Design of the game-based learning environment "Dudemans & Sidegirl: Operation Clean World," a numerical magnitude processing training

Numerical magnitude processing has been shown to play a crucial role in the development of mathematical ability and intervention studies have revealed that training children's numerical magnitude processing has positive effects on their numerical magnitude processing skills and mathematics achievement. However, from these intervention studies, it remains unclear whether numerical magnitude processing interventions should focus on training with a numerical magnitude comparison or a number line estimation task. It also remains to be determined whether there is a different impact of training symbolic versus non-symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills. In order to answer these two questions, we developed four game-based learning environments, using the storyline of "Dudeman & Sidegirl: Operation Clean World". The first two game-based learning environments comprise either a numerical magnitude comparison or a number line estimation training and the last two game-based learning environments stimulate either the processing of symbolic or non-symbolic numerical magnitudes.status: publishe

DIESEL-X: A game-based tool for early risk detection of dyslexia in preschoolers

DIESEL-X is a computer game that was developed to detect a high risk for developing dyslexia in preschoolers. The game includes three mini-games that test the player on three skills that are considered to yield outcome measures that predict the onset of dyslexia: the detection threshold of frequency modulated tones, a test on phonological awareness in which the player has to identify words that have the same phonetic ending, and a test on letter knowledge. In order to keep the motivation of the player high during testing, these tests are embedded in a computer game. We discuss the participatory design process that was adopted to design and develop the game, the rationale behind the design decisions, and we describe the resulting games.status: publishe

DYSL-X:Design of a tablet game for early risk detection of dyslexia in preschoolers

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Translating preschoolers' game experiences into design guidelines via a laddering study

Over the past decades, preschoolers emerged as frequent and experienced users of new digital media. As this trend continues, it is important for game designers to address the gratifications of this new gaming audience. Unfortunately, existing theoretical frameworks on meaningful gameplay for preschoolers are rare, outdated, or they lack a comprehensive validation. In this paper, we present a User Experience (UX) Laddering study to unveil the gameplay preferences of preschoolers, relying on five-year olds (n=25) as active research participants. The results of this study provide a set of meaningful and useful guidelines for future game designers, directed at this young target group. Copyright 2013 ACM.status: publishe

DYSL-X: Design of a game-based tool for early risk detection of dyslexia in preschoolers

The goal of the DYSL-X project is to develop a tool to predict whether a preschooler (5 yrs) shows high risks for developing dyslexia. This tool is a computer game that incorporates tests to take specific performance measures that allow for this prediction. The game will thus serve as an assessment tool to be used in school psychology services and clinical diagnostic and rehabilitation centers. During the first phase of the projects several existing games for preschoolers were evaluated using a laddering method. Based on the outcomes several minigames were designed. The results of this first phase will be presented at the Fun and Games workshop.status: publishe

P-III: A Player-Centered, Iterative, Interdisciplinary and Integrated Framework for Serious Game Design and Development

While reconciling a creative game design process with a complex software engineering process is already a daunting task, serious games add another ingredient to an already volatile mixture: the challenge of crafting an effective learning experience. In order to achieve this strenuous objective, Group T's e-Media Lab and the Centre for User Experience Research, K.U.Leuven, have developed a player-centered, iterative, interdisciplinary and integrated (P-III) framework. This framework has been developed over the course of five years of research on the design and development of serious games. Hence, P-III is built bottom-up, molded and shaped, tested and refined through several research projects [1,9,17,18,19,20,21,22,23]. While P-III also prescribes a specific process, in this paper we limit ourselves to highlighting the four pillars of the P-III framework, and their theoretical underpinnings. © 2012 Springer-Verlag.status: publishe