bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High-Resolution Imaging and Morphological Phenotyping of
C. elegans
through Stable Robotic Sample Rotation and Artificial Intelligence-Based 3-Dimensional Reconstruction
Authors: Pan Peng , Zhang Pengsong , Premachandran Sharanja , Peng Ran , Wang Shaojia , Fan Qigao , Sun Yu , Calarco John A. , Liu Xinyu
Published: October 2024

Accurate visualization and 3-dimensional (3D) morphological profiling of small model organisms can provide quantitative phenotypes benefiting genetic analysis and modeling of human diseases in tractable organisms. However, in the highly studied nematode
Caenorhabditis elegans,
accurate morphological phenotyping remains challenging because of notable decrease in image resolution of distant signal under high magnification and complexity in the 3D reconstruction of microscale samples with irregular shapes. Here, we develop a robust robotic system that enables the contactless, stable, and uniform rotation of
C. elegans
for multi-view fluorescent imaging and 3D morphological phenotyping via the precise reconstruction of 3D models. Contactless animal rotation accommodates a variety of body shapes and sizes found at different developmental stages and in mutant strains. Through controlled rotation, high-resolution fluorescent imaging of
C. elegans
structures is obtained by overcoming the limitations inherent in both widefield and confocal microscopy. Combining our robotic system with machine learning, we create, for the first time, precise 3D reconstructions of
C. elegans
at the embryonic and adult stages, enabling 3D morphological phenotyping of mutant strains in an accurate and comprehensive fashion. Intriguingly, our morphological phenotyping discovered a genetic interaction between 2 RNA binding proteins (UNC-75/CELF and MBL-1/MBNL), which are highly conserved between
C. elegans
and humans and implicated in neurological and muscular disorders. Our system can thus generate quantitative morphological readouts facilitating the investigation of genetic variations and disease mechanisms. More broadly, our method will also be amenable for 3D phenotypic analysis of other biological samples, like zebrafish and
Drosophila
larvae.
A Taxonomic Account of Mucuna (Leguminosae–Papilionoideae) in Africa, Madagascar, and the Indian Ocean Islands, with Comments on Its Biogeographic History
Authors: Moura Tania M. , Gereau Roy E. , Cardoso Domingos , Lewis Gwilym P.
Published: October 2024

A taxonomic account of the papilionoid legume genus Mucuna Adans. in Africa, Madagascar, and the Indian Ocean islands is presented. Fifteen large herbaria that host representative collections of African specimens were visited and online databases consulted. A new phylogenetic analysis is also presented. Nineteen taxa are described and mapped. Twelve species and six infraspecific taxa (including autonyms, thus 15 terminal taxa) of Mucuna are present on the African mainland, where three species are representatives of Mucuna subg. Mucuna and the other nine are members of Mucuna subg. Stizolobium (P. Browne) Baker. In the Madagascar and Indian Ocean islands biodiversity hotspot, Mucuna is represented by six species, two of which (M. gigantea (Willd.) DC. and M. pruriens (L.) DC.) also occur on the African mainland. The other four species are endemic to Madagascar or adjacent islands and are representatives of Mucuna subg. Mucuna. The only representative of Mucuna subg. Stizolobium in Madagascar is M. pruriens. Our study suggests that the African mainland is the center of origin of Mucuna subg. Stizolobium. It is also revealed as the world’s most species-rich region in representatives of this subgenus, whereas on the other continents, subgenus Mucuna is the most diverse.
Food Insecurity Among Overweight/Obese Patients With Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) in Iran: Demographic and Anthropometric Factors (A Cross-sectional Study)
Authors: Abdi Fatemeh , Mamaghani Alireza Rahimi , Farhangi Mahdieh Abbasalizad
Published: October 2024

Background: Food insecurity is a common issue in both developing and developed countries and is associated with numerous chronic disorders such as hyperlipidemia, heart disease, hypertension, and metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to explore the relationship between food insecurity and demographic and nutritional parameters in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, involving 338 obese and overweight patients with NAFLD. A valid and reliable questionnaire was used to collect demographic information, including age, gender, household size, employment, income, and education. Anthropometric assessments were conducted, and food insecurity was investigated using a validated questionnaire. Furthermore, statistical assays were performed by SPSS version 16. Results: The study found that 18.34% of patients have low food security, while 12.72% experienced very low food security. Female gender, higher family size, lower educational attainment, lower income, and non-employed status were identified as significant determinants of food insecurity among patients with NAFLD (P<0.05). Moreover, patients with food insecurity tended to be older and consumed higher amounts of grain and cereals but lower amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat. In a stepwise multivariate regression model, higher weight was a positive predictor of food insecurity (P=0.04), while higher educational attainment and household income exhibited protective effects against food insecurity (P<0.01). Conclusion: This study revealed the role of age, gender, income, and education in developing food insecurity in patients with NAFLD. Further research is needed to confirm these results.
Developing Graduate Attributes Through Competitive Gameplay and Learning Theories
Authors: Baxter Gavin , Hainey Thomas , Williams Alan
Published: October 2024

