How people learn while playing serious games: A computational modelling approach

Wim Westera

doi:10.1016/j.jocs.2016.12.002

How people learn while playing serious games: A computational modelling approach

Wim Westera

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

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Abstract

This paper proposes a computational modelling approach for investigating the interplay of learning and playing in serious games. A formal model is introduced that allows for studying the details of playing a serious game under diverse conditions. The dynamics of player action and motivation is based on cognitive flow theory, which is expressed in quantitative terms for this purpose. Seven extensive simulation studies involving over 100,000 iterations have demonstrated the stability of the model and its potential as a research instrument for serious gaming. The model allows researchers to deeply investigate quantitative dependencies between relevant game variables, gain deeper understanding of how people learn from games, and develop approaches to improving serious game design.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	32-45
Number of pages	14
Journal	Journal of Computational Science
Volume	18
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocs.2016.12.002
Publication status	Published - 31 Jan 2017

Keywords

Serious gaming
Learning
Simulation
Modelling
Flow theory
Methodology
STRATEGIES
MOTIVATION
DESIGN

Access to Document

10.1016/j.jocs.2016.12.002

JOCS-D-16-00260R1Accepted author manuscript, 1.34 MB

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Projects

1 Finished

Rage: Realising an Applied Gaming Eco-system

Westera, W., Georgiadis, K., Saveski, G., van Lankveld, G., Bahreini, K., van der Vegt, W., Berkhout, J., Nyamsuren, E., Kluijfhout, E. & Nadolski, R.

1/02/15 → 31/07/19

Project: Research

Cite this

Westera, W. (2017). How people learn while playing serious games: A computational modelling approach. Journal of Computational Science, 18(1), 32-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocs.2016.12.002

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