Historical education routinely privileges cognitive over affective understanding, leaving learners intellectually informed yet emotionally disengaged from the human cost of conflict. This paper asks how the design of a historically-structured boardgame (HSBG) can operationalise affective historical empathy. Taking The Troubles: Shadow War in Northern Ireland as its case, it employs a qualitative design analysis grounded in Ambrosio's HSBG framework and Endacott and Brooks's dual cognitive-affective model of empathy, triangulated with expert elicitation from the designer and artist, a structured comparison with six reference games, and findings from a companion empirical study. The analysis demonstrates that the game achieves ludonarrative consonance - a purposeful alignment of procedural mechanics and historical narrative - across three interlocking dimensions: 260 historically-grounded event cards, period-authentic imagery, and tangible physical components. Each activates distinct affective mechanisms, including identifiable-victim effects and perspective-taking through asymmetric faction roles. Whereas existing game-based learning scholarship has documented the cognitive outcomes of historical games but rarely isolated the design features that generate their affective dimension, this paper advances the state of the art by specifying the design conditions under which ludonarrative consonance produces affective - not merely cognitive - empathy, and derives transferable design principles for serious games addressing contested histories.
Functional decline in older adults is a major contributor to both falls and increased fall risk. Nevertheless, such decline may be mitigated through multidimensional interventions. Game-based and gamified interventions have emerged as promising alternative strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of these approaches in improving balance and reducing fall risk among community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and over. The research question was: Do serious games and gamification improve balance and reduce fall risk in community-dwelling older adults, compared with exercise programmes, non-gamified interventions, or control conditions? A systematic search of randomised controlled trials was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, resulting in the inclusion of nine studies from 634 records screened. Meta-analysis demonstrated significant improvements in the Functional Reach Test and the Berg Balance Scale. However, no significant overall effects were observed for the Timed Up and Go Test or the Single-Leg Stance Test. Although game-based interventions may improve specific dimensions of balance in community-dwelling older adults, the findings should be interpreted with caution. The limited number of studies, small sample sizes, heterogeneity of interventions, and reliance on balance-related surrogate outcomes rather than direct measures of fall incidence highlight the need for further high-quality research
This study investigates how pre-service teachers (PSTs) in Brunei socially construct knowledge through an Educational Escape Room (EER) titled "Quest for the Orrery Chalice." It aims to fill the research gap regarding PST experiences with EERs in non-Western, collectivist cultural settings. Utilizing a qualitative case study approach grounded in sociocultural constructivism, the research applies Activity Theory (AT) to analyze interactions among three PSTs. Data were collected via 45-minute focus group interviews immediately after the pilot and analyzed using thematic analysis, and mapped to AT's six components (Subject, object, tools, rules, community, and division of labor). The study addresses four research questions: how PSTs' interactions with (1) tools, (2) game objectives, (3) social peers, and (4) game rules facilitate knowledge co-construction. Results indicate that multimedia tools and collaborative structures successfully supported digital literacy and problem-solving. However, "contradictions" between unclear rules and game objects hindered flow. By applying AT within a Bruneian context, the study provides a methodological model for culturally adaptive serious game design. It demonstrates how EERs can fulfill national mandates for student-centered, innovative pedagogies.
Background/Objectives: Gamification has emerged as a promising pedagogical approach in Physical Education (PE), which aims to increase students' motivation, engagement and physical activity levels. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the impact of gamification-based interventions in physical education in school-aged children and adolescents. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) implementing gamification within PE or school-based physical activity programs were included. Risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane RoB-2 tool, and methodological quality with the PEDro scale. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed. Results: Seventeen RCTs with over 7.000 participants (mean age ≈ 13.5 years) were included. Interventions lasted from 4 weeks to one academic year and used varied gamification strategies, including narrative-based teaching units, hybrid pedagogical models, exergames, mobile apps, wearable devices, and environmental redesigns. Meta-analyses indicated a moderate, though heterogeneous, effect on physical activity, a large but non-significant effect on physical fitness and motor competence, and a moderate, significant improvement in anthropometric outcomes. Subgroup analyses suggested that intervention duration, curricular integration, and type of gamification strategy may explain part of the variability. Conclusions: Gamification appears to be a valuable pedagogical tool in PE, capable of improving physical activity, fitness, and weight-related outcomes in school-aged populations.
