Science teachers’ experiences of inquiry-based learning through a serious game:a phenomenographic perspective

This study employed a phenomenographic approach to investigate science teachers’ conceptions of inquiry-based learning through a serious game. Simaula is a prototype game designed and used as a virtual practicum for eliciting understandings on how in-game inquiry was appeared to, or experienced by, the participating teachers. Group interviews with 20 secondary education science teachers revealed four qualitatively different ways of experiencing inquiry-based learning through Simaula: (a) as uncovering insights about student’s learning needs, interests and emotions; (b) as generating ideas and concepts for meaningful inquiry; (c) as a set of operations for designing and carrying out scientific research; and (d) as authentic inquiry for enabling knowledge building processes. Seven dimensions of variation have been identified viewed as contextual influences on conceptions of in-game inquiry constituting discernment of: epistemic inquiry-based learning modes; role of teacher; role of student; game-play focus; core mechanics focus; feedback and progress mechanics and game uncertainty. The results illuminated a partial in-game inquiry approach with distinct epistemic modes from developing empathy and meaning making to knowledge construction and knowledge building. The findings also indicated that game design elements played central role in shaping conceptions of in-game inquiry from focusing on rules and logic as means to completing the game’s level to understanding the complexity of core mechanics for developing and transferring in-game inquiry to the real classroom. This insinuates that distinct game design properties may be considered in terms of extending intrinsic in-game inquiry experiences to actual in-class inquiry practice

Modding Tabletop Games for Education

This paper describes a learning-objective-centric workflow for modifying (‘mod-ding’) existing tabletop games for educational purposes. The workflow combines existing research for serious games design with novel systematic analysis tech-niques for learning and game mechanics and gameplay loops to improve the un-derstanding and rigour of the process. A detailed worked example applies the workflow to the development of a serious tabletop game with the educational goal of increasing knowledge and confidence of performing postgraduate literature re-views. Systematic application of the workflow to a real example supports the val-ue of this approach and provides a useful template for educators to follow for in-creasing the quality and feasibility of self-designed serious games

Cognitive Feedback and Behavioral Feedforward Automation Perspectives for Modeling and Validation in a Learning Context

State-of-the-art technologies have made it possible to provide a learner with immediate computer-assisted feedback by delivering a feedback targeting cognitive aspects of learning, (e.g. reflecting on a result, explaining a concept, i.e. improving understanding). Fast advancement of technology has recently generated increased interest for previously non-feasible approaches for providing feedback based on learning behavior observations by exploiting different traces of learning processes stored in information systems. Such learner behavior data makes it possible to observe different aspects of learning processes in which feedback needs of learners (e.g. difficulties, engagement issues, etc.) based on individual learning trajectories can be traced. By identifying problems earlier in a learning process it is possible to deliver individualized feedback helping learners to take control of their own learning, i.e. to become self-regulated learners, and teachers to understand individual feedback needs and/or adapt their teaching strategies. In this work we (i) propose cognitive computer-assisted feedback mechanisms using a combination of MDE based simulation augmented with automated feedback, and (ii) discuss perspectives for behavioral feedback, i.e. feedforward, that can be based on learning process analytics in the context of learning conceptual modeling. Aggregated results of our previous studies assessing the effective-ness of a proposed cognitive feedback method with respect to improved understanding on different dimension of knowledge, as well as feasibility of behavioural feedforward, are presented. Despite our focus on conceptual modeling and specific diagrams, the principles of the approach presented in this work can be used to support educational feedback automation for a broader spectrum of diagram types beyond the scope of conceptual modeling.status: accepte

Clima motivacional hacia el deporte y su relación con hábitos de ocio digital sedentario en estudiantes universitarios

Resumen El uso abusivo de videojuegos se asocia a consecuencias negativas para la salud, como son problemas músculo-esqueléticos, patología ocular o problemas cognitivos y emocionales. Ante esta problemática, múltiples estudios han demostrado como un estilo de vida activo mediante la práctica deportiva genera efectos positivos para la salud que rompen con las consecuencias del ocio digital sedentario. Este estudio de carácter descriptivo y corte transversal, realizado en una muestra de 490 estudiantes universitarios, tiene como objetivo analizar la relación entre el clima motivacional hacia el deporte y el uso problemático de videojuegos, usando como principales instrumentos los cuestionarios CERV, CHCV y PMCSQ-2. Los resultados revelaron que aquellos universitarios que obtenían mayores puntuaciones en Clima Tarea y sus subcategorías eran los que menos problemas patológicos presentaban. Por el contrario, los participantes que padecían problemas potenciales o problemas severos, así como un nivel de uso y atracción medio, obtenían medias más elevadas en Clima Ego, Reconocimiento Desigual y Rivalidad entre Miembros. Se concluye que los universitarios con metas de logro en el deporte orientadas al Ego pueden presentar mayores problemas asociados al uso de videojuegos, principalmente por su búsqueda de motivaciones extrínsecas como la sensación de victoria, obtener mejor rendimiento que otros rivales o alcanzar nuevos retos. De este modo, resulta vital orientar la práctica deportiva a las motivaciones intrínsecas con el fin de evitar el abandono en el deporte y desarrollar una práctica más hedonista que se aleje de hábitos sedentarios.Abusive use of video games is associated with negative health consequences, such as musculoskeletal problems, eye disease, or cognitive and emotional problems. In this sense, several studies have shown that an active lifestyle based on sport practice can generate positive health effects that discontinue the consequences of sedentary digital leisure. This descriptive and cross-sectional research was conducted on a sample of 490 university students. The main objective was to determine the relationship between problematic use of video games and motivational climate in sports, using as main instruments the CERV, CHCV, and PMCSQ-2 questionnaires. The results showed that those students who got a higher score on Task Climate and its categories were the participants who presented less pathological problems. By contrast, students who had potential or severe problems, as well as a medium level of use and attraction to video games, got a higher average in Ego Climate, Uneven Recognition, and Rivalry among Members. It is concluded that university students with achievement goals in sports that are oriented to Ego can show more problems associated with the use of video games, mainly because of its pursuit of extrinsic motivations like the feeling of victory, achievement of better performance in comparison with rivals or the quest for new challenges. Therefore, it is vital to promote a sport practice associated with intrinsic motivations in order to avoid sport abandonment and develop a more hedonistic practice to avert sedentary habits