Portal de Periódicos da CAPES

A Framework for Simplifying Educator Tasks Related to the Integration of Games in the Learning Flow.

2012; IEEE Computer Society; Volume: 15; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

1436-4522

Ángel del Blanco, Javier Torrente, Eugenio J. Marchiori, Iván Martínez‐Ortiz, Pablo Moreno‐Ger, Baltasar Fernández‐Manjón,

Intelligent Tutoring Systems and Adaptive Learning

Introduction In recent years, much research has been carried out in the area of digital game-based learning. Different authors have identified multiple features in digital computer and video games that can be used to address some of the challenges that educational systems face (Aldrich, 2005; Gee, 2003; Squire, 2003). Video games promote intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Garris, Ahlers, & Driskell, 2002) and producing optimal flow experiences (Chen, 2007). Although their effectiveness to improve students' performance is still under discussion (Hays, 2005), recent studies show that games can increase: (i) student engagement during instruction (Annetta. Minogue, Holmes, & Cheng 2009); (ii) academic achievement in different domains (Blunt 2007); and (iii) skills, knowledge, and attitudes, especially in the right environment and context (Pivec & Pivec 2008). Therefore the discussion should also begin to consider educational and implementation issues related to the effective integration of games in the curricula, like the lack of alignment to educational standards or the availability of the appropriate equipment (e.g., up-to-date computers) (Rice 2007). In addition, the introduction of video games in the learning flow can be disruptive for educators. Games are a new medium, where educators face up to various challenges: aligning games with curricular objectives and pedagogical foundations (especially in formal education) (Van Eck, 2006), and evaluating the learning experiences with games (de Freitas & Oliver, 2006; Hays, 2005). This paper focuses on how to facilitate the integration of video games into educational settings while at the same time minimizing disruption caused by the use of new technologies. The long-term goal is to support the integration of games in broader courses where they can coexist with other materials, minimizing the impact on the educators' workload. We present a framework that tries to address this goal by providing educators with three main tools: a) assessment of the learning outcomes and tracking student activity in the game; b) connecting assessment data with other learning activities to adapt the learning flow; and c) reuse of successful teacher-created courses that combine games and other educational materials throughout the community. We also propose a specific implementation with an application model that takes advantage of two pre-existing e-learning tools: the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS) e-learning platform (Dalziel, 2003) and the educational gaming platform (Torrente, Moreno-Ger, Martinez-Ortiz, & Fernandez-Manjon 2009). A case study was set in a primary school setting in order to gather educators' first impressions about the potential of the framework. This paper is structured as follows: First we set the motivation for this work by analyzing the main barriers posed by the application of educational gaming in educational settings. Secondly we introduce the framework and the application model in separate sections. Then we describe the case study and finally discuss our conclusions and describe future lines of work. Applying video games in education A common approach to using games inside the classroom is the use of COTS (Commercial Off-The-Shelf) computer games; that is, games that were produced for leisure but offer potential educational value. Squire (Squire, 2003) reported experiences where Civilization III was used in K-12 history courses. More recent examples include the use of games like the Tycoon sagas (Sandford, Ulicsak, Facer, & Rudd, 2006), action games (e.g., Delta Force) adapted for military training (Fong, 2006), or multiplayer role games as World of Warcraft (Dickey, 2011). In these cases, the games are used as published, giving educators little control over the process or support to track students' interactions to effectively evaluate students' performance. …