Serious Games Pedagogy Guide

Creating Serious Games
Pedagogical point of view
Jože Rugelj
University of Ljubljana
Faculty of Education
Chair of Didactics of Computer Science

Introduction
§ Characteristics of efficient approaches to education:
Ø student centered
Ø problem based
Ø motivational
Ø active
Ø directed to higher ordered educational goals
Ø supported by ICT
§  Serious games can integrate most of the
characterstics mentioned above.
§  Take the simplest and most efficient technology!
ALICT summer school 2

Games and learning
§  Children’s play is important activity where they develop
skills for life regardless of age or level of development:
Ø  quick adoption to new circumstances
Ø  handling change with ease.
§  When child plays, she discovers concepts from real world
and fundamental relationships between them are made.
§  Games provide motivation for learning, thus increasing
the chance that the desired learning outcomes will be
achieved.
§  But motivation is just prerequisite for learning.
It is not enough!

When an activity is a game?
§  Lots of different opinions from various researches about
characteristics that make certain activity a game.
§  Johnston suggests that such features:
Ø dynamic visuals,
Ø well defined goals,
Ø applied rules, and
Ø constant interaction.
§  Thorton claims the most important aspect of the game is interactivity.
§  Malone points out four elements of computer games:
Ø fantasy,
Ø curiosity,
Ø challenge, and
Ø control.

§  Authors of the book “Serious games” define game as
voluntary activity (a form of freedom) separated from
real life (imaginary world that may have or not have
relation to real life), absorbs the player’s full attention
and is played according to established rules that all
players have to follow.

Serious Games
§  Serious games must
Ø have well defined learning goals and
Ø promote development of important strategies and
skills to increase cognitive and intellectual abilities of
learners.
§  Important elements contributing to educational values of
games are sensual stimuli, fantasy, challenge and
curiosity (desire to know or learn).

Game design process - SADDIE
Phases in production process
§  Specification of “didactical problem”
§  Analysis
curricullum, time, resources, technology, …
§  Design
content, “story”, graphical, feedback, …
§  Development
§  Implementation
§  Testing and Evaluation

Specification
§  It is mainly didactical task!
§  Done by teacher or other expert for teaching/learning
§  Identifiaction of weak points in learning process that need
special support
§  Identification of learning goals and outcomes
§  Some general ideas about the solution of the identified
problem: didactic appoaches, ...
§  Importance of compatibility with curriculum in accredited
(formal) education

§  In well designed serious games instructional content is
blurred within game characteristics.
§  Students play the game and have fun, forgetting about
the “learning” part of the experience.
(Eventhough they are constantly presented with new
concepts which they have to adapt in order to be
successful in game.)
§  Important role of pedagogs and cognitive psychologists in
definition of learning goals and didactical approaches in
serious learning games design.

§  The first step in development process is to determine
what you want the learning outcomes to be!
(e.g. affective change, behavioural change, productivity
improvement, what will be result of game intervention, ...)
§  Learning goals are exprresed in terms of learning
outcomes.
§  What people learn? (i.e. different types of knowledge:)
Ø  facts
Ø  concepts
Ø  rules
Ø  procedures
Ø  soft skills

§  Different types of game design techniques to effectively
convey knowledge.
§  Knowledge to be taught dictates the design techniques
and game mechanics.
§  ! Mistake: Using same techniques to teach different types
of knowledge

§  Classification schemes == hierarchies for defining
knowledge (Bloom's taxonomy):
Ø lower levels prerequisite for upper
Ø identification of type of content and the domains
§  Meno’s paradox:
“How can you learn something you know nothing of?”

Analysis
§  Analysis phase should bring more info and the framework
for the final product (i.e. didactic game).
§  The authors need to analyse different resources, which
are important during production and use of the game :
Ø  targert groups (students, teachers, parents)
Ø  human resources and their competences
Ø  production deadlines
Ø  compatibility with curriculum
Ø  availability of development environment and software tools
Ø  availability of hardware resources
Ø  support from the home institution

§  Analysis of learning outcomes:
Ø  type of knowledge required
Ø  didactical methods (instructional strategies) needed
Ø  game techniques
§  Types of knowledge to be learned (Kapp, 2012):
Ø  declarative
Ø  conceptual
Ø  rule-based
Ø  procedural
Ø  soft skills

Design
§ Telling stories is fundamental to the design of serious
games.
§ Use of narrative has long been used to support learning
(telling stories, alegories, scenarios, …)
§ Learner can identify with characters and situations;
moving learning from abstract situation into context with
meaning and purpose.