The term competitive gameplay or gaming is predominantly associated with esports. Esports, a synonym, or abbreviation for electronic sports is an industry that has a global outreach with a lucrative market. This is accentuated by the event driven, business model focus and organised competitive events, often involving sponsorship. These additional characteristics associated with esports is what distinguishes it from traditional or casual gaming. Though esports games can be played individually, they are predominantly viewed as a team activity. Beyond the debate as to whether esports can be classified as a sport, it is an area that has attracted a significant amount of academic research. Research areas have often included esports psychology, esports player health and nutrition and esports management. Some research studies have also reviewed how esports have the potential to e.0quip esports players with relevant 21st century skills such as critical and lateral thinking. One area where esports appears to be under researched is in the relationship between competitive gameplay and learning theories. It can be argued that this is an important consideration when delivering esports from an educational perspective. The aim of this paper is to provide a scoping review of the esports literature identifying empirical research associated with competitive gaming and graduate attributes. Esports game genres will be explored from a gameplay perspective demonstrating via learning theory examples how these games can facilitate graduate attributes in players. Exploring the domain of esports game genres, learning theories and meta-skills, the paper presents a conceptual model illustrating the interrelationship between these areas. The paper also has practical value to educators, who may be as yet unfamiliar with esports, informing them of the subject’s educational benefits from a graduate attribute and employability perspective.
Designing Games for GDPR: Negotiating Understandings of GDPR in EU Schools.
Authors: Marchetti Emanuela , Witfelt Claus , Valente Andrea , Amo-Filvà Daniel , García-Holgado Alicia , García-Holgado Lucia , Vidotto Elisabetta , Garzotto Maria Elena , García-Peñalvo Francisco Josè , Fonseca Escudero David , Orehovački Tihomir , Krašna Marjan , Pesek Igor , Ružić Ivana
Published: October 2024

In this study we combine a participatory design process with a citizen science framing, to foster a dialogue on GDPR in the school. We focus on the perspective of students, approaching them as co-researchers, in designing and evaluating a series of apps, aimed at spreading knowledge on GDPR. We have created a design space between secondary school students in Denmark and Italy, to gather insights across different countries. Results show that approaching students as designers and testers enabled them to provide honest and concrete insights on their experience with GDPR. We identified a detachment related to their posting activities, caused by how social media platforms (SoMe) challenge the boundaries between their personal and school-related ecologies.
Enhancing Team Cohesion Through a Custom MOBA Game: Development, Implementation & Impact
Authors: Svecova Magdalena , Kovalčík Juraj , Kabát Michal
Published: October 2024

The quality of a team in organizations has an impact on the success of the team in achieving their goals. Team building activities are one of the elements which can improve relationships in different kinds of teams. One of those can be playing competitive digital games, whether for teams working remotely or on site. This paper presents a case study that explores the design and development process of an innovative online game that combines elements of third-person action and multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games to provide an experience that strengthens team cohesion. The game design and mechanics support distribution of team roles based on Belbin's theory, highlighting the importance of diverse roles for balanced team functionality. By integrating unique character functions, the game encourages players to understand and appreciate the different roles individuals play in a team, enhancing empathy and mutual respect among team members. The game is uniquely designed to be simpler and more accessible than typical MOBAs, making it an ideal tool for educational and organizational settings to boost team cohesion and communication skills among people from various backgrounds. The leveling of the playing field allows individuals with minimal gaming experience to participate fully and effectively. The design principles ensure that the core mechanics of the game encourage teamwork and effective communication over individual skill, emphasizing collective success. The case study delves into the development process, the challenges faced, the solutions implemented, and the outcomes observed as part of a research project conducted between 2022-2023. The findings suggest that game-based learning can significantly transform traditional team-building methods, introducing a new paradigm for fostering high-performance teams in an increasingly digital world.
Investigating the Role of Adaptivity in Video Games for Attitude Change
Authors: Šosvald David , Kolek Lukáš
Published: October 2024