Virtual reality (VR) enables students to safely interact with immersive 3D environments that are otherwise impractical or hazardous. While most educational VR relies on audiovisual stimuli, the impact of haptic feedback, particularly within astronomical contexts, remains underexplored. Integrating tactile/force feedback cues may render abstract physics more intuitive, improve user experience, and enhance engagement. This paper addresses this gap by investigating how force feedback affects user experience, task performance, and the knowledge acquisition in astronomy. We developed an immersive, haptics-enhanced VR application to learn about the solar system and conducted two experiments with 75 7th-grade students. Experiment 1 (n=25) evaluated the impact of haptic feedback on user experience and task performance during planetary exploration. Experiment 2 (n=50) compared the VR system against a traditional pedagogical method, focusing on user experience and learning outcomes. Our results demonstrate that haptic feedback promoted significantly greater physical interaction and more controlled movements within the virtual environment, helping students with depth perception and object identification. Subjective feedback further confirmed that haptics made the experience feel more realistic, intuitive, and immersive. Furthermore, while both the haptic-enhanced VR and traditional methods increased students' knowledge, the VR application led to a substantially greater knowledge gain (40% vs. 28%). These findings suggest that integrating haptics into educational VR transforms it from an abstract interaction into a more effective, tangible process.
This study explores the use of serious games in services that incorporate co-design and co-creation elements. Through a systematic literature review, it analyzes and categorizes relevant studies using established frameworks from serious game research, such as the G/P/S model, alongside service design models, including the Double Diamond framework. Taking a cross-industry perspective, the study synthesizes insights from diverse service contexts to identify best practices, challenges, and key considerations for integrating serious games into co-design and co-creation. By comparing findings across multiple studies, it offers actionable strategies for effective implementation and highlights research gaps that warrant further exploration. These insights contribute to the ongoing development of serious games as a valuable tool in service innovation and participatory design.
The high prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors among adolescents of Nepal necessitates targeted interventions among this age group. Adolescents need a user friendly, acceptable and hands on media for cardiovascular health education. Digital technologies such as serious games have proven pedagogic potential. In this study, we aim to describe the steps followed to develop a serious game tailored to the needs of the adolescents in a sub-urban community in Nepal. We adopted a proactive and holistic three-step methodological approach in the development process: (1) defining learning goals, (2) developing and testing the game design and (3) incorporating active culturalization throughout the iterative game development process. We describe how culturalization was applied in each step to achieve educational viability. The final game called Happy Heart consisted of seven mini games: Name the food, Food sorter, Sugar rush, Salt seeker, Fat buster, Plan your meal and Activate. The game was augmented by an in-game journal that addressed complex concepts that could not be integrated into the game mechanics. The final game was culturally adapted and addressed the learning gaps of the target population. Learning through games has high potential in a lower middle-income country like Nepal.
Trait emotional intelligence could be enhanced through structured classroom training. Board games have the potencial to be beneficial to emotional outcomes too. Hence, we evaluated the effectiveness of a board game-based program to enhance emotional intelligence and promoting student inclusion in the classroom. A non-inferiority clustered randomized controlled trial design was implemented. 65 students from four 5th grade classes (average age 11.04 years) were allocated into an experimental group (we applied a 10-week program consisting of theoretical and practial contents regarding emotional regulation using board game-based learning) or in a active control group (we applied the Sociescuela program that is commonly used in educative settings). Both groups were assessed pre-and post-intervention using the TEI-Que questionnaire (trait emotional intelligence) and the Sociescuela test (sociogram and self-esteem estimation of each student). Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in emotional intelligence from pre-to post-intervention. The pattern of changes in peer nominations and acceptance was also consistent across groups. However, improvements were not stable after one year of follow-up. Additionally, students in the experimental group considered that the program was more enjoyable than the control group. A classroom-based program utilizing modern board games can effectively enhance emotional intelligence at shortterm among students.
Context: Educational gameplay can foster transformational changes, especially when learners feel games speak to their experiences. Designers create barriers for players when products don't meet accessibility needs or when games use language, physical depictions, or characters that exclude or alienate players. Purpose: This study examines how an educational development team used a redesign process to address the accessibility and inclusivity barriers present in an existing 12-year-old educational game focused on food safety content. Methodology: The research follows a case study approach, detailing the redesign process carried out by the original product team. The team applied inclusive design theory to identify and revise gameplay and character elements that posed barriers to players with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive needs. The team also worked on cultural representation elements of the game. Findings: The study highlights practical design compromises and decisions that successfully enhanced accessibility and inclusivity without compromising the game's effectiveness. Originality: This work advances the field by providing concrete, real-world examples of applying inclusive design principles in revising a previously published educational game. Impact: The findings offer actionable guidance for other development teams seeking to create or revise educational games to support various players and needs, contributing to more equitable and engaging learning experiences.
