Our research contradicts the current literature that suggests physiological measurements are needed. We show that it is possible to use a software only method to estimate user emotion

On the cybernetic arrangement of feedback in serious games: A systems-theoretical perspective

This paper explores the cybernetic regulation of complex human learning and teaching. It provides a theoretical description of the arrangement of adaptive, machine- generated learner feedback which relies on cybernetic principles. Cybernetics — today often referred to as control theory, or feedback control theory — involves the incorporation of self-establishing feedback mechanisms for optimal control in complex systems. Although feedback is considered a key element of any learning process, the arrangement of feedback by teachers and educators is under pressure because of the ever-growing complexity of learning environments which is being reinforced by open, online learning technologies and topical models of learning (competence learning, experiential learning, situated cognition, serious gaming). This paper explores how cybernetic principles could be implemented in complex learning environments, e.g. serious games, for the arrange- ment of self-regulating feedback loops for learners. The approach is based on a quanti- tative description of learning activities and learning performances. For the presentation of the feedback, a feedback decision procedure is suggested which is to be linked with pedagogical theories and assessment models. The proposed cybernetic approach is elucidated with a theoretical example. The paper provides a proof of principle and gives suggestions for further development

On the cybernetic arrangement of feedback in serious games: A systems-theoretical perspective

This paper explores the cybernetic regulation of complex human learning and teaching. It provides a theoretical description of the arrangement of adaptive, machine- generated learner feedback which relies on cybernetic principles. Cybernetics — today often referred to as control theory, or feedback control theory — involves the incorporation of self-establishing feedback mechanisms for optimal control in complex systems. Although feedback is considered a key element of any learning process, the arrangement of feedback by teachers and educators is under pressure because of the ever-growing complexity of learning environments which is being reinforced by open, online learning technologies and topical models of learning (competence learning, experiential learning, situated cognition, serious gaming). This paper explores how cybernetic principles could be implemented in complex learning environments, e.g. serious games, for the arrange- ment of self-regulating feedback loops for learners. The approach is based on a quanti- tative description of learning activities and learning performances. For the presentation of the feedback, a feedback decision procedure is suggested which is to be linked with pedagogical theories and assessment models. The proposed cybernetic approach is elucidated with a theoretical example. The paper provides a proof of principle and gives suggestions for further development

Data2Game: Towards an Integrated Demonstrator

The Data2Game project investigates how the efficacy of computerized training games can be enhanced by tailoring training scenarios to the individual player. The research is centered around three research innovations: (1) techniques for the automated modelling of players’ affective states, based on exhibited social signals, (2) techniques for the automated generation of in-game narratives tailored to the learning needs of the player, and (3) validated studies on the relation of the player behavior and game properties to learning performance. This paper describes the integration of the main results into a joint prototype

Wearable Computing for Health and Fitness: Exploring the Relationship between Data and Human Behaviour

Health and fitness wearable technology has recently advanced, making it easier for an individual to monitor their behaviours. Previously self generated data interacts with the user to motivate positive behaviour change, but issues arise when relating this to long term mention of wearable devices. Previous studies within this area are discussed. We also consider a new approach where data is used to support instead of motivate, through monitoring and logging to encourage reflection. Based on issues highlighted, we then make recommendations on the direction in which future work could be most beneficial

Game-Based Learning, Gamification in Education and Serious Games

The aim of this book is to present and discuss new advances in serious games to show how they could enhance the effectiveness and outreach of education, advertising, social awareness, health, policies, etc. We present their use in structured learning activities, not only with a focus on game-based learning, but also on the use of game elements and game design techniques to gamify the learning process. The published contributions really demonstrate the wide scope of application of game-based approaches in terms of purpose, target groups, technologies and domains and one aspect they have in common is that they provide evidence of how effective serious games, game-based learning and gamification can be