Video games have become one of the most widespread forms of media in the 21st century, bringing interactive digital narratives to over 3 billion people globally. Like other media, video games feature topics from our society, culture, and history. Research has shown that narrative-driven video games have a unique potential to influence explicit and implicit attitudes toward the topics they depict. However, the concrete mechanisms through which video games shape our attitudes remain unclear. Identifying the mechanisms behind the attitude-shaping effect would help to design more effective educational games and simulations. One aspect that reduces the potential of video games to change attitudes is a so-called credibility bias, a phenomenon where information contradicting one’s pre-existing beliefs is deemed less credible. For this reason, our work focuses on employing adaptivity to improve the attitude-shaping effect of video games. We hypothesize that adapting gameplay elements based on players’ pre-existing attitudes will mitigate the credibility bias, leading to greater attitude changes and enhanced game enjoyment compared to a static presentation. We propose assessing players’ attitudes before playing and adapting the game content accordingly, utilizing in-game metrics to track players’ actions to further refine the content. This work focuses on adapting highlights in user interfaces, narrative-related messages, and in-game goals. To empirically test our hypothesis, we have developed two versions of a video game – an experimental version featuring adaptive game elements and a control version with static content. For this proof-of-concept experiment, we have chosen the topic of electromobility, but we designed the adaptive elements to be usable with any topic. The experimental game is a delivery manager simulator featuring electric and combustion engine cars, with the aim of showcasing the usability and advantages of electric cars. Our experimental design involves a pretest-posttest setup with an experimental and a control group. We utilize measures for implicit and explicit attitudes and game enjoyment. This empirical study will bring valuable data reacting to the identified research gap. Should the adaptive approach prove to be usable, it could be widely utilized to improve the attitude-shaping potential of educational games.
A Platform of Serious Video Games Co-built for the General Interest
Authors: Laforge Bertrand , Planques Thomas , Delcourt Florian , Barnabé Fanny
Published: October 2024

In a context where training takes place both in initial courses and in lifelong continuing education, the use of games offers a way of promoting effective and sustainable learning: by its very nature, this medium is an open work in which players can become involved and give meaning to their learning. Ikigai - Games for Citizens offers a unique ecosystem for creating serious, expert video games and offering them free of charge to people who want to learn while having fun, as well as producing a set of learning-related data that can be used for research and customizing training courses. By bringing together universities, Grandes Ecoles, research laboratories, associations, and institutions, Ikigai is a collaborative consortium of general interest, implementing the co-construction of videogame services between scientific experts, video game professionals and educational engineers. Together, they are producing a centralized platform of serious games and associated services that can be used by teachers at a moderate cost by pooling resources: the building blocks of each game can be reused in other games developed. The consortium is committed to general interest and popular education by making the games available free of charge to members and the general public. The decentralized infrastructure set up by Ikigai, which respects privacy by design, means that game usage data can now be collected on a national scale, but conceptually it could extend much further. The data collected in compliance with the RGPD will eventually be used to draw up enriched user profiles to offer personalized courses, teaching recommendations and progress monitoring as close as possible to the learner, using AI in particular. Ikigai is also heavily involved in the construction of new digital standards in education, which are needed to ensure the interoperability of data for lifelong monitoring of learners. But also, for the digital education ecosystem, to guarantee a sovereign, efficient, coherent, and sustainable cloud on a European scale.
Boardcraft: Learning the Art of Strategic Decision-Making Card by Card
Authors: Marcos Sonia , López-García Blanca
Published: October 2024

Boardcraft, an interactive, sequential card game, is a powerful tool for teaching Strategic Management in an undergraduate Business Administration Degree. This innovative game provides students with practical experience in strategic analysis, business strategy formulation, and strategic decision-making, addressing one of the main challenges of social science teaching: practical application. The objective of the research to be carried out is to find evidence of a change in students' attitudes towards making strategic decisions. To do this, two questionnaires will be carried out, one before and one after the game's introduction in the classroom, three months apart. The data will tell us if decision-making through a business strategy game changes their perception and attitude towards decision-making by acquiring competencies and skills that prepare them better for decision-making throughout their career and life. This game will streamline the teaching of strategic management in higher education, a subject traditionally based on lectures and case studies. Teaching strategic management is complex since the student is immersed in a context of continuous decision-making that requires the application of an appropriate methodology for proper understanding. Game-based learning (GBL) activities like Boardcraft that bring strategic management closer to real-life contexts are desirable. The application of this game will also allow researchers to analyse the effect of experiential learning, the acquisition of interpersonal and conceptual skills, the importance of aesthetics and the introduction of fun elements in game-based learning.
Gamified Networked Learning Environments in Higher Education: A Study on Student Engagement and Value Creation in Computer Science
Authors: Soleymani Ali , Aerts Taico , De Laat Maarten , Specht Marcus
Published: October 2024

