Vivian Hsueh-Hua Chen

Ubiquitous games for learning (UbiqGames): Weatherlings, a worked example

This paper provides a rationale for a class of mobile, casual, and educational games, which we call UbiqGames. The study is motivated by the desire to understand how students use educational games in light of additional distractions on their devices, and how game design can make those games appealing, educationally useful, and practical. In particular, we explain the choices made to build an engaging and educational first example of this line of games, namely Weatherlings. Further, we report results from a pilot study with 20 students that suggest that students are engaged by the game and are interested in learning more about academic content topics, specifically weather and climate, after playing the game. Research should continue to determine whether Weatherlings specifically does increase learning in these areas, and more generally to determine whether any learning gains and similar results with regard to engagement can be replicated in other content areas following the general model for game design.

Midwives with mobiles: A dialectical perspective on gender arising from technology introduction in rural Indonesia:

Mobile phones were introduced to rural midwives in tsunami-affected Indonesia, allowing them to contact medical experts and communicate with patients. Ninety-two interviews were conducted with midwives, coordinators, doctors, and village representatives. This study applies a dialectical perspective to supplement the analytical frame of the ICT for healthcare development model (Chib et al., 2008), by addressing the multi-dimensionality of benefits and barriers. The theory of dialectical tension (Baxter and Montgomery, 1996) situates the conceptual discussion around the struggles between autonomy and subordination within gender roles, personal growth versus technological competency, and issues of economic and resource control in traditional hierarchies. We find that midwives engage in legitimization strategies, develop peer support, and focus on strategic issues to develop the capacity for agency and autonomy, despite socio-organizational barriers. Specific recommendations are offered, focusing on the resourcefulness and desire of women.

Senior-friendly technologies: interaction design for senior users

The elderly represent a valid group of users who can potentially benefit greatly from engaging with technology, such as healthcare systems or playing digital games. Yet, less attention has been given to the significance of senior citizens as technology users, as compared to the common younger population. In an effort to fill in the gap, this workshop aims to investigate the design of technology for senior citizens. To provide for more focused, thus more productive discussion, we will use elderly mobile phone games as a case in point here. The overarching objective is to understand what can help to make for better and more meaningful use of interactive applications and technology by the elderly, for instance, games on the mobile phone.

Enjoyment or engagement? role of social interaction in playing massively mulitplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGS)

Based on data collected through 40 in-depth interviews, it is found that (a) the balance between perceived challenges and skills, and (b) the types of in-game social interactions can both facilitate and impede the enjoyment of game playing. Through these two factors, a conclusive link was also found between game enjoyments and a gamers engagement level. Engaged gamers experience optimal enjoyment more frequently and value the importance of social interactions more than non-engaged gamers. In addition, game enjoyment can be enhanced through game design and it can also be adversely affected by real world contextual factors and technical difficulties. More importantly, the study underlines the importance of social interaction. Social interaction is the key factor that determines the level of engagement of gamers. For engaged gamers, social interaction is essential in this gaming experience. For non-engaged gamers, social interaction is not important and they have little tolerance of negative social interaction within the game.

The changing dynamic of social interaction in World of Warcraft: the impacts of game feature change

This study examines how changes in game features through patches and expansions can affect the social interaction within massively multiplayer games. Since patches and expansions are now commonplace within massively multiplayer games, understanding of the relationship would enable better production of social capital. In-depth interviews uncovered that the recent changes to the World of Warcraft affect in-game social interaction in 3 aspects. The areas of social interaction affected included interpersonal relationships, community size and social alienation. The discussions highlight how these findings can advance models of social interaction within MMOs.

Young school children's use of digital devices and parental rules

Children voluntarily souk parental approval to use digital device.Major parental rule on device use is to set time limits.Playing games is the most common activity. This paper looks at the usage of digital devices and parental rules among Singaporean children who are in their first two years of school. It examines the young childrens usage of personal computers, mobile phones and tablet PCs. One hundred and sixteen children participated in the interviews. The children were asked about their access to the digital devices, whether they sought permission from parents as well as parental rules with regard to the usage. There is high home computer access of 96%. Children reported using personal computers mainly for playing games and for e-learning. All children interviewed reported having access to mobile phones. However, only 57% reported having access to tablet devices. Most of the children reported that they sought parental permission for use of these devices. There seems to be more parental rules for computer use than for mobile and tablet devices, the most common rules being not to play games until completion of homework, and health concerns such as having enough rest and not to strain the eyes. The children were also asked about their offline leisure activities, which are mostly spent on watching television and playing outdoor games. The paper also discusses gender differences and implications for parenting.

Becoming an ideal co-creator: Web materiality and intensive laboring practices in game modding

This article focuses on the concept of labor in co-creation, arguing that its definition needs to be expanded to include a process of intensity. Intensity foregrounds the different degrees in which participants involve themselves in a craft, and also the elements of time, effort, and affectivity. Using game modification as a case study, the article analyzes how automated, computerized systems of evaluations, embedded into webpages, can create grounds for a self-understanding of productive abilities. Maneuvering through the three registers of industry, websites, and game modders, it examines the discourses of evaluative systems and details how participants use these technologies to self-manage and calibrate their labor. Interviews showed that the increasingly competitive drive for optimal standards of production comes at a cost to the well-being of participants. Studies of labor therefore need to consider the “intense” aspect of participatory production, and the impact it may have on its participants.

A narrative-driven design approach for casual games with children

This paper proposes a design approach to build casual games by children for children. Children understand game narratives with previously acquired schemata that is different from adults. Hence, integrating narrative developed by children themselves into game design may serve the children well. Using a narrative approach to game design based on informant design methods, the proposed approach aims to maximize the contribution of both children informants and adult designers. It comprises of three major phases, namely Narrative Design, Game Design and Design Moderation. A mobile phone game was developed based on this approach. User testing revealed that the children generally enjoyed the game and that the proposed approach has promising potential in empowering the child designers. Future work will focus on further evaluation of the approach for refinement.

Cheating Behaviors in Online Gaming

Online game cheating is a rampant misbehavior in the domain of online gaming. However, there is still lack of research in attempt to understand online game cheating. Hence, this paper focuses on the available literature on cheating and gaming to explore and understand the phenomenon of online game cheating. This paper examines the frameworks of cheating and how virtual community is affected by this misbehavior. This paper also explores the concept of fairness in gaming. The implications are discussed in conclusion.

Group identification as a mediator of the effect of players’ anonymity on cheating in online games

This study aims to add to the discussion about the applicability of the classical deindividuation theory and social identity model of deindividuation effects (SIDE) in explaining online behaviours. It explores the effect of anonymity in facilitating social influence of group identity in online game cheating. A nationally representative survey was conducted face to face. Results from the survey administered in Singapore confirm predictions derived from the SIDE and challenge the classical deindividuation theory. Specifically, it was concluded that the frequency of gaming with online strangers (anonymous gaming) significantly predicted the frequency of cheating in online games. The effect of anonymity on game cheating was found to be significantly mediated by the group identification with online gaming communities/groups. Gender differences were found. Male gamers cheated more frequently than female gamers. Female gamers are more likely to cheat as a consequence of group identification than male gamers. Implications and future research are discussed.