Game design for a serious game to help learn programming

Tese de mestrado. Multimédia. Faculdade de Engenharia. Universidade do Porto. 201

The role of edutainment in e-learning: An empirical study.

Impersonal, non-face-to-face contact and text-based interfaces, in the e-Learning segment, present major problems that are encountered by learners, since they are out on vital personal interactions and useful feedback messages, as well as on real-time information about their learning performance. This research programme suggests a multimodal, combined with an edutainment approach, which is expected to improve the communications between users and e-Learning systems. This thesis empirically investigates users’ effectiveness; efficiency and satisfaction, in order to determine the influence of edutainment, (e.g. amusing speech and facial expressions), combined with multimodal metaphors, (e.g. speech, earcon, avatar, etc.), within e-Learning environments. Besides text, speech, visual, and earcon modalities, avatars are incorporated to offer a visual and listening realm, in online learning. The methodology used for this research project comprises a literature review, as well as three experimental platforms. The initial experiment serves as a first step towards investigating the feasibility of completing all the tasks and objectives in the research project, outlined above. The remaining two experiments explore, further, the role of edutainment in enhancing e-Learning user interfaces. The overall challenge is to enhance user-interface usability; to improve the presentation of learning, in e-Learning systems; to improve user enjoyment; to enhance interactivity and learning performance; and, also, to contribute in developing guidelines for multimodal involvement, in the context of edutainment. The results of the experiments presented in this thesis show an improvement in user enjoyment, through satisfaction measurements. In the first experiment, the enjoyment level increased by 11%, in the Edutainment (E) platform, compared to the Non-edutainment (NE) interface. In the second experiment, the Game-Based Learning (GBL) interface obtained 14% greater enhancement than the Virtual Class (VC) interface and 20.85% more than the Storytelling interface; whereas, the percentage obtained by the game incorporated with avatars increased by an extra 3%, compared with the other platforms, in the third experiment. In addition, improvement in both user performance and learning retention were detected through effective and efficiency measurements. In the first experiment, there was no significant difference between mean values of time, for both conditions (E) & (NE) which were not found to be significant, when tested using T-test. In the second experiment, the time spent in condition (GBL) was higher by 7-10 seconds, than in the other conditions. In the third experiment, the mean values of the time taken by the users, in all conditions, were comparable, with an average of 22.8%. With regards to effectiveness, the findings of the first experiment showed, generally, that the mean correct answer for condition (E) was higher by 20%, than the mean for condition (NE). Users in condition (GBL) performed better than the users in the other conditions, in the second experiment. The percentage of correct answers, in the second experiment, was higher by 20% and by 34.7%, in condition (GBL), than in the (VC) and (ST), respectively. Finally, a set of empirically derived guidelines was produced for the design of usable multimodal e-Learning and edutainment interfaces.Libyan Embass

With ChatGPT, do we have to rewrite our learning objectives -- CASE study in Cybersecurity

With the emergence of Artificial Intelligent chatbot tools such as ChatGPT and code writing AI tools such as GitHub Copilot, educators need to question what and how we should teach our courses and curricula in the future. In reality, automated tools may result in certain academic fields being deeply reduced in the number of employable people. In this work, we make a case study of cybersecurity undergrad education by using the lens of ``Understanding by Design'' (UbD). First, we provide a broad understanding of learning objectives (LOs) in cybersecurity from a computer science perspective. Next, we dig a little deeper into a curriculum with an undergraduate emphasis on cybersecurity and examine the major courses and their LOs for our cybersecurity program at Miami University. With these details, we perform a thought experiment on how attainable the LOs are with the above-described tools, asking the key question ``what needs to be enduring concepts?'' learned in this process. If an LO becomes something that the existence of automation tools might be able to do, we then ask ``what level is attainable for the LO that is not a simple query to the tools?''. With this exercise, we hope to establish an example of how to prompt ChatGPT to accelerate students in their achievements of LOs given the existence of these new AI tools, and our goal is to push all of us to leverage and teach these tools as powerful allies in our quest to improve human existence and knowledge