In the rapidly evolving domain of computer science education, fostering deep engagement and sustained motivation among students remains a challenge. This study introduces the Answers platform, a pioneering online learning environment developed at TU Delft. This research aims to reimagine the learning experience for Bachelor and Master of Science Students in computer science by integrating gamification elements grounded in Wenger's value creation framework. Our paper explores two critical research questions: the perception of learners towards gamified learning experiences and the impact of the Answers' system on value creation and motivation. We incorporated points, badges, and leaderboards in a semester-long intervention to enrich the learning landscape. The Value Creation Questionnaire (VCQ) results indicated that the platform effectively created potential and applied value, significantly enhancing students' learning practices and motivation. However, its impact on fostering social connections could have been more pronounced. The platform also moderately influenced students' ability to impact their world and shift perspectives. The Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI) revealed that students generally enjoyed using the platform but felt it did not significantly enhance feelings of connectedness. This paper contributes to the body of knowledge by demonstrating the efficacy of gamification in computer science education and offering insights into the design of engaging online learning platforms. By bridging theoretical frameworks with practical application, the Answers platform exemplifies the potential of gamified environments to revolutionize educational practices in the digital age.
Board Games and Entrepreneurial Skills Acquisition: A Mixed-Methods Study on the Efficacy of the EntreComp Framework in Higher Education
Authors: Ferreira Dias Marta , Alves Cristiana , Amorim Marlene
Published: October 2024

The landscape of higher education has witnessed a paradigmatic shift towards methodologies that are more interactive and engaging. The integration of gamification and board games as active learning methodologies in higher education, as well as the instruction in entrepreneurial competencies, has garnered significant interest for its potential to engage and motivate students, thereby enhancing learning outcomes. Gamification, characterized by the incorporation of game design elements into non-game contexts, offers a captivating and novel learning experience that fosters intrinsic motivation and active participation among students. One of the main ways of applying gamification is through board games, providing hands-on opportunities for students to apply theoretical knowledge in practical scenarios.
A critical aspect of this educational innovation is its contribution to the instruction of entrepreneurial competencies, a domain gaining traction within higher educational settings. The European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework (EntreComp) stands at the forefront of this educational endeavor, offering a comprehensive blueprint for cultivating entrepreneurial skills and mindsets.
This study is anchored in the context described above, with a focused aim to delineate which entrepreneurial competencies, as outlined by the EntreComp framework, are most effectively developed through these novel educational interventions. To facilitate this investigation, the "Game It Away!" project was initiated, encompassing three pilot studies. These pilots innovatively employed board games as the medium through which participants could acquire and hone their entrepreneurial skills. A key component of the learning process within these pilots was the maintenance of a learning journal by the students. This journal, filled with various reflective questions, provided a structured mechanism for participants to document and reflect upon their learning journey throughout the project. In this way, by using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, it is possible to verify the evolution of certain competences.
The integration of gamification and board games within educational settings, particularly through the lens of the "Game It Away!" project, represents a pioneering approach to fostering entrepreneurial competencies among students. This study, leveraging both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, has illuminated the substantial potential of these innovative pedagogical strategies to revolutionize the teaching and acquisition of entrepreneurial skills as outlined by the EntreComp framework.
Unified Effort: Developing a Mixed Reality Serious Game for Collaborative Crisis Management Training
Authors: Venemyr Geir Ove
Published: October 2024

