Fostering the reduction of assortative mixing or homophily into the class

Human societies from the outset have been associated according to race, beliefs, religion, social level, and the like. These behaviors continue even today in the classroom at primary, middle, and superior levels. However, the growth of ICT offers educational researchers new ways to explore methods of team formation that have been proven to be efficient in the field of serious games through the use of computer networks. The selection process of team members in serious games through the use of computer networks is carried out according to their performance in the area of the game without distinction of social variables. The use of serious games in education has been discussed in multiple research studies which state that its application in teaching and learning processes are changing the way of teaching. This article presents an exploratory analysis of the team formation process based on collaboration through the use of ICT tools of collective intelligence called TBT (The best team). The process and its ICT tool combine the paradigms of creativity in swarming, collective intelligence, serious games, and social computing in order to capture the participants’ emotions and evaluate contributions. Based on the results, we consider that the use of new forms of teaching and learning based on the emerging paradigms is necessary. Therefore, TBT is a tool that could become an effective way to encourage the formation of work groups by evaluating objective variable of performance of its members in collaborative works.Postprint (published version

Proceedings of CGAMES’2006

In this paper we present our work towards the development of an online learning and adaptation architecture for non-player characters (NPCs) (agents) in first person shooter (FPS) computer games. We will outline the development of our case storage and retrieval method, which uses an adaptive k-d tree based approach and discuss the issues related to employing this technique for online storage and retrieval of cases. We conclude by evaluating the performance of the developed data structures and discussing results

Toward Development Game-Based Adaptive Learning

Digital educational games have been used in schools for more than twenty years. Nowadays, digital educational games are being developed to serve goal-orient purposes.  This paper introduces ways to develop students’ HOT skills based on a structured approach to digital game-based adaptive learning (DGLA). The game approach in this study used a visual learning environment aimed at developing students’ HOT skills, which involve ordering, selecting, evaluating, contrasting, and comparing.  The Learning- based visual tools were designed to motivate primary school children and engage them in computer programming. Furthermore, we distributed a questionnaire to gauge the attitudes of students toward a learning game approach with a visual environment.  The questionnaire was focused on the categories of motivation and challenges. The results show a clear gap between pre and post- test in all categories. Keywords: HOT skills, game based learning, visual learning environmen

Implications for Alien Rescue's future enhancements through comparisons with university-developed educational games

Educational games are digital games designed specifically for education. Educational game developers need to take pedagogy into consideration when designing games for learning. Otherwise, students will fail to recognize the curricular value in the game. In 2017, Alien Rescue (AR), an online problem-based 3D immersive learning environment for sixth grade science, released its 6th iteration. The stability that this version of AR has provided is welcomed by schools that collaborate with the AR team. However, the AR team wants to offer more than just stability in the long run, but to also better address students’ learning in science. As a member of the AR team, I intend to review university-created educational games to gain insights so that we can make better enhancements for AR. Through comparing four university-developed educational games, the report summarizes four points that the AR team could consider in making improvements: (a) evaluating the necessity of switching to Unity3D based on future development needs; (b) continuing to prioritize web support; (c) extending the implementation of current game mechanisms with new features; (d) developing derivative versions based on Alien Rescue.Curriculum and Instructio

Evaluating and designing language learning games for minority languages:focus on Karelian language

Abstract. There are plenty of language learning applications found for smartphone on Google Play store, but only a few of them are for minority language learning, particularly for Karelian language as none of the most popular applications have it listed as an option. Luckily there are few found on the web, but they have their limitations. Both analysing and evaluating them in this study provide a good starting point for designing and developing games further so that one day someone who wants to learn Karelian language can find number of language learning games to choose from. The options for designs would go from having serious borderline gamified applications for language learning to more educational games where effortless learning would be one of the key aspects and having fun is highlighted. The games do not need to be strictly on either mobile or PC, but with the current situation of covid-19 restrictions, the need for digital-based learning games is apparent. Literature review gives good aspects as to why it is important to do language learning games and as to what aspects should be considered when doing one. The studies on gamification bring forward the usefulness of individual game mechanics that otherwise would not be so carefully thought about when designing games. Giving users achievements and stars as a form of rewards when they succeed makes them stay more motivated when interacting with the game. Design science research provides good set of guidelines for artefact construction phase, where different kind of concepts are first presented based on the cognitive walkthrough and evaluation phases. In addition to the games that are constructed, a set of design recommendations for further game development are formed to answer the question of what aspects need to be taken into account when developing games for minority language learning. Most of the aspects in the design recommendations are user experience related themes, since the usability aspect of the prototyped games is not on the level that it should be yet

Game Analytics Evidence-Based Evaluation of a Learning Game for Intellectual Disabled Users.

