THE <E-GAME> PROJECT: FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF EDUCATIONAL ADVENTURE

Game based learning can be seen as an interesting approach to learning, but the complexity of today’s videogames demands from developers a robust foundation in a variety of technologies. On the other hand, the educational part of game based learning requires the active participation of field experts. The collaboration between those experts and game developers is always difficult. The <e-Game> project addresses this problem by offering an authoring environment for educational adventure games that does not demand a deep formation in Information and Communication Technologies. The author (an expert in a specific field) only needs to write documents that describe the contents of the videogame following the <e-Game> XML syntax and feed them to the engine. In turn, the engine produces a fully functional game from those documents

Operationalizing Application Descriptions in DTC: Building Applications with Generalized Markup Technologies

This paper describes the operationalization is a programming language or executable specification process (i.e. the step from application descriptions to language that offers, through appropriate notations and executable applications) followed in DTC (structured abstractions, expressive power focused on, and usually Documents, document Transformations and software restricted to, a particular problem domain. For content Components), an approach to develop applications using description, we are also interested in DSLs with more generalized markup technologies. DTC encourages the descriptive domain oriented meanings [4]. definition of XML-based domain-specific languages DTC (structured Documents, document Transformations (DSLs) for describing each relevant aspect of the and software Components) is our approach for building application. These DSLs are composed to obtain a single content-based applications using generalized markup application DSL. Structured documents describing the technologies. Building an application according to DTC application are the input for an operationalization process starts with the description of its most relevant aspects (e.g

Challenges of serious games

Although educational games have revealed to be a very effective focus in diverse situations, their use in education is still very limited. In this paper we analyse the main challenges concerning educational games that, from our perspective, have to be approached so that the use of this kind of games can be widespread. These challenges are classified in three main dimensions: socio-cultural, educational and technological. Once the challenges are identified, some possible measures are suggested to address or reduce these problems so that the use of educational games may be widespread

Learning Objects and e-learning standards: experiences in <e-Aula> System

En este trabajo se presenta la experiencia de aplicación e implementación del modelo de objetos educativos en el sistema . Se describe una visión práctica de la aplicación de las tecnologías de marcado tanto en la estructuración de los cursos como en el desarrollo de contenidos que pueden ser adaptados al usuario. En se han seguido las especificaciones de IMS, desarrollándose un soporte completo del empaquetamiento de cursos (content packaging) reflejado en un sistema de autoría de cursos y una herramienta de importación. Además se ha particularizado un perfil específico de cursos y de objetos educativos que permiten su adaptación al usuarioOn this paper we describe the experience of implementing and applying the Learning Objects Model in the system. The development of this system is a practical application of markup technologies for both course structuring and development of content with user adaptation capabilities. follows the IMS specifications, with full support of the Content Packaging specification and provides importation and management tools for courses. In addition, the system supports a specific Application Profile for courses and learning objects which allows content adaptation for different users

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documental approach to adventure game developmen

Limitations and challenges in the assessment of executive dysfunction associated with real-world functioning : the opportunity of serious games

Nowadays, there is a broad range of methods for detecting and evaluating executive dysfunction ranging from clinical interview to neuropsychological evaluation. Nevertheless, a critical issue of these assessments is the lack of correspondence of the neuropsychological test's results with real-world functioning. This paper proposes serious games as a new framework to improve the neuropsychological assessment of real-world functioning. We briefly discuss the contribution and limitations of current methods of evaluation of executive dysfunction (paper-and-pencil tests, naturalistic observation methods, and Information and Communications Technologies) to inform on daily life functioning. Then, we analyze what are the limitations of these methods to predict real-world performance: 1) A lack of appropriate instruments to investigate the complexity of real-world functioning, 2) the vast majority of neuropsychological tests assess well-structured tasks, and 3) measurement of behaviors are based on simplistic data collection and statistical analysis. This work shows how serious games offer an opportunity to develop more efficient tools to detect executive dysfunction in everyday life contexts. Serious games provide meaningful narrative stories and virtual or real environments that immerse the user in natural and social environments with social interactions. In those highly interactive game environments the player needs to adapt his/her behavioral performance to novel and ill-structured tasks which are suited for collecting user interaction evidence. Serious games offer a novel opportunity to develop better tools to improve diagnosis of the executive dysfunction in everyday life contexts. However, more research is still needed to implement serious games in everyday clinical practice