Acceptance of Serious Games to Develop Digital Competencies in Higher Education

Serious games are the focus of the current research agenda. They show promise for allowing students to learn and practice skills. In fewer studies, they are used for the development of academic competencies. Therefore, it is of interest to deepen the research on the benefits of serious games in academic education and training. This article presents a study using serious games aimed at higher education academics’ training for the development of digital competencies. The study was carried out with 56 academics, using the serious game called AstroCódigo. The study analyzed the level of acceptance of serious games using the TAM model and what factors the academics believe affect this acceptance. It is important to know possible barriers that affect the development of actions oriented to the formation of academic competencies through serious games, which can also affect the adoption of games as a resource for teaching situations. None of prior studies have focused on analyzing the technological acceptance of serious games used for the development of academic competencies. The results of this research indicate that participants believe that using serious games can be beneficial to drive digital competencies. However, there are aspects such as the highest academic qualification, work experience, professional development, perceived usefulness, ease of use, and fear of change associated with age rank which can play a negative role in the use and acceptance of digital technologies by academics, particularly serious games. These results may be a clue to the barriers linked to the fact that most of the participants in this study do not use serious games in their classes or for their digital skills training. Additionally, the possibility to try and fail and the increased level of challenges proposed in the serious games, related to enjoyment, were valued by academics, during the sessions with AstroCódigo. These findings open the door to organize strategies for academic training in digital competencies within higher education institutions. They can also impact the design decisions of new serious games.This research work has been partially funded by the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation (OAICE) of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), Costa Rica, through a supplementary scholarship granted to support studies towards obtaining a Master in Information Technology Applied to Education and a Doctorate in Information Sciences, both at the National University of La Plata (UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Also, Project REFORTICCA of the Scientific Research Agency of the Province of Buenos Aires (CICPBA) and RTI2018-096986-B-C31: "PERGAMEX: PERVASIVE GAMING EXPERIENCES FOR ALL" project, partially funded this research.UCR::Sedes Regionales::Sede del Atlántic

Edutec : revista electrónica de tecnología educativa

Resumen basado en el de la publicaciónTítulo, resumen y palabras clave en español y en inglésSe analiza el uso de la aplicación UTPL-Biología, un material educativo digital basado en la realidad aumentada, en el contexto de la educación superior y aplicado al ámbito de las ciencias biológicas, con el objetivo de evaluar si podría utilizarse con estudiantes de primer ciclo. Se aborda el estudio desde la perspectiva de la experiencia de usuario y bajo el modelo teórico Attrakdiff, que busca conocer las emociones de los docentes al trabajar con este tipo de medios. La aplicación presentada está en español, se basa en el uso de objetos 3D, es apta para utilizarla en dispositivos móviles Android, es accesible, permite la interacción y cuenta con asistencia para su uso. Como muestra participan un grupo de profesores e investigadores de la Universidad Nacional de Río Negro (Argentina), vinculados a las licenciaturas de Ciencias del Ambiente, Ingeniería Agronómica y Nutrición. La experiencia se presenta en tres etapas: presentación de la aplicación y cuestionario de evaluación, uso de la misma y recogida de datos sobre la percepción de los docentes. Los resultados muestran una acogida positiva de la aplicación, que, entre otros apelativos, es descrita como estructurada, práctica, sencilla, ingeniosa, creativa e innovadora. Así mismo, se apunta que podría utilizarse para mejorar la socialización entre docentes y estudiantes. Por todo ello se concluye que es viable la utilización de la aplicación UTPL-Biología en el contexto de la educación superior.S'analitza l'ús de l'aplicació UTPL-Biologia, un material educatiu digital basat en la realitat augmentada, en el context de l'educació superior i aplicat a l'àmbit de les ciències biològiques, amb l'objectiu d'avaluar si podria utilitzar-se amb estudiants de primer cicle. S'aborda l'estudi des de la perspectiva de l'experiència d'usuari i sota el model teòric Attrakdiff, que cerca conèixer les emocions dels docents en treballar amb aquest tipus de mitjans. L'aplicació presentada està en espanyol, es basa en l'ús d'objectes 3D, és apta per a utilitzar-la en dispositius mòbils Android, és accessible, permet la interacció i compta amb assistència per al seu ús. Com a mostra participen un grup de professors i investigadors de la Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro (Argentina), vinculats a les llicenciatures de Ciències de l'Ambient, Enginyeria Agronòmica i Nutrició. L'experiència es presenta en tres etapes: presentació de l'aplicació i qüestionari d'avaluació, ús de la mateixa i recollida de dades sobre la percepció dels docents. Els resultats mostren una acollida positiva de l'aplicació, que, entre altres apel·latius, és descrita com estructurada, pràctica, senzilla, enginyosa, creativa i innovadora. Així mateix, s'apunta que podria utilitzar-se per a millorar la socialització entre docents i estudiants. Per tot això es conclou que és viable la utilització de l'aplicació UTPL-Biologia en el context de l'educació superior.ES

Acceptance of Serious Games to Develop Digital Competencies in Higher Education

Serious games are the focus of the current research agenda. They show promise for allowing students to learn and practice skills. In fewer studies, they are used for the development of academic competencies. Therefore, it is of interest to deepen the research on the benefits of serious games in academic education and training. This article presents a study using serious games aimed at higher education academics’ training for the development of digital competencies. The study was carried out with 56 academics, using the serious game called AstroCódigo. The study analyzed the level of acceptance of serious games using the TAM model and what factors the academics believe affect this acceptance. It is important to know possible barriers that affect the development of actions oriented to the formation of academic competencies through serious games, which can also affect the adoption of games as a resource for teaching situations. None of prior studies have focused on analyzing the technological acceptance of serious games used for the development of academic competencies. The results of this research indicate that participants believe that using serious games can be beneficial to drive digital competencies. However, there are aspects such as the highest academic qualification, work experience, professional development, perceived usefulness, ease of use, and fear of change associated with age rank which can play a negative role in the use and acceptance of digital technologies by academics, particularly serious games. These results may be a clue to the barriers linked to the fact that most of the participants in this study do not use serious games in their classes or for their digital skills training. Additionally, the possibility to try and fail and the increased level of challenges proposed in the serious games, related to enjoyment, were valued by academics, during the sessions with AstroCódigo. These findings open the door to organize strategies for academic training in digital competencies within higher education institutions. They can also impact the design decisions of new serious games.This research work has been partially funded by the Office of International Affairs and External Cooperation (OAICE) of the University of Costa Rica (UCR), Costa Rica, through a supplementary scholarship granted to support studies towards obtaining a Master in Information Technology Applied to Education and a Doctorate in Information Sciences, both at the National University of La Plata (UNLP), Buenos Aires, Argentina. Also, Project REFORTICCA of the Scientific Research Agency of the Province of Buenos Aires (CICPBA) and RTI2018-096986-B-C31: "PERGAMEX: PERVASIVE GAMING EXPERIENCES FOR ALL" project, partially funded this research.UCR::Sedes Regionales::Sede del Atlántic