§ Story is not just a simple sequence of events;
it has a structure with five parts:
Ø exposition (of the situation);
Ø rising action (through conflict);
Ø climax (or turning point);
Ø falling action; and
Ø resolution.

§ A story is set in a consistent narrative world, based around
situation in an environment.
§ Characters experience events, interact through dialogues.
§ 3 fundamental differences between stories in game and
stories elswhere:
Ø  interaction (player interacts, shapes story development)
Ø  action (selecting “path”, direction, choice in the story)
Ø  immersion (in the environment, association with character)
§ Story in a game can be more simple as player is active.
§ Limited choice as all paths need to be predefined.

§ The role of a story in a game:
Ø pulls player forward through the experience
(rationale for action, context for problem solving)
Ø create a desire to achieve goals
Ø create a desire to see what happens next
§ Relation story vs. gameplay; depends on game type
(adventure, role playing, interactive fiction, alternate reality games)
§ Structure of the story in games:
Ø linear
Ø branching
Ø open
Ø with keypoints

§ How can a story be communicated to a player?
Ø live action (observation of characters, ...)
Ø narration (clips, artefacts: letters, journals, parrot ...)
Ø dialogue (what characters think, feel, ...)
§ In the following sections we are going to present how the
types of learning goals, identified in the analysis, suggest
the use of methods for teaching as well as game
techniques in the design phase.
§ Some sample games will be used to illustrate the presented
methods and techniques.

Declarative knowledge
§  = factual knowledge = verbal knowlege
§  Any piece of info that can be learned through
memorization
§  Consists of
Ø  facts
Ø  terminology
Ø  jargon, acronyms
§  Needed for higher levels, facts need to be learned first
§  Usually based on behaviourist learning theory

Methods for teaching facts
§  Elaboration
linking new info with previous info, showing relation of new facts
with previous knowledge (context)
§  Organising
placing facts into logical groupings, "chunking”
§  Association
linking term to its image, linking term to its definition
§  Repetition

Game techniques for declarative knowledge
Stories
§  Brain has natural affinity to narrative construction.
Ø  Facts can be better remembered when told in a story than
presented as a list.
Ø  Legal arguments are more convincing in a narrative tale than in
a legal precedent.
§  Elaboration techniques for embedding facts in known
context.

Sorting and matching
§  Learner needs to place content into appropriate location
or connect two objects/facts (on factual level or above)
Ø  Example: Johnny’s World of Hardware
Replayability
§  Playing games more times, with some changing elements,
suports memorization.
§  Keeping content fresh, but still conected to facts that need
to be memorized.
Ø  Examples: Calculus drill games

‘Johnny’s World of Hardware’ game
§  The goal of the game is to help Johnny to repair
computer.
§  Learning goal:
Ø getting familiar with PC components
§  Mini games for collecting points
(repetition, matching)
§  Points needed to buy damaged
components (story)
§  Target audience: primary school

Conceptual knowledge
§  Grouping of similar or related ideas, events or objects
§  They have common attribute or set of attributes
(ex: concepts of: free market, math proofs, virus, Trojan horse ...)
§  Instructional strategies
Ø  Methaphoric devices
Ø  Examples and non-examples
Ø  Attribute classification
§  Game techniques
Ø  Matching and sorting items or contents based on the attributes
of that items, not based on memorisation
Ø  Experiencing the concept players are learning about
Ø  Experiencing examples and non-examples of the concept

‘Planets of Variables’ game
§  The goal of the game is to organize the logistics for delivery
of goods to some planets in the universe.
§  Learning goals:
Ø  variables (types, declarations,…)
Ø  assignments
§  Target audience: primary school
§  Semantic model, independent
of syntax
§  Understanding of concepts

Learning goals of the game
§  Pupil after playing a game
Ø  understands the idea of variable,
Ø  knows variable has a name,
Ø  is aquainted with with types of variables,
Ø  is aware of the fact that different types are not compatible,
Ø  knows that different types require different amount of memory,
Ø  is familiar with assignement statements,
Ø  is aware of meaning of both “sides” of assignment,
Ø  knows what is the value of variable after assignment,
Ø  can predict the values of variables after executing part of a
program (with several assignements).