Shoulder wheels are commonly used in upper limb rehabilitation, yet their repetitive nature often results in low engagement, particularly among pediatric patients. This study aimed to develop a low-cost, gamified rehabilitation system by integrating a tablet-based serious game with a gyroscope-equipped shoulder wheel to guide exercise rhythm, track movement, and provide real-time visual feedback. Specifically, the study addressed two research questions: (RQ1) what are the benefits of integrating gamification into shoulder wheel therapy, and (RQ2) which clinically relevant objective measurements can be recorded during therapy. A mixed-methods feasibility study was conducted, involving three focus groups with medical professionals to iteratively inform design decisions and assess clinical relevance, followed by a pilot study with pediatric participants and clinicians that combined quantitative engagement measures with qualitative feedback to assess engagement, usability, and perceived therapeutic value. The results indicated higher engagement ratings during interactive gameplay, demonstrated the system’s ability to capture clinically relevant movement data via embedded sensors, and suggested that the system could be integrated into existing rehabilitation protocols with minimal disruption. Unlike virtual reality or wearable-based solutions, this approach retrofits familiar rehabilitation equipment with embedded tracking and serious game mechanics, offering a low-cost and scalable alternative for pediatric rehabilitation settings. Overall, the findings suggest that gamified shoulder wheel therapy has the potential to support patient motivation and enable objective performance tracking, with clinicians indicating perceived suitability particularly for children aged 8–12. These findings are preliminary and based on an exploratory, small-scale feasibility study, and further controlled and longitudinal research is required to evaluate therapeutic efficacy.
Trait emotional intelligence could be enhanced through structured classroom training. Board games have the potencial to be beneficial to emotional outcomes too. Hence, we evaluatied the effectiveness of a board game-based program to enhance emotional intelligence and promoting student inclusion in the classroom. A non-inferiority clustered randomized controlled trial design was implemented. 65 students from four 5th grade classes (average age 11.04 years) were allocated into an experimental group (we applied a 10-week program consisting of theoretical and practial contents regarding emotional regulation using board game-based learning) or in a active control group (we applied the Sociescuela program that is commonly used in educative settings). Both groups were assessed pre- and post-intervention using the TEI-Que questionnaire (trait emotional intelligence) and the Sociescuela test (sociogram and self-esteem estimation of each student). Both groups demonstrated significant improvements in emotional intelligence from pre- to post-intervention. The pattern of changes in peer nominations and acceptance was also consistent across groups. However, improvements were not stable after one year of follow-up. Additionally, students in the experimental group considered that the program was more enjoyable than the control group. A classroom-based program utilizing modern board games can effectively enhance emotional intelligence at short-term among students.
Gamification is a powerful approach to enhance employee interaction and cultivate a culture of recognition. Interactive multimedia experiences captivate employees by incorporating engaging narratives, stimulating multiple senses, and offering diverse interaction styles. Building on these benefits, an interdisciplinary team from academia and industry developed a gamification strategy tailored to the needs of employees. The components of the gamification strategy are enjoyment, visibility, gratification, and professional growth, which were defined based on the employees' characterization. This strategy was integrated into the WizeLand multimedia system and designed to recognize employee achievements and encourage participation in recognition and training programs. The Thinking-aloud and Single-Ease Question methods were conducted to learn about the perceived usefulness of employees and their general perception of the components of the gamification strategy integrated into WizeLand. The validation of this approach yielded promising results, demonstrating that the gamification strategy positively impacts recognition culture, employee attitudes, and behaviors. Participation in WizeLand’s mission-based activities reshaped employees’ perceptions of performance management, fostering a sense of fairness that enhances organizational commitment and overall job performance.
Designing serious games often faces the challenge of over-scoping, where a single game attempts to address multiple learning objectives simultaneously. This results in overly complex experiences that are difficult to develop, navigate, and sustain, especially within the limited structure of traditional Learning Management Systems (LMS). These platforms are typically linear, making it difficult to integrate interactive learning experiences. To address this, we introduce GATE (Game Architecture in Transmedia Education), a framework designed to support the development of focused and lightweight serious games through microlearning strategies. GATE leverages a transmedia-based open learning space that spans multiple platforms beyond institutional LMS boundaries. The framework was tested through a pilot implementation involving 10 student teams, each developing a 15-level gampelay that focused on a single topic. All games were evaluated using the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ), with the following average scores: Competence (3.003), Sensory and Imaginative Immersion (3.080), Flow (2.65), Challenge (2.288), Tension/Annoyance (1.787), Positive Affect (3.399), and Negative Affect (1.807). The results indicate that microlearning-based game development through the GATE framework can offer a more focused, engaging, and accessible learning experience.
Context: Educational gameplay can foster transformational changes, especially when learners feel games speak to their experiences. Designers create barriers for players when products don’t meet accessibility needs or when games use language, physical depictions, or characters that exclude or alienate players. Purpose: This study examines how an educational development team can use a redesign process to address the accessibility and inclusivity barriers present in an existing 12-year-old educational game. Methodology: The research follows a case study approach, detailing the redesign process carried out by the original product team. The team applied inclusive design theory to identify and revise gameplay and character elements that posed barriers to players with visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive needs. The team also worked on the game representation elements. Findings: The study highlights practical design compromises and decisions that successfully enhanced accessibility and inclusivity without compromising the game’s effectiveness. Originality: This work advances the field by providing concrete, real-world examples of applying inclusive design principles in revising a previously published educational game. Impact: The findings offer actionable guidance for other development teams seeking to create or revise educational games to support various players and needs, contributing to more equitable and engaging learning experiences.