Abstract: Crises and disasters include both predictable and unpredictable events. In a turbulent world that has recently experienced a pandemic and wars, and is increasingly affected by climate change, there is a growing need to develop effective public crisis management capabilities. Emergency preparedness is a critical foundation for crisis management. Training and exercises are essential components of preparedness and are becoming increasingly relevant for a wide range of organisations in society. To achieve a unified response to threatening events, a wide range of actors - with different backgrounds, objectives, competencies and organisational frameworks - must overcome the challenges of working together. To address this complex situation, forums for knowledge sharing and learning are required. Serious games in mixed reality can be used as a platform for collaborative training and serve as such a forum. Mixed reality systems connect virtual and physical reality, providing users with a sense of immersion, engagement and interaction in both environments. The aim of this paper is to design a short, serious game for collaboration training with two command levels in a mixed reality. Theories of crisis management, along with related research on serious games design, create the framework for the game. The game content was further developed in a co-design process with selected professionals. This paper describes the development of the “Unified Effort” game. The serious game is designed for basic training of municipalities and county offices in soft skills such as communication, situational awareness and group decision making. The game is not intended to replace hard skills such as procedural training and field drills, but can be used as a supplement to this type of training.
Fun and Functional: Using Non-Digital Games to Promote Maths Engagement in Pre-service Teachers
Authors: Hall Andreia , Pais Sónia , Morando Paola , Spreafico Maria Luisa Sonia
Published: October 2024

Humans naturally engage in playful activities throughout their lives and play serves as a fundamental mechanism for cognitive development as well as the development of essential soft skills such as teamwork, decision-making, leadership, and communication. Recognizing this innate predisposition for play, educators are increasingly embracing gamification strategies into their classrooms. More attention has been driven to digital tools such as platforms Kahoot! and Duolingo which gained popularity and demonstrated the potential of game-based learning to increase engagement and knowledge retention. However, concerns about digital screen time fuelled a renewed interest in non-digital activities, including educational games. Non-digital games are often more accessible and affordable, making them suitable for schools with limited resources. Research suggests that non-digital games can effectively promote collaboration, communication, and critical thinking skills. In addition, they offer flexibility to teachers to adapt rules and scenarios to specific learning objectives and student needs. Recognizing the benefits of employing games as a pedagogical strategy, the first author of this study opted to incorporate game-based learning strategies into her classes, on a regular basis. Throughout the semester, various non-digital games were implemented, inspired on well-known classics such as memory card games, Monopoly and Pictionary. These games were carefully designed to address specific mathematics topics identified as either the most relevant or those where students revealed more difficulties. The participants in this study were pre-service pre- and primary school teachers enrolled in a maths undergraduate course. Since these students are future educators, the games served a dual purpose: improving current learning experiences and providing teaching resources for their future classrooms. At the end of the semester, a survey was conducted to evaluate students’ perceptions towards the use of games in the mathematics teaching-learning process. In this paper we describe some of the games used in this study and analyse the results of the survey. Previous studies reveal that students generally welcome the incorporation of games, perceiving them as effective tools for enhancing motivation and promoting positive learning outcomes. Our findings corroborate these studies.
Embedding Psychology Themes in University Induction Using a Digital Escape Game
Authors: Josephs Jenny
Published: October 2024

An “escape room” style game was developed as an induction activity for first year psychology students, encouraged by the need for icebreakers that meet specific, relevant and transparent learning outcomes. The game concept was designed using the escapeED framework for game-based-learning (Clarke et al., 2017), including consideration of narrative, participants, theme, objectives and evaluation. Groups of up to six students worked on an iPad “board” that had clickable objects on a representation of a lecturer’s desk. Students had 20 minutes to solve four puzzles that identified objects to click on and reveal digits for a padlocked bag. However, clicking the wrong objects would cause loud music that would “disrupt the staff office”. The four puzzles symbolised learning outcomes that students will develop throughout their course, such as seeking and evaluating evidence, using maths, and referencing. The puzzles also used staff profiles to promote discussion about psychology research, prompt the development of supportive networks and relationships with staff. A realistic calendar puzzle highlighted the social and academic opportunities that students should engage in as part of the psychology community, which they could also identify as by wearing the pin badge they unlocked on completion of the game. Psychology staff facilitated reflection on icebreaker activities, including themes of teamwork and leadership roles, asking for help, and learning and adapting from mistakes. A thematic analysis of three focus groups later highlighted that students resist looking at assignment feedback and are concerned about wasting staff time in office hours. This led to recruitment of senior students to facilitate the escape room, and changes in our reflective practice tutoring to address issues raised during the game. Overall, students reported a sense of fun and competition from the activities and felt better prepared for learning after the introduction to psychology skills during induction.
Game-based Training of Cognitive Functions: An Exploratory Study Involving Seniors in Switzerland
Authors: Levati Sara , Bortolamei Massimo , Morellini Lucia , Demarchi Jessica , Metaldi Matteo , Puiatti Alessandro , Babazadeh Masiar
Published: October 2024

