Jeffrey Earp

An update to the systematic literature review of empirical evidence of the impacts and outcomes of computer games and serious games

Continuing interest in digital games indicated that it would be useful to update Connolly et al.s (2012) systematic literature review of empirical evidence about the positive impacts and outcomes of games. Since a large number of papers was identified in the period from 2009 to 2014, the current review focused on 143 papers that provided higher quality evidence about the positive outcomes of games. Connolly et al.s multidimensional analysis of games and their outcomes provided a useful framework for organising the varied research in this area. The most frequently occurring outcome reported for games for learning was knowledge acquisition, while entertainment games addressed a broader range of affective, behaviour change, perceptual and cognitive and physiological outcomes. Games for learning were found across varied topics with STEM subjects and health the most popular. Future research on digital games would benefit from a systematic programme of experimental work, examining in detail which game features are most effective in promoting engagement and supporting learning. The current systematic literature review updates Author (date).The review looks at impacts and outcomes of playing digital games from 2009 to 2014.Multi-component coding of papers, games and learning outcomes was used.Many papers were found with 143 papers providing high quality evidence.Games for entertainment and learning addressed different outcomes.

Pedagogical plans as communication oriented objects

This paper focuses on pedagogical plans intended as objects to support human communication. Its purpose is to describe a structural model for pedagogical plans which can assist both authors and users. The model helps authors to engage in the design of a plan as a communication project and helps users in the process of understanding, customizing, enacting and evaluating an existing plan. A distinctive feature of the model is the adoption of a hierarchical representation where each plan can be represented as a hierarchical network of constituent elementary plans that focus in on more specific parts of the learning process, thus going from more general to more concrete, detailed levels. This makes it possible to approach plan authoring as a top-down process, something that presents considerable advantages. It is a valuable aid for mastering the complexity of design and at the same time represents a maieutic factor that encourages authors to establish levels of conceptualization and abstraction which would otherwise remain unexpressed. The user too comprehends the plan in terms of a top-down process, where the specific steps of a learning activity are seen as originating from more general and abstract conceptualizations. In this way communication and understanding are enhanced and facilitated. The paper provides an easy-to-understand example of a hierarchical plan and describes a prototype tool that has been developed for managing hierarchical plans. Finally some preliminary results are presented from initial application of the model and the associated tool in the context of an international research project on educational innovation in mathematics.

Supporting the Design of Pilot Learning Activities with the Pedagogical Plan Manager

Pilot actions for introducing ICT-based innovation in school education generally involve a multitude of elements and a range of different actors. Accounting for and grasping this complexity calls for systematic pedagogical planning efforts that provide a solid basis for accommodating the different perspectives, for analysing the factors at play and also for casting light on the initial assumptions and theoretical framework adopted. These are the issues currently being addressed in a European project called ReMath, in which the authors are developing and testing a prototype ICT-based tool called the Pedagogical Plan Manager (PPM). The system supports the construction and sharing of pedagogical plans within a community of different actors operating in different contexts with different visions. This paper briefly describes some of the requirements that have shaped the PPM and outlines the conceptual model on which it is based. The system is described in the light of two vital characteristics it presents for the design of learning activities, namely expressiveness and flexibility.

Hot Issues in Game Enhanced Learning: The GEL Viewpoint☆

Abstract The territory of Game Based Learning has been widely explored, yet much has still to be done in the field. Both the methodological and the empirical aspects of adopting games for educational purposes require further in-depth investigation. What are, then, the current hot issues in the field? What relevant research questions are still to be answered? This is the a rea that this paper showcases, encapsulating in a nutshell the efforts of the GEL Theme Team, a working group on Game Enhanced Learning active in the framework of the STELLAR European Network of Excellence.

Narrative Serious Game Mechanics (NSGM) - Insights into the Narrative-Pedagogical Mechanism

Narratives are used to construct and deconstruct the time and space of events. In games, as in real life, narratives add layers of meaning and engage players by enhancing or clarifying content. From an educational perspective, narratives are a semiotic conduit for evoking critical thinking skills and promoting knowledge discovery/acquisition. While narrative is central to Serious Games (SG), the relationships between gameplay, narrative and pedagogy in SG design remain unclear, and narrative’s elemental influence on learning outcomes is not fully understood yet. This paper presents a purpose-processing methodology that aims to support the mapping of SG design patterns and pedagogical practices, allowing designers to create more meaningful SGs. In the case of narrative, the intention is to establish whether Narrative Serious Game Mechanics (NSGM) can provide players with opportunities for reasoning and reflective analysis that may even transcend the game-based learning environment.

Facilitating educators' knowledge sharing with dedicated Information Systems

The process of knowledge sharing can be seen as the lifeblood for the establishment of a true Knowledge Society. Such a society must be grounded on an iterative process whereby existing knowledge is constantly shared, consolidated and - crucially - enriched with new knowledge. And knowledge sharing is the means by which that enrichment can take place. Without doubt, these processes play a vital role in the context of education, which ultimately has a strong bearing on the formation of the Knowledge Society. In this paper, knowledge sharing among educators is discussed within the context of long-term research work that the authors have carried out in the field. The paper reports on the design and development of a series of Information Systems conceived for the sharing of practices among educational practitioners. It discusses the thinking behind these different but related systems and examines how this is borne out in the implementation of key system features.

Supporting Human Capital development with Serious Games: An analysis of three experiences

Serious Games (SGs) are increasingly being used in formal educational settings and it is almost universally acknowledged that they have strong potential for bringing innovation to education and for enhancing learning, this way also contributing to the development of Human Capital. This paper proposes some reflections on the usefulness and effectiveness of SGs when used in formal learning contexts. The considerations are derived from a set of SG-based educational experiences carried out in three European countries: Italy, Spain and Romania. The paper briefly summarizes the key aspects of the three research experiences and, by referring to the main lessons learnt, it also draws some general conclusions as to the potential of SGs to support the development of Human Capital both from the cognitive and from the affective/behavioural standpoint.

Paving the Way to Game Based Learning: A Question Matrix for Teacher Reflection

We developed a conceptual tool intended to help teachers make a good start in using digital games in the classroom. The tool is a matrix of questions based on a literature search and an empirical study with teachers. Its primary aim is to foster self-reflection and communication with other practitioners or designers. It was produced in the context of the GEL Theme Team of the STELLAR European Network of Excellence.

A Multi-Dimensional Space for Learning Design Representations and Tools

One of the core activities teachers perform as part of their professional practice is conceptual preparation of educational interventions of whatever type and at whatever level of granularity: single learning opportunities and activities, sequences, lessons, units, modules, courses or even whole programmes. A longstanding pillar in the constant quest for didactical efficacy, this preparation and planning is a field of study in its own right that is attracting renewed attention.

Aspects of the Integration of Games into Educational Processes

This paper presents the results of a literature search and review focused on the integration of digital games into educational processes, specifically in primary schools. It briefly analyses around 78 papers reporting research carried out in a range of different countries and with a variety of educational objectives. The study confirms the increasing wealth of scientific studies dealing with game based learning and its implementation in formal educational contexts. This also holds true for primary education, which is at the core of this study. The review reveals that in this sector there is a predominance of papers that could be classified as theoretical or as position papers; only 78 out of more than 700 published papers surveyed actually reported concrete school experiences of any kind. Detailed analysis of this sub-group has highlighted some clues that may prove useful for interpreting the data as a whole and for reflecting on the current and future trends that they may indicate.