자연주의적 탐구조사(Naturalistic Inquiry)

The focus of higher education institutions is the preparation of future professionals. To achieve this aim, innovative teaching methods are often deployed, including games and simulations, which form the subject of this paper. As the field of digital games and simulations is ever maturing, this paper attempts to systematically review the literature relevant to games and simulation pedagogy in higher education. Two researchers collaborate to apply a qualitative method, coding and synthesizing the results using multiple criteria. The main objective is to study the impact of games and simulations with regard to achieving specific learning objectives. On balance, results indicate that games and/or simulations have a positive impact on learning goals. The researchers identify three learning outcomes when integrating games into the learning process: cognitive, behavioural, and affective. As a final step, the authors consolidate evidence for the benefit of academics and practitioners in higher education interested in the efficient use of games and simulations for pedagogical purposes. Such evidence also provides potential options and pathways for future research.

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The effect of games and simulations on higher education: a systematic literature review

The development and use of serious games for mental health disorders are on the rise. Yet, little is known about the impact of these games on clinical mental health symptoms. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that evaluated the effectiveness of serious games on symptoms of mental disorder. Method: We conducted a systematic search in the Pubmed, PsycINFO and Embase databases, using mental health and serious games related keywords. Ten studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the review, nine were included in the meta-analysis. Results: All of the serious games were provided via personal computer, mostly on CD-ROM without the need for an internet connection. The studies targeted age groups ranging from 7 to 80 years old. The serious games focussed on symptoms of depression (n = 2), post-traumatic stress disorder (n = 2), autism spectrum disorder (n = 2), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 1), cognitive functioning (n = 2) and alcohol use disorder (n = 1). The studies used goal-oriented (n = 4) and cognitive training games (n = 6). A total of 674 participants were included in the meta-analysis (380 in experimental and 294 in control groups). A meta-analysis of nine studies comprising ten comparisons, using a random effects model, showed a moderate effect on improvement of symptoms (g = 0.55 [95% CI 0.28 to 0.83]; P < 0.001), favoring serious games over no intervention controls. Discussion/Conclusion: Though the number of studies in the meta-analysis was small, these findings suggest that serious gaming interventions may be effective for reducing disorder related symptoms. More studies are needed in order to attain deeper knowledge of the efficacy for specific mental disorders and the longer term effects of this new type of treatment for mental disorders.

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Serious Games for Mental Health: Are They Accessible, Feasible, and Effective? A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Educational computer games studies experienced rapid growth due to the belief that games can offer various learning benefits being highly popular among younger generations. Programming is considered a challenging subject by students and teachers, consequently students feel less motivated to learn it. It is important to know how educational games can help to enhance our student’s motivation and learning perceptions towards Programming. This paper discusses the authors’ pilot study of undergraduate students’ perceptions towards using educational games as their learning medium using five constructs: motivation, attitudes, cognitive development, interface and expectation with 24 items. The findings indicated that most students had encouraging positive attitudes and were more motivated to learn Programming using games compared to conventional methods. The findings are hopefully will help to enrich knowledge in understanding students’ perceptions regarding educational games for learning, particularly in the Malaysian context.

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Students Perceptions of Using Educational Games to Learn Introductory Programming

For workers, the exposure to on-site hazards can result in fatalities and serious injuries. To improve safety outcomes, different approaches have been implemented for health and safety training in the construction sector, such as traditional tools and computer-aided technologies (e.g., serious games, computer-generated simulations, virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality). However, the effectiveness of these approaches has been barely explored. In order to bridge this gap, a systematic review of existing studies was conducted. Unlike previous review studies in this field that focused on uncovering the technology characters and challenges, this study mainly evaluated the effectiveness of training using traditional tools and computer-aided technologies on the well-being of individuals. Measures of the effectiveness included knowledge acquisition, unsafe behaviour alteration, and injury rate reduction. Results indicated that: 1. the effectiveness of traditional tools is sufficiently supported by statistical evidence; and 2. the use of computer-aided technologies has evidence to support its effectiveness, but more solid evidence is required to support this statement. The systematic review also revealed that the overall performance of computer-aided technologies is superior in several technical aspects compared to traditional tools, namely, representing the actual workplace situations, providing text-free interfaces, and having better user engagement.

The effectiveness of traditional tools and computer-aided technologies for health and safety training in the construction sector: A systematic review

Based on the hypothesis that inconclusive research results with regard to the impact of games and simulations are linked to the absence of clear concept definitions, research was undertaken to fill this methodological gap by identifying the essential attributes of games and simulations. This paper first introduces the context for our study. This is followed by a description of the analysis grid used to create a database of the literature, and the methodology employed to conduct our systematic review of this literature. The essential attributes of games and simulations are then described and the distinctions between these two concepts are presented.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/jeductechsoci.10.3.247

Jean-Simon Marquis

Papers

Distinguishing between games and simulations: A systematic review