Game 1: Cleaning up the mess in the lab

Game 2: Carriers

“Sick computers” game
§ Student project in the Use of ICT in Education course
§ The learning goal of the game is to explain how viruses,
worms and Trojan horses affect computers.
§ Target audience:
secondary school
§ Understanding of concepts
§ Game technique:
Doctor (player) talks with the
patients and tries to diagnose
their “disease”.
Then he can prescribe
appropriate medicine.

Rule-based knowlege
§  Rule is a statement that express relationship between concepts.
§  Rules provide parameters dictating a preferred behaviour with
predicatble results (e.g. etiquete).
Ø Providing examples
Ø Role playing
§  Game techniques:
Ø experience consequences of not following the rule,
Ø simulate work tasks,
Ø playing board games that outlines and provides the rules that
must be learned,
Ø sorting or matching items according to rules to be learned.

“Nick and Social Networks” game
With the help of applications will make students familiar about the pros
and cons of social networks. The player helps the main character Niko
to increase its popularity
so that the correct
decisions relating to the
use of social networks
to collect points and
consequentlly friends.
Every correct decision
increases the number
of friends who want to
attend his birthday
party.

The objectives of the game are that the student learns get
familiar with social network, its strengths and weaknesses. It
can also provide information and develop the right attitude
toward the protection of property rights and privacy.
The game is aimed
at primary school
children, who learn
about internet
safety and social
networking.

Procedural knowledge
§  A series of steps that need to bo followed in particular
order to reach a specific outcome
§  Step by step instructions for performing a task
Ø Start with a “big picture”
Ø Teach “how” and “why”
§  Game techniques
Ø Practice following the procedure in difficult situation (simulator)
Ø Presenting challenge to overcome following the procedure
Ø Experiencing procedure in various modes
(demo, tutorial, play mode/test, free play, ...)

‘Fiona and Computer Network’ game
§  Student project in the Use of ICT in Education course
§  The goal of the game is to help Fiona to connect to the
Internet and to set up local area network
§  Learning goals:
Ø  to set up networking components
§  Target audience: secondary school
§  Learning procedures needed to set
up a local area network

Learning goals and goals of the game
§  Learning goals are usually not identical to goals of the
game
§  Computer games motivate via fun, instant visual feedback,
challenge, curiosity and fantasy, active participation,
intrinsic and prompt feedback, challenging (achievable)
goals and mix of uncertainty and open-endedness.
§  Achivements usually represent goals in the game.
§  Achivements affect:
Ø performance,
Ø motivation,
Ø attitude.

Measurement vs. Completion Achievements
§  Measurement Achievements (MA)
Ø  MA given to player for completing task to certain degree.
Ø  Performace measured against other players, own performance or
standard set by game designers.
Ø  MA are evalutive in nature => can be linked to feedback
=>reflection increases perception of competence =>intrinsic
motivation
§  Completion Acheivements (CA)
Ø  offered as an award for completening task
Ø  no assessment of player’s performance of task
Ø  performance contingent vs. non-performace contingent achiv.;
(latter requires no skills or efforts to complete)

Ø  rewards can decrease players sense of authonomy
=> less intrinsic motivation
Ø  getting a reward also decrease willingness for replay
Ø  players less likely take risks (to get a reward earlier)
§  Boring tasks need to be “paired” with extrinsic motivations
(e.g. achievements)
Ø  intrinsic motivation not affected by rewards
§  Interesting tasks do not need achivements, learners just
need feedback.

Achievement Difficulty
§  Actual difficulty needs to be on a level, that is attainable
but challenging for players. (i.e. ZPD)
=> best performance and enjoyment
§  Player’s efficacy must be high enough for them to feel
confident in attempting it.
§  Four factors affecting self efficacy:
1. level of expertise on the subject matter
2. vicarious* experience (e.g. using leaderboard)
*experienced in the imagination through the feelings/actions of another person
3. social persuasion: givng s.o. verbal boost (e.g. “well done”)
4. how a person feels: stress level, emotional condition, percieved
physical state.