The aging population is resulting in a worldwide rising prevalence of individuals experiencing cognitive decline, whether it be normal age-related changes or pathological conditions. Game-based training in the form of serious games represents an alternative way to enhance cognitive functions among older people. We developed a set of games to train multiple cognitive functions of seniors, considering that their level of digital literacy can vary greatly. A participatory approach has been applied to the development process, involving a multidisciplinary research team and older people. Interviews, usability tests, and a workshop were run with ten seniors (70+) in Southern Switzerland to explore accessibility, usability, and preferences. This paper presents the development process and the games created. Six different games were designed to stimulate multiple cognitive functionalities (e.g., cognitive flexibility, attentiveness, and memory). The serious games run on a tablet. Following Laamarti’s classification, we developed the games to be applied in well-being and health areas, requiring mainly mental activities through visual modalities, played through a touchscreen in a 2D digital environment. Participants appreciated the experience and the challenges provided by the games, understanding the broader aim (cognitive functions training) and the rules, and could complete the required tasks. Feedback was provided on graphical elements (icons and colours), as well as with suggestions for improvements. The tablet appeared to be functional and relatively easy to use, even for first timers. The promising results of this participatory study pave the way for the follow-up phase of the project, which will gather data on the usage of the application and its effectiveness with a greater number of subjects.
Do Video Games Enhance Competencies & Skills? Study Case: Civil Engineering Students
Authors: Urcid Puga Rodrigo , Ballinas-González Romeo , Rodríguez-Vázquez Jorge-Arturo
Published: October 2024

The following article is a text that shows the relevance of including video games as part of an academic technique that promotes coexistence, communication, teamwork, develop some skills, competencies, and creativity among members of the university community -professors and students-. The objective of this research is to show the results obtained in a dynamic organized by the Civil Engineering department of a private university in Puebla, Mexico. The idea is to hold a private session and play “Call of Duty: Warzone II”. It should be noted that with this activity the students can learn a specific content, in this case, the analysis of a hydraulic press, how it is built and how it works. In addition, the activity carried on, helped to create a better bond between teachers and students, but above all, showed the possibilities to generate greater interest in learning and to get the students actively involved in one topic. The theoretical framework on which this research lies in the following topics: Game-Based Learning -GBL-, innovative education focused on video games as community generators, and the importance of the development of certain skills among college students. The methodology that this study has, is quantitative. Particularly, a questionnaire -Likert scale-, is carried out to the students who participated in this dynamic. The main results show that the people who were in the virtual session are excited to interact under another type of scenarios that goes beyond the classroom, and that “breaking” the barrier between teacher and alumni becomes a differentiating and innovative element. In educational matters, they consider that the learning obtained from a video game is something that they had not contemplated; Added to this, the students ensure that working as a team, communicating their needs and doubts between peers, and getting involved in this kind of forums helps generate greater interest in engineering and acquire new knowledge. Finally, it can be concluded that video games nowadays are an indispensable tool not only to foster an online community but to take the teaching and learning process to another level.
Abuzaharen's Challenge: Building Sustainability Competencies through Science-Fiction Narratives and Game-based Learning
Authors: Paxinos Stathi , Robertson David
Published: October 2024

This paper presents a case study of the evolution of science-fiction themed game-based learning across two Masters units in a higher education course on sustainable development. The authors created three  sustainability games to be played by classes in live workshop settings – a card matching game about  urban challenges, a hackathon-style sustainability innovation challenge, and a systemic change analysis game - to build students’ capacity to think about systems, sustainability values, and strategies to advance positive change. The story of a bumbling, but well-intentioned, alien protagonist, Abuzaharen, serves as a dynamic backdrop to the games, which see students ‘transported’ to an alternative reality to complete time-bound challenges in a rigorous yet engaging manner in order to find their way ‘home’ to Earth. This paper documents how each game’s narrative, storytelling, design, and play evolved through multiple iterations over four years, drawing on critical reflection, evidence of engagement and student feedback. The paper also reflects on the affordances of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) for game-based learning designers. One of the games has integrated GenAI to make Abuzaharen a real-time character in the delivery of the game, including judging student’s innovation pitches and generating live narrative content about game outcomes. The GenAI alien agent subsequently appears in ‘regular’ learning content as a course tutor. Qualitative feedback and educator observations suggest the games increased active class participation, built peer connections, fostered skills in problem-solving, promoted collaboration, and modelled creativity. The games also challenge existing narratives about negative impacts of GenAI on tertiary education by illustrating productive and creative uses of GenAI for students and educators. This paper argues that immersive, narrative-driven approaches, coupled with the strategic use of GenAI, can significantly enrich higher education for sustainability and other educational experiences by scaffolding selected competencies and applying complex concepts to real-world challenges in a light-hearted way. It concludes with practice-led insights and directions for future exploration of interest to sustainability educators, designers of interactive learning, and those experimenting with GenAI in narrative-based games.
A Child-Centred Design Evaluation of a Learning Game to Improve Children’s Legal Capability
Authors: Magkafa Dimitra , Watkins Dawn , Hemsley Suzannah , Mills Charlotte , George Ann , Wood Clare
Published: October 2024

