Design and implementation techniques for location-based learning games

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATION-

BASED LEARNING GAMES

Javier Melero

PhD Thesis Presentation

10th April 2014

Supervisors

Dr. Davinia Hernández-Leo

Dr. Josep Blat

OUTLINE

1. Introduction: Location-based learning games design

2. Model and computational representation of puzzle board

games

3. Design of location-based learning games

4. Implementation of location-based learning games

5. Conclusions and future work

PhD Thesis Presentation – JAVIER MELERO 2

OUTLINE



games





INTRODUCTION

Context and motivation:

Technology-Enhanced Learning

Game-based Learning

Technological Implementations

Digital, Tangible, Pervasive

Educational Games

Board games, adventure, platform,

etc.

Board Games

Puzzles

Quizzes

Location-based Games

FOCUS: Supporting the design and implementation of location-based learning

games

PhD Thesis Presentation – JAVIER MELERO

Game-based learning (Bottino et al., 2008; Huang et al., 2007; Ke, 2008; Sedig, 2008): •Motivating learning environments•Engage learners in meaningfullearning•Encourage active learning •Foster students’ problem solving,analytical and memory skills

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•Games do not fulfill therequirements of particulareducational situations•Teachers do not have advancedtechnological skills to create oradapt games (Frossard, 2013;Tornero et al., 2010; Yang, 2005)

Puzzle board games as educational strategy to feasibly involve teachers as game designers (Crawford, 1982; Huang et al., 2007)


INTRODUCTION



Game-based Learning

Technological Implementations

Digital, Tangible, Pervasive

Educational Games

Board games, adventure, platform,

etc.

Board Games

Puzzles

Quizzes

Location-based Games

FOCUS: Supporting the design and implementation of location-based learning

games

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The structural design of location-based learning games are often inspired by board games (Nicklas et al., 2001; Schlieder et al., 2006)

There is a gap involving teachers when designing location-based learning games that consider board games elements


Research works supporting teachers on the development of digital educational games:

•<e-Adventure>: hard to adapt, much time for development, technical skills that are beyond the level of most instructors (Frossard, 2013; Tornero et al., 2010)

•Alice, Squeak, GameMaker: more focused on students rather than supporting teachers in the creation of educational games

•ELG or Joyce: focused on computer-supported board games

•Treasure-HIT, ARLearn, Mobilogue: support the development of location-based learning games, but do not allow the customisation of elements that can be relevant to formal learning contexts

Aim: To propose a feasible approach to implement and involve teachers as designers of their own location-based games


INTRODUCTION

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Research Question and Objectives:

How can we support the design and implementation of location-based learning games by considering puzzle board’s elements?

Game-based Learning

Gamification Puzzle game boards


Mobile Learning

LearningDesign

PARTIAL OBJECTIVE 1

To model and computationally represent computer-supported puzzle board games including virtual and physical objects

PARTIAL OBJECTIVE 3

To implement and evaluate case studies involving teachers and students in different contexts and settings

PARTIAL OBJECTIVE 2

To propose a design technique to facilitate teachers the definition of their own location-based games considering puzzle board games elements


INTRODUCTION

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Research Methodology: Design-Based Research (Reeves, 2000)

Literature review on Game-based learning and analysis of literature gaps

Proposal of early conceptual model and development of puzzle game boards’ prototypes

Evaluation of the conceptual model and prototypesLiterature review

focused on mobile learning

Metaphor and development of QuesTInSitu: The Game

Evaluation in real learning contexts with teachers and students

Revision of the puzzle board metaphor

Evaluation of the revised metaphor Elaboration of design

principles for location-based games

Analysis of Practical Problems by

Researchers and Practitioners

Development of Solutions with a

Theoretical Framework

Evaluation and Testing of Solutions

in Practice

Documentation and Reflection to Produce “Design Principles”

CONTRIBUTION 3CONTRIBUTION 2

CONTRIBUTION 1

Refining the conceptual model and early design principles


INTRODUCTION

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OUTLINE



games





MODEL AND COMPUTATIONAL

REPRESENTATION OF PUZZLE BOARD GAMES

Factors for designing digital games (Coller & Scott, 2009; Fisch, 2005; Kirriemuir & McFarlane, 2004; Squire & Jenkins, 2003; Jones, 1998; Malone, 1981):

