Amri Yusoff

A Conceptual Framework for Serious Games

A considerable number of serious games have been developed over the last ten years, with varying degrees of success. Due to a lack of clear standards and guidelines for game developers, it is difficult to justify claims that a specific game meets the learner’s requirements and/or expectations. This paper defines a conceptual model for serious games that will contribute to their design and the measurement of achievement in meeting their learning outcomes.

Validation of Serious Games Attributes Using the Technology Acceptance Model

The paper introduces a conceptual model for the design of serious games and uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) for its validation. A specially developed game introduced international students to public transport in Southampton. After completing the game, participants completed a short questionnaire and the data was analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results identified the attributes and combinations of attributes that led the learner to accept and to use the serious game for learning. These findings are relevant in helping game designers and educational practitioners design serious games for effective learning.

Does colour matter? Genetic differentiation of colour morphs of the Asian golden web spider Nephila antipodiana (Araneae: Nephilidae)

Here we present the first attempt to test for genetic differentiation among four distinct colour morphs of the Asian golden web spider Nephila antipodiana Walckenaer. Fragments of the 18S rRNA (18S) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) genes were sequenced in eight populations of N. antipodiana belonging to four distinct colour morphs: yellow, yellowish green, and two newly discovered morphs, reddish yellow and white-spotted. The nuclear sequences amplified from females of the four colour morphs were identical. The mitochondrial COI sequences, on the other hand, revealed slightly higher variation by recovering three haplotypes belonging to two different clades. Clade I comprises yellow, yellowish green and reddish yellow morphs from the mainland of Southeast Asia and Java, whereas clade II is restricted to white-spotted morph originating from Borneo. The low genetic divergence between both clades, despite being distinctive, undoubtedly provides new insight into the genetic diversity of this polymorphic species.

The efficiency of an automated centralized remote monitoring system (ACRMS) for precision forestry

Forest ecosystems have always received worldwide attention due to their biological diversity and major role in the global atmospheric balance. One case example in Malaysia is the Royal Belum forest which has not been spared from land clearing or illegal activities by the irresponsible individuals, although this area has been gazetted as a protected area preserved for future generations. The main aim of this research is to utilize and to evaluate an automated object-based change detection method for detecting changes within the ecosystem. The methodology of this research consists of an instructional design used to develop this prototype and system architecture to explain clearly to the reader about the conducted research. The proposed method consists of standalone boxes, with the case contained multi-sensors like humidity and temperature and hydrogen gas sensors. The test-bed was conducted for two phases from December 2014 and April 2015. We compared the data gained from the upper part of the forest and the lower part of the forest to see if there are any occurrences involving the lower part because from the study, and also information from Royal Belum Institution, it is stated that there are illegal logging activities at the lower part of the forest. A model based on Technology Acceptance Model has been developed namely First Order Structural Deforestation Modeling for the Effect of Environmental Data to see the correlation between variables at upper and lower parts. This result will benefit the relevant authority in protecting forest ecosystem.

The application of environmental data from a real-time forest monitoring system to develop games as an engineering course teaching aid

The forest ecosystem is essential for supplying natural resources to the flora and fauna. The forest is an irreplaceable sanctuary, although currently it is exposed to illegal logging by greedy human beings, and this has significantly affected the forest. As a result of this illegal activity, unhealthy phenomenon has surfaced. Hence, the methodology of this research is concerned about developing a remote monitoring device that could capture critical real-time data, such as temperature, humidity, gaseous content, and fire and rain detection, which could indicate the current and the preserved natural state and habitat in the forest. The prototype was implemented at selected locations in the Royal Belum Forest to monitor and gather data at two phases. The outcomes from this research will be used in the development of a series of games as teaching aids that can make aware our future generation about the depletion of the rainforest and its impact upon the environment.