Goal Orientation
§  Two types of goal orientation:
Ø performance orientation
Ø mastery orientation
§  Performance orientation:
Ø  player concerned with others’ performance
Ø  typical for games
Ø  less in-game risks
Ø  less exploration
Ø  player typically perform better only with simple, non-complex tasks
§  For complex tasks (creativity, strategies) instill mastery
orientation.

§  Permanence and visibilty of achievements
§  Negative achievements
Ø  do not punish player for failures
Ø  rather provide feedback within the system
§  Achivements as currency
Ø  currency for completening tasks
Ø  use currency to enhance game
Ø  it shoud not be the main reason for playing
§  Competitive vs. non-competitive (cooperative) achievements
Ø  advanced players can help less experienced
Ø  keep groups small
Ø  metrics should assess individual performance within group

Development
§  Development phase is to great extent determined by the
results of the analysis and design phase.
§  All the “ideas” need to be implemented using different
graphic tools and programming languages or game
machines.
§  From the pedagogical point of view, there are no crucial
activities this phase.
§  The main emphasis in this phase is on graphical design
(characters, artefacs, scenes) and on technical tools used
to “materialise” the story and dialogs from the scenario.

Implementation
§  In the implementation phase teacher has to integrate the
game into teaching/learning.
§  Very often playing games is a time consuming process =>
limited time for use of alternative learning resources in
formal education
§  Some hints how to overcome this problem
§  Each of the presented methods has some positive effects
on teaching/learning

§  Suggested methodologies for integration of games into
teaching/learning:
Ø Game for motivation before the lecture
Ø Teacher playing game during the lecture
Ø Game as a group activity in the classroom
Ø Game as a home activity / independent learning

Motivation before the lecture
§  The importance of motivation
§  The game environment can be used to focus the student’s
attention on what needs to be learned
§  Motivational elements
Ø  Illustration of the era (time and space)
Ø  Identification with the main character
§  Activities:
Ø  Teacher showing scenes as an illustration before the lesson
Ø  Teacher showing parts of the game before the lesson
§  Recommendation: the activity should be followed by gameplay

Teacher playing game during the lecture
§  Still traditional approach, but with the attractive/multimedia
elements
§  Illustration of the teacher’s explanation of the theme
§  Motivational elements:
Ø  Illustration of the era (time and space)
Ø  Identification with the main character
Ø  Teacher playing parts of a game during the lesson
Ø  Teacher playing minigames during the lesson
§  Recommendation: the activity should be followed by gameplay

Game as a group activity in the classroom
§  In collaboration with pupils from other locations
§  Constructivistic approach – not classical lectures
Ø  Flow experience
Ø  Challenge of the game that should fit the ability of the player
Ø  Feeling of control of the situation
Ø  Clear, appropriate and immediate feedback
Ø  Peer interaction
Ø  Collaboration: responsibility for the learning outcomes of the group and
others
§  Activities: Playing the game in groups during the lesson
§  Recommendation: time consuming – plan enough time (min. 2
hours)

Game as home activity
§  As a continuation of the first two methods
§  As a independent activity, but followed by analysis and
reflection in classroom
Ø  Flow experience
Ø  Challenge of the game that should fit the ability of the player
Ø  Feeling of control of the situation
Ø  Clear, appropriate and immediate feedback
Ø  Home activity followed by discussion/group work in classroom based on
the game, making joint conclusion, detecting and correcting
misunderstandings
§  Recomendation: some initial background is needed

Evaluation
§  The evaluation phase is very important beacuse it allows
us to check whether we have achieved the desired
learning goals.
§  Only when the goals have been achieved, it is reasonable
and justifiable to use the game for learning.
§  Standard pedagogical research methodology can be used
for evaluation.

Conclusions
§  Game can be very “powerful” instructional technology.
§  Its use can be justified by all relevant learning theories.
§  But it can only be efficient when it is properly designed
and properly integrated into learning / teaching!
§  Knowledge to be taught (i.e. learning goals) dictates
the design techniques and game mechanics.

Serious Games Pedagogy Guide

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