•Based on strategies that promote active learning

•Clearly define the learning goals

•Challenging and increase the level of difficulty

•Tasks and activities clearly defined

•Provide immediate feedback

•Provide supportive learning material

•Integrate hint structures to assist players

Indoors Outdoors

Pieces Slots (Board)

Physical Virtual

Puzzle Game

Objectives

Levels

Activities

Story

Learning Flow

Interactions Players’ role

Context(Space)


Overview of the conceptual model:

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CONTRIBUTION 1: A conceptual model and the associated binding for computationally representing puzzle board games designs including virtual and physical

objects

Adaptation of the 4-dimension framework proposed by de Freitas & Oliver (2006)


Conceptual model of puzzle board games design:

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gaming objectives

story

levels

activities flow

player role score

activityboardslots scaffolding

piecespieces relation

location

virtualgeo-located

hint

question

physically-located

supportive learning material




objects


Information binding:

Each virtual piece corresponds to a chunk of code (it could have associated an static image)

Each virtual slot has a predefined location in which the player has to associate a piece

Tag “rel-piece-slot” defines whether a piece has been correctly (or incorrectly) associated to a slot.

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Puzzlerels-between-pieces

piecenametypelocationscaffolding-ref

rel-between-piecespiece-id-reffeedbackscore

rels-pieces-slotsboardpiece

nametypelocationscaffolding-red

slottypeinformationlocationscaffolding-ref

rel-piece-slotpiece-id-refslot-id-reffeedbackscore




objects

• 11 secondary and higher education teachers

• Game design task using paper-snippets representing the elements of the conceptual model



objects

Need of simplifying the representation of the conceptual model to facilitate the comprehension and understanding of the different elements of the conceptual model

Exploratory user study: Understanding of the conceptual model

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OUTLINE



games





DESIGN OF LOCATION-BASED LEARNING GAMES


CONTRIBUTION 2: A metaphor that considers puzzle board games to allow teachers the design of their own location-based learning games for indoors and

outdoors

Board Physical zones (indoors or outdoors)

Slots Questions designed for the location-based game

Pieces Options associated to each question

Puzzle Groups of slots

Level Contains a puzzle

Scores Correct and incorrect answers, accessing hints.

Bonus Extra points when all questions from a level have been correctly answered

Feedback

Information associated to ranges of points

Hints Information to guide students to find the correct answer

Metaphor based on the premise that the structural design of location-based games are often inspired by board games (Nicklas et al., 2001; Schlieder et al., 2006)

Proposed metaphor:

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L ’Hospitalet Case

Vic Case MNAC Case

Learning about the

heritage of the city of l’Hospitalet

Learning about the city of Vic and its art history

Learning about different

pictures of the museum

7 teachers 1 teacher 1 teacher

Extracurricular activity

in the school

Activity associated

to a subject, as part of

its formative

assessment

Activity associated to a subject, as a summative- assessment

activity

Sant Sadurní

Case

Learning about the city

of Sant Sadurní and its heritage

7 teacher

Transversal activity, as

a summative assessment

activity


outdoors

First iteration: Teachers’ designs of 4 location-based learning games

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outdoors

First iteration: Lessons learnt

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• The textual information is extensive• Necessary information for

understanding particular the different questions

• The information is shorter• Brief description that contextualizes the

questions

• Scores do not affect students’ marks

• Score used as a guide to analyse students’ activity performance

• Scores directly affect students’ marks

• Tips to find useful information in real place

• Additional information to the content of the questions

L’Hospitalet case Sant Sadurní case Vic caseMNAC case

50 scores more 1 score more250 scores more

10 scores less 0.3 scores less the 1st attempt; 0.5 scores the 2nd one; 1 score the 3rd one

100 scores less

Scores Correct Answers

Scores Incorrect Answers

Number of questions per level / 1000 points30 or 60, depending on the number of questions per level

Hints Content

Levels Information


Questionnaire evaluating the usefulness, understanding, importance and problems of the different elements:

•The teachers perceived the use of the puzzle board metaphor as a flexible approach and a suitable design technique to define location-based learning games

•However most of the elements were understandable by the teachers, the most problematic ones seemed to be the levels followed by the slots

•Most important elements: adaptive scoring, bonus, and feedback

•Few teachers totally agreed on the importance of providing hints to each question


outdoors

First iteration: Results on teachers’ opinions

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20 teachers in a game design task