Children lack awareness and understanding of their rights and the law. There is a need to address this gap and empower children to become advocates for their rights when they encounter law-related issues. A promising approach to achieving this is through the use of games. In particular, games focused on learning have evolved into novel tools that can raise awareness as well as help children acquire essential skills. In this paper, we present a child-centred design approach to evaluating the initial version of a learning game designed to help children across a wide age range (3-15 years) and with diverse characteristics, improve their legal knowledge, skills, and confidence. This study supports the integral role and value of child participation in testing the usability of a law-based learning game and shaping its design. A mixed methods approach, grounded in user-centred principles, was employed to assess the first prototype (P1) of the game. 45 children from various schools and early years settings in South Yorkshire and the Midlands, UK were involved. This included children from: 1) advisory groups, 2) case study groups, and 3) game development groups, with an age range of 4 to 16 years old. School staff were also invited to give their feedback. Quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through questionnaires, and field note observations, and analyses were conducted through both thematic analysis and non-parametric statistical methods. We found the game was received positively overall, but further development was needed to make it accessible and engaging, especially for the youngest participants. Importantly, participants of diverse ages and characteristics shared valuable insights into enhancements to make the game more intuitive, interactive, and enjoyable, and these findings informed the development of the beta version of the game.
Mastering the Game: How Level Structure and Game Elements Shape Competency Acquisition
Authors: Richter Katharina , Kickmeier-Rust Michael , Tschirky Dominik
Published: October 2024

Understanding the dynamics of level structure and game elements in digital educational games is paramount to fostering competency acquisition. How levels are organized within a game, along with the use of various game elements, has a significant impact on the learning outcomes and skill development of individuals. Through the strategic design and implementation of these components, educational games can effectively engage learners and facilitate the acquisition of competencies in multiple domains. In addition to structure, the integration of gamification elements can have a profound impact on learner engagement and sustainable skill acquisition. Therefore, a key element for the success of a serious game is to create appropriate personalization and a balanced relationship between learning and gaming experience. As a result, a mini-game called "Basketball Physics Challenge" has been designed to be integrated into an intelligent, adaptive physical learning game centered around force and motion as part of an ongoing research project. By playing the game "Basketball Physics Challenge", players will apply their understanding of basic physics principles in a realistic, interactive, and virtual setting. An experimental design was used to test the mini-game, in which a gamified and a non-gamified version were used and compared. 20 participants completed the experiment, and their learning progress was meticulously tracked. Using competency-based knowledge space theory, the mini-game facilitated in-game competency assessment, enabled monitoring of learning progress, tailored learning experiences, and provided individualized formative feedback. The pilot was used to develop and implement a competency model that will be the subject of future in-depth studies. The results indicated that the gamified version of the game led to slightly higher engagement and performance levels compared to the non-gamified version, although the difference in learning outcomes between the two versions was not statistically significant. The analysis also showed that an optimal number of levels and a balanced integration of game elements are crucial for maintaining engagement without causing cognitive overload. Furthermore, the order in which the game versions were presented affected player performance, with initial exposure to gamification leading to better outcomes. These findings provide valuable information for the design of educational games and their effectiveness in skill acquisition. This research supports the development of powerful educational technologies that enhance learning through a coherent level structure and meaningful use of game elements that effectively promote learner engagement.
The Expert, The Novice, and The Skeptic: Game Literacy and Pedagogical Practice
Authors: Staaby Tobias
Published: October 2024