Effectiveness of Bridging Master Program in Cybersecurity and Industry in US: Program Comparison and Analysis

This paper aims to investigate the existing curriculum of cybersecurity programs the U.S. universities and provide suggestions to improve the programs to fill the gap between academia and industry. In the current state of science and technology, the need for strengthening cyber security has been increasingly growing in every developed country and transforming it into one of the most critical sectors of society. In this research, we have shown the essential role of cybersecurity professionals in preventing, detecting, responding to, and mitigating cyber-attacks using a case study of a targeted cyber-attack of a large organization. We presented a threat-centric framework for developing cybersecurity competencies and detailing the steps involved in building a cybersecurity master\u27s program. Consequently, we have made some suggestions regarding a holistic approach to address these issues. This paper is intended to prepare students for careers and research in cybersecurity and related areas

Mobile Game-Based Learning (mGBL) Engineering Model

Mobile game-based learning (mGBL) is a game played on any handheld devices such as mobile phones. It is among the most recent growing research areas whereby its main aim is to use game play to enhance motivation in learning, engage in knowledge acquisition, and improve the effectiveness of learning activities through mobile environment. To fully utilize the potential of mGBL, researchers suggest looking at the most important part, which is the development methodology of mGBL. In relation to this, various game development methodologies have been introduced for different types of game genres and platforms. These methodologies propose different numbers of steps and activities; some focusing only on the learning design; some concentrating on the mobile technologies; and others on the complete life cycle. Although many game methodologies have been introduced, studies show that customized phases and steps to develop games for learning in mobile environment are substantially required. Therefore, the study discussed in this thesis addresses this gap by proposing an mGBL Engineering Model based on a number of games and learning theoretical and developmental foundations. In particular, the study identified the key steps of development methodology to be considered in developing mGBL applications which consist of phases, components, steps, and deliverables. In accomplishing this aim, a design science research methodology was adopted, comprising of five phases; (i) awareness of problem, (ii) suggestion, (iii) development, (iv) evaluation, and (v) conclusion. Subsequently, eight mGBL evaluation dimensions were put forward: visibility, complexity, compatibility, flexibility, clarity, effectiveness, manageability, and evolutionary. Model evaluation was conducted in three phases, namely; expert review, prototype development with heuristics evaluation, and experimental study. Generally, the proposed mGBL Engineering Model was well accepted by the experts contacted in this study. The model was also employed by a game company while developing an mGBL prototype. Here, the findings have implied that the model is useful to follow and it provides an easy guideline for fellow developers. In the experimental study phase, four learning or game methodologies; Analysis-Design-Development-Implementation- Evaluation, Input-Process-Output, Game Life Cycle, and mGBL Engineering Model; were studied and compared by 70 respondents. The findings have indicated that the proposed mGBL Engineering Model scored mean above 7.0 (out of 10) of all dimensions compared to the other three models (scored less than 7.0). The ANOVA results show that there are significant differences between all groups in six dimensions except complexity and compatibility. Although complexity and compatibility dimensions are not significantly different, the scores for the mGBL Engineering Model are higher than the other three models. All these results have demonstrated that the proposed mGBL Engineering Model exhibits useful development indicators for mGBL applications and is indeed a theoretical and practical contribution of the study. In addition, the other significant contributions are the eight evaluation dimensions together with the validated instrument. Furthermore, the artefact produced, which is the mGBL prototype is also a functional contribution

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

Opportunities for the development of regional history museums in Bulgaria (following the example of Nordland Museum, Norway)

Museum management in the 21st century and beyond is faced with a number of challenges that are imposed by a rapidly changing, aggressive supply and demand and dynamic environment, as well as by different patterns of consumer behavior. In relation to the right path for their successful development, museums in Bulgaria should pay attention to this environment, its factors, the "new" users, the "new" trends, the good world practices, the "new" opportunities. Otherwise, museums will function inefficiently and user satisfaction will remain unchanged. The main purpose of this publication is to present directions for application of modern and entrepreneurial approaches, necessary for development of the museums in Bulgaria, based on foreign successful practices