Revision of the game design task:•More explanations and provision of examples

•Redefinition of the “level” element


outdoors

Second iteration: MWC Workshop

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Results from questionnaires, game designs and observation:

•Different approaches to design their games

•No problems understanding the elements of the puzzle board metaphor

•Paper-based templates are useful approaches to structure the design of their location-based games

•The number of trials to solve a question should have a maximum attempt limit in order to be meaningful

•Each element of the puzzle board metaphor should not be seen as a standalone item

OUTLINE



games





CONTRIBUTION 3: Different case studies implementing location-based learning games that consider the conceptual model and associated binding


Implementation Guidelines:

XML ParserXML Parser

XMLs BindingsXMLs Bindings External resourcesExternal resources

An authoring tool could automatically create the XML Bindings and the associated resources

Generic parser that reads the

XMLs and builds the logic model

Different game engines (G.E.), and the associated players, adapted to specific educational contexts or requirements

MNAC Case

G.E. for indoors(Android SO)

G.E. for indoors(Android SO)

Player for Android devices

Player for Android devices

L’Hospitalet case

Sant Sadurní case

Game Engine for outdoors

with GPS(Android SO)

Game Engine for outdoors

with GPS(Android SO)

Player for Android devicesPlayer for Android devices

Game Engine for outdoors withoutGPS (Android SO)

Game Engine for outdoors withoutGPS (Android SO)

Vic case

G.E. for outdoors with GPS

(Web-based app.)

G.E. for outdoors with GPS

(Web-based app.)

Player for BrowsersPlayer for Browsers

G.E. for outdoors without GPS(Web-based

app.)

G.E. for outdoors without GPS(Web-based

app.)

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IMPLEMENTATION OF LOCATION-BASED

LEARNING GAMES


Evaluation with 253 secondary education students

Mixed evaluation method (Cairns & Cox, 2008) considering different data gathering techniques:•Questionnaires•Log files•Observations


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LEARNING GAMES

Evaluation of “QuesTInSitu: The Game”:

http://youtu.be/BTSsXa_e-6M


Students had a limited amount of time for the whole gameStudents had a limited amount of time for each level of the game

Students are not controlled by anyoneThe museum’s staff controlled that students did not make noise

Students were not forced to correctly answer all the questionsStudents were forced to correctly answer all the questions

L’Hospitalet case Vic case MNAC caseSant Sadurní case


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LEARNING GAMES

Lessons Learnt (1/2):

Positive engagement: # students (normalized)

Negative engagement: # students (normalized)

Overall students’ engagement

L’Hospitalet Sant Sadurní Vic MNAC


Students disagreed on subtracting scores

Alternative: adding specific amount of points depending on the number of attempts to solve the questions

Textual information was not read properly because the students do not pay attention to additional information

Hints were considered more usefulHints were considered useless

L’Hospitalet case Vic case MNAC caseSant Sadurní case


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LEARNING GAMES

Lessons Learnt (2/2):

Students avoid using hints and followed other strategies

Hints usefulness: # students (normalized)

Points appropriated: # students (normalized)

Students’ perceptions on hints


Motivated: # students (normalized)

Not motivated: # students (normalized)

Students motivation when subtracting points



• Experiment using the proposed puzzle board approach (36 students) vs. using a plain test-based approach (36 students)

• The median of the students using the puzzle game approach was higher than the others, as well as the range of scores


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LEARNING GAMES

Results on students’ activity performance (MNAC Case):

Students using the puzzle-based approach tend to obtain better outcomes than the students using the test-based approach

• Design decisions on game elements can affect students’ satisfaction and have an impact on learning

• Students’ opinions should be considered in further iterations of the designs

• Providing teachers with techniques to inquire into their design decisions seems of relevant importance to create powerful location-based learning games

Puzzle board approach Test-based approach



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LEARNING GAMES

Visualisation as learning analytics to support teachers’ inquiry

Results on a discussion group with 3 teachers from l’Hospitalet:

•Visualizations are a good mechanism to represent and analyse objective data•Visualizations include too much information to be analysed on the fly•The “time used” visualization is useful to evaluate the overall game design•“Frequency” and “score” visualizations are useful to evaluate the students’ performance •Need of providing visualizations containing aggregate data from all students’ to identify generic trends•Capturing students’ opinion to analyse whether they enjoy the activity, learn new concepts and have fun•Teachers identified concrete design elements that should be revised (e.g. use of proportional scores instead of using negative scores)