Learning games are becoming popular among teachers as educational tools. However, despite all the game development quality processes (e.g., beta testing), there is no total assurance about the game design appropriateness to the students' cognitive skills until the games are used in the classroom. Furthermore, games designed speci cally for Intellectual Disabled (ID) users are even harder to evaluate because of the communication issues that this type of players have. ID users' feedback about their learning experience is complex to obtain and not always fully reliable. To address this problem, we use an evidence-based approach for evaluating the game design of Downtown, A Subway Adventure, a game created to improve independent living in users with ID. In this paper we exemplify the whole process of applying Game Analytics techniques to gather actual users' gameplay interaction data in real settings for evaluating the design. Following this process, researchers were able to validate different game aspects (e.g., mechanics) and could also identify game aws that may be dif cult to detect using formative evaluation or other observational-based methods. Results showed that the proposed evidence-based approach using Game Analytics information is an effective way to evaluate both the game design and the implementation, especially in situations where other types of evaluations that require users' involvement are limited.post-print1129 K

How Preservice Teachers Develop Awareness and Beliefs About Design Features and Academic Language Features When Choosing and Evaluating Digital Math Games for English Language Learners

This mixed methods study examined how preservice teachers developed awareness and beliefs about design features and academic language features when choosing and evaluating digital math games for English language learners. The overarching research question for this study was, “How do preservice teachers develop awareness and beliefs about design features and academic language features when choosing and evaluating digital math games for English language learners (ELLs)?” During the study, 21 elementary preservice teachers participated in online learning modules about design features and academic language features in digital math games. During the modules, preservice teachers chose and evaluated three digital math games for ELLs based on their awareness of the design features and academic language features in the games. Preservice teachers completed a pre- and post-belief survey, a pre- and post-evaluation rubric, two module reflections, and participated in semistructured interviews. I analyzed qualitative and quantitative data by identifying common themes among open-ended responses on the surveys and evaluation rubrics, module reflections, and responses to the semi-structured interviews. I then used frequency tables to count the themes that emerged and visualized the frequency counts using bar graphs. I then examined the changes in beliefs from pre- to post-surveys and scores from pre- to post- evaluation rubrics. Finally, I compared the results from these analyses to examine how the qualitative and quantitative results agreed or disagreed. Results showed a positive change in preservice teachers’ beliefs about using digital math games to enhance mathematics instruction for ELLs after they participated in the learning modules. Results also showed an increase in preservice teachers’ awareness of design features and academic language features. This indicates that using the learning modules, and the opportunity to choose and evaluate the digital math games, supported a positive impact on preservice teachers’ beliefs and awareness of design features and academic language features

Investigation of the Effects of a Situated Learning Digital Game on Mathematics Education at the Primary School Level

Previous research suggests games can improve learning outcomesand students’ motivation. However, there still exists insufficient clarity on the design principles and pedagogical approach that should underpinmathematics educational games. This thesis is aimed at evaluating the effects of an educationalgame on the learningperformance and levels of anxiety promoted by mathematics activities of primary school students. The game was designed based on theprinciples of situated learning, following acombination of an in-depth literature review, a collection of teachers’ perceptions about educational games, and features ofclassroom games. Empirical evaluation of the game was performed through a 5-weeks experiment carried out in three Irish schools, with the participationof 88 students. The investigationhad a pre-post-test designand aimed to evaluate the effects of the gameon students’ mathematics performance and anxiety. In the first week, students answered the Learning Outcomes on Mathematics for Children (LOMC), a questionnaire that measured students’ knowledge ofmathematics. The same studentsalso answered the Modified Abbreviated Math Anxiety Scale (mAMAS), a validated self-report questionnaire to assess maths anxiety ofprimary school children. During the following three weeks, students had weekly gameplay sessions of 45-60 minutes