New technology in Museums: AR and VR video games are coming

Museums have gone through a modernization process which has seen the adoption of new technologies in what they offer visitors. Within the framework of the new critical museology, these organizations have been transformed into places of encounter and experience, the key tools in this change being socialization and play. Gamification are now intrinsic to collections and are a way of inviting visitors to share new museum experiences through the latest technology such as AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality). In this way, the museum becomes a playground and a space for creativity (Borja-Villel et al., 2014). In this research, we focus on what we consider to be an important link between the three central aspects of museum change: sociability, gamificaction and virtualization; and the growing interest in museums for videogames. Our aim is to reach a better understanding of the AR and VR video games developed for museums and how these technologies can not only motivate visitors’ interest but also improve their learning skills. Our analysis focuses of literature published between 2015 to 2018 and follows the analytic structure established by Connolly et al. (2012) with additional features related to learning experience, platforms, and the use of technologies (VR and AR). The general aim is to map the interest of the research community in the field of museum-developed video games, more specifically those that use augmented and virtual reality

Una visión empresarial del desarrollo de serious games : propuesta de un marco de trabajo

Tesis inédita de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Facultad de Ciencias de la Información, leída el 26-01-2023El carácter multidisciplinar establece el desarrollo de la investigación que a continuación presentamos y que está enmarcada en una beca de doctorado industrial desarrollada en la empresa de base tecnológica Pada One Games. Esta investigación pretende definir un marco de trabajo para el diseño de serious games en museos que incluya la evaluación de la diversión y el aprendizaje como variables separadas pero (inter) relacionables. Fruto del objetivo expuesto, surge la hipótesis principal de la investigación: la evaluación mixta, cuantitativa y cualitativa por separado, de la diversión y el aprendizaje en el diseño de los juegos para museos permite crear juegos más efectivos, es decir, más divertidos y útiles al mismo tiempo para los fines pedagógicos de estas instituciones. A través de varios experimentos realizados sobre juegos concretos, se han evaluado una serie de hipótesis específicas que nos han ayudado a determinar la validez de la principal. Para la consecución de este objetivo seguiremos la metodología conocida como Investigación-Acción participativa. Se aplica en el desarrollo del marco de trabajo para el diseño de serious games, y se complementa con las evaluaciones intermedias sobre aspectos concretos de los juegos. En ellos utilizaremos técnicas cuantitativas que permitan juzgar la diversión y el aprendizaje en los videojuegos que se desarrollarán como parte de la investigación...The multidisciplinary character marks the development of the research presented below, which is framed in an Industrial Doctorate grant developed in the technology-based company Pada One Games. This research pursues the definition of a framework for the design of Serious Games in museums that includes the evaluation of fun and learning, asseparate but (inter) relatable variables. As a result of the above objective, the main hypothesis of the research arises: Separate quantitative/qualitative evaluation of fun and learning in the design of games for museums allows designing more effective games, i.e., that are both more fun and useful for the pedagogical purposes of these institutions.Through several experiments conducted on specific games, a series of more specific hypotheses have been evaluated that have helped us to determine the validity of the main hypothesis.In order to achieve this objective, we will follow a methodology known as Participatory Action Research. This methodology is applied in the development of the framework for the design of Serious Games and is complemented by intermediate evaluations on specific aspects of the games, where we will use quantitative techniques that allow us to evaluate the fun and learning in the video games that will be developed as part of the research...Fac. de Ciencias de la InformaciónTRUEunpu

Out of sight, out of mind: accessibility for people with hidden disabilities in museums and heritage sites

As of 2020, an estimated 14.1 million residents of the United Kingdom reported a disability (DWP 2020). Within this population, approximately 6.1 million people have a hidden disability (Buhalis and Michopoulou 2011). These hidden disabilities range widely, from neurodiverse conditions like autism and dyslexia to long term chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and arthritis. Due to the wide range of disabilities and their impact on a disabled person’s life, they have generally been underrepresented in accessibility studies. This thesis uncovers the accessibility needs of people with hidden disabilities, specifically in museums and heritage sites where they have heretofore mostly been overlooked. I utilise semi-structured interviews and correspondence with people with hidden disabilities, as well as participant-led experiences through three case study sites in Northern England, to understand the barriers they face. Their experiences help me expose the importance of passive accessibility – accessibility measures built directly into an exhibition design, such as adequate lighting and personal interpretation boards. Additionally, this thesis aims to understand the cultural forces that prevent or support accessibility-related improvements to such sites from taking place. By studying the cultural make-up of each case study organisation through ethnographic observations of the staff at these sites, institutional roadblocks to enacting accessibility-related adjustments are revealed. Specifically, the lack of communication at these sites presents a significant barrier to enacting accessibility suggestions from disabled visitors. Tying together the themes of active/passive accessibility and lack of communication is the theme of gaps in disability awareness, by which I mean that heritage organisations do not wilfully create these barriers to inclusion, and yet they create them still because they simply do not realise these things. Filling these gaps opens up countless possibilities for improving accessibility not only for people with hidden disabilities but for all visitors and staff at museums and heritage sites

Mobile Family Learning in the Science Museum

This paper presents the development and evaluation of a mobile app for families visiting a science museum in Thailand. The app was designed to help adults in family groups to support children’s learning during the visit while learning about new science concepts and ideas themselves. The design of the app was based on a family learning needs analysis study. The evaluation focused on the impacts of the app on family learning outcomes and on family engagement with exhibits. Findings suggest that the app (a) significantly increased family dwell time, (b) provided an additional platform for family interactions, and (c) amplified learning outcomes