OUTLINE



games






This contribution is reflected in:

•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D. & Blat, J. (in press). A Model for the Design of Puzzle-based Games including Virtual and Physical Objects. Journal of Educational Technology & Society•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D., & Blat, J. (2011). Towards the Support of Scaffolding in Customizable Puzzle- based Learning Games. In Proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Computational Science and its Applications (pp. 254-257), Santander, Spain•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D., & Blat, J. (2012). Considerations for the Design of Mini-games Integrating Hints for Puzzle Solving ICT-Related Concepts. In Proceedings of the 12th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies (pp. 138-140), Rome, Italy

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CONCLUSIONS AND FUTURE WORK

CONCLUSIONS OBJECTIVE 1

To model and computationally represent computer-supported puzzle board games including virtual and physical objects

• The puzzle board games’ definition highlights the possibility o using virtual and physical objects

• The conceptual model captures general data independent from specific technologies

• The internal representation of each object is left to concrete engines

• Different prototype games have been developed compliant with the conceptual model following the proposed implementation guidelines

Partial results of this contribution are reflected in:

•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D., & Blat, J. (2014a). Teachers can be involved in the design of location-based learning games: the use of the puzzle board metaphor, In Proceedings of the 6th International Conference on Computer Supported Education (pp. 179-186). Barcelona, Spain•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D., & Blat, J. (2014b). Being able to accommodate activity’s formal purposes as critical factor when designing for “location-based learning games” at scale, In Ideas in Mobile Learning Symposium (BIIML). Bristol, UK•Melero, J., Santos, P., Hernández-Leo, D., & Blat, J. (2013). Puzzle-based Games as a Metaphor for Designing In Situ Learning Activities. In Proceedings of the 6th European Conference on Games Based Learning (pp. 674-682), Porto, Portugal




To propose a design technique to facilitate teachers the definition of their own location-based games considering puzzle board games elements

• Metaphor and paper-based templates as techniques to involve teachers in location-based games’ designs

• Evaluations in real contexts and in a workshop show that the two techniques can be successfully applied to design location-based learning games

• Teachers have been able to customize the different elements involved in the metaphor according to their specific educational situations


Partial results of this contribution have been submitted for their consideration to be published as a journal paper (currently under review):

•Melero, J., Hernández-Leo, D., Sun, J., Santos, P., & Blat, J. (conditionally accepted). How was the activity? A visualization support for a case of situated m-learning design. British Journal of Educational Technology

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To implement and evaluate case studies involving teachers and students in different contexts and settings

The different case studies show the feasibility of using the puzzle board approach for designing location-based learning games and for implementing this type of games

Benefits observed during the activities:•Students are engaged in collaborating between each other•Students put into practice social interaction skills, as well as exploration and orientation skills•Students are actively involved in finding the correct solutions•Students reflect on their past choices

Design decisions and contextual environment can influence students’ engagement and performance

Learning analytics visualizations can lead teachers inquire into the students’ outcomes when playing their designed location-based learning games



Future Research Directions:

Implementation of authoring tools devoted to different types of technologies: •Completely digital puzzle board games•Completely physical puzzle board games (e.g. using sensors, RFID technology, etc.)•Puzzle board games integrating both virtual and physical objects

Evaluating the effects of the different elements involved in the design of location-based learning games on students’ performance

Evaluating students’ activity performance

Gathering collaborative dynamics and make them understandable for teachers

Integrating meaningful learning analytics visualizations in systems supporting location-based learning games

Proposing ways that allow changing the dynamics of the game on the fly to overcome unexpected contextual or technological problems

Extending this type of games across different types of spaces, technologies and activities

DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION TECHNIQUES FOR LOCATION-

BASED LEARNING GAMES

Javier Melero

PhD Thesis Presentation

10th April 2014

Supervisors

Dr. Davinia Hernández-Leo

Prof. Dr. Josep Blat

THANKS!



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LEARNING GAMES

Results on students’ engagement (Puzzle approach vs. “Traditional” approach):

Students’ enjoyment

Enjoy this approach

Enjoy other approach

Puzzle approach Test-based approach

Added points

Agree

Disagree


Subtracted points

Agree

Disagree


Design and implementation techniques for location-based learning games

Technology

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