This qualitative case study explores how teachers' video game literacy impacts their pedagogical use of the digital game The Walking Dead in an ethics education course at a Norwegian high school. The research question addressed is: how is teachers' pedagogical use of a digital game impacted by their levels of video game literacy? The study followed seven teachers, varying in teaching and gaming experience, over two semesters. Observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data on the teachers' experience and pedagogical practice using The Walking Dead in their classes. Three teachers were selected for deeper analysis based them showing differences in attitudes and practices, while having similar teaching experience. These teachers were labeled "the expert," "the novice," and "the skeptic" based on their gaming literacy and attitudes. The analysis was based on a two-dimensional approach to video game literacy, emphasizing operational and cultural literacy. The results show that operational literacy impacted how teachers perceived and used various game elements, especially how they identified and framed the game’s dilemmas. The expert and novice saw the game's narrative as an important contextual resource for engaging with the dilemmas, while the skeptic saw it as merely a backdrop. The skeptic also had difficulties distinguishing between relevant and less relevant aspects of the game relative to the learning goal. Cultural literacy mainly impacted the teachers' ability to differentiate between students' perceptions and experiences of the game and different modes of playing. The expert had a more nuanced approach to how students perceived the game's motivational power, emphasizing the story's importance. The novice and expert explicitly instructed students to distinguish between playing for fun and playing to learn, while the skeptic made less of a distinction and saw playing the game more as a standalone learning activity. The findings suggest that teachers' video game literacy can significantly influence pedagogical use of digital games. Higher levels of operational and cultural literacy enable teachers to better navigate the game's elements, guide students' engagement, and facilitate connections between gameplay and learning objectives.
Games in Mathematics Education: Trends and Methodological Approaches in the Context of the Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education (CERME) Review
Authors: Alkan Selçuk , Memiş Yasin , Akın Ayça
Published: October 2024

This study aimed to examine the studies on digital games presented in The Congress of European Research in Mathematics Education (CERME) using a systematic analysis approach in terms of research method, data collection tool, and how they define digital games. Sixteen studies related to games were selected from the proceedings. The findings of the research revealed that the number of studies on games has increased in recent years, and the interest of the mathematics education community in this subject has gradually increased. It was seen that qualitative research approaches were used in most of these studies. As a data collection tool, a semi-structured or clinical interview form was mainly used. To reach more comprehensive results, it is necessary to give importance to quantitative research approaches and even to prefer the use of both approaches together. It was indicated that the tendency towards mathematical reasoning and puzzle games has continued predominantly in recent years. Although it was seen that the number of studies on digital games has increased in the last five years, only six studies in total were presented at the CERME. Moreover, three digital games developed by using the tools in the context of dynamic geometry environments were found. Another significant finding was that most of these studies did not define games. Only a few studies that defined the game considered the game as a tool used to acquire a mathematical concept or knowledge. Based on the findings, it can be argued that digital games are not among the interests of the mathematics education community. Finally, it was observed that mathematical theorems and approaches were central to the studies reviewed. Games were generally defined as tools within these studies. Therefore, future research should particularly consider fundamental game features such as game mechanics to create more integrated research environments with mathematics education.
A Preliminary Study of Context Integration as A Determinant in The Effectiveness of Digital Mathematics Games
Authors: Alkan Selçuk , Akın Ayça , Er Zübeyde
Published: October 2024

Contexts in the digital learning environment are one of the crucial components regarding students’ motivation and positive attitude development toward content. Although there is not enough guiding information in the literature about how contexts should be, previous research has shown that even digital game contexts are effective in developing students’ environmental awareness. To reveal the impact of contexts in the digital learning environment, it is necessary to consider the variables regarding the socio-economic and cultural status of the students. Therefore, it can be envisaged that the effect of digital game contexts may differ depending on students’ experiences and social environments. For this purpose, digital games were designed in two different contexts in this research. In these digital games, two opposite contexts were selected. The first context was focused on saving nature and green energy. This context includes different levels of digital games on topics such as solar energy, reforestation, and clean water sources. The second context was focused on unregulated industrial development that negatively affects nature by ignoring it. This context includes different levels of digital games such as building thermal power plants, building chemical factories, and turning forests into fields. Apart from the contexts, the other variables in both games (i.e., gameplay, artistic structure, levels of problem parameters) are the same. At each game level, students were asked to solve mathematical problems regarding ratio-proportion. In this study, the preliminary findings, which were derived from a large experimental study, were presented. The participants of this study were 15 gifted eighth-grade students from Turkey. Among the participants, eight students played the digital game regarding the context of green energy, and the remaining seven students played the digital game regarding the context of unregulated industrial development. Preliminary findings showed that students were more interested in the digital game regarding the context of unregulated industrial development as it included interesting and beneficial topics such as energy generation and economic development. The resident perception of the citizens regarding the acute need for energy generation and economic development rather than saving nature and green energy since Turkey represents a developing country may explain this finding.