This study aims to introduce an innovative approach to teaching and experiencing sport event management. Traditional teaching methods often fail to meet contemporary educational demands. To address this gap, the study explores whether a serious game such as Top Eleven can serve as an auxiliary educational tool in the field of sport event management. Utilizing a case study methodology, a virtual football tournament was planned, organized, managed, and evaluated by N = 44 students enrolled in a Sport Event Management course, while N = 328 freshmen students participated in the tournament. A hybrid approach was implemented, combining online components with real-life execution. Data collection included deliverables, a written test, and a questionnaire, providing a comprehensive assessment of the learning process. The organizational framework was guided by the Unified Model of Events Management and the Scenario-Based Education Framework. Data analysis demonstrated a satisfactory level of knowledge acquisition, skill development, and experiential learning related to sport event management. These findings suggest that a serious game such as Top Eleven can effectively function as an auxiliary educational tool for sport event management when integrated into a hybrid learning model. This study contributes to the advancement of serious games in education, offering an innovative gamification process that enables students to acquire not only theoretical knowledge but also practical experience, enhancing their sport event management skills.
Hand and wrist rehabilitation is essential for restoring motor function in patients with neurological, traumatic, or degenerative conditions. Conventional therapy can be repetitive and time-consuming, motivating the use of digital tools such as exergames to enhance engagement and outcomes. This study explored the feasibility and potential benefits of integrating the eJamar game controller with exergames as a complement to conventional hand rehabilitation. A case series of four female patients with hand and wrist impairments due to arthritis, arthrosis, or fractures was conducted. Each participant completed a three-week intervention comprising fifteen 1-hour sessions that combined traditional therapy with three exergames: Peter Jumper, Andromeda, and KARS. Functional outcomes were assessed before and after the intervention using range of motion (ROM), hand-grip strength, the Visual Analog Scale for pain, the Medical Research Council scale, a modified NineHole Peg Test, and the Duru & ouml;z Hand Index. The intervention was feasible and well tolerated, and all participants demonstrated functional improvement, with the largest gains observed in grip strength and ROM, particularly in pronation, supination, and wrist deviation. These exploratory findings suggest that combining conventional therapy with the eJamar controller and exergames may support hand-function recovery. However, due to the small and heterogeneous sample, the findings should be interpreted as exploratory.
Hand and wrist rehabilitation is essential for restoring function in patients affected by neurological, traumatic, or degenerative conditions. In recent years, rehabilitation strategies incorporating exergames and specialized controllers have emerged as supportive tools to enhance conventional therapies. This study presents the results of a case series involving four female patients, aiming to explore the effects of a combined treatment protocol that integrates conventional hand rehabilitation with the use of the eJamar game controller and three exergames: Peter Jumper, Andromeda, and KARS. The participants presented hand and wrist impairments due to arthritis, arthrosis, or fractures. Each patient underwent a three-week intervention consisting of 15 one-hour sessions (five per week). Functional assessments were conducted before and after the intervention using several tools: range of motion, hand grip strength, Visual Analog Scale, Medical Research Council Scale for hand, a Nine-Hole Peg Test based, and the Duruöz Hand Index questionnaire. All participants showed general improvement in the measured parameters. Major improvement was observed particularly in grip strength and range of motion, especially in pronation, supination, and wrist deviation. One patient also reported a marked reduction in hand pain. Despite the small and heterogeneous sample, the results suggest a positive impact of the eJamar system on the hand motor function based on the evaluated metrics. These findings support the potential of combined therapy to improve rehabilitation outcomes. A follow-up study involving a larger sample and a control group is planned to further validate these preliminary findings.
This study investigates the educational potential of Game Jams (GJs) for promoting critical engagement with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) among undergraduate videogame students. Therefore, it presents and evaluates the 2022 Meaningful Game Jam (MGJ22), a five-day, SDG-themed intervention involving 31 students who developed ten original games. Employing a mixed-methods design, the study integrates questionnaire data and a formal analysis of the games using three complementary frameworks: SDG thematic areas, games for civic learning, and moral learning design principles. Findings explore the potential of GJs in fostering interdisciplinary learning, critical reflection, and civic awareness through collaborative game creation. While students gravitated towards environmental and economic SDGs, themes related to dignity and partnership remained underexplored, revealing key gaps in thematic engagement and awareness. The analysis also highlighted discrepancies between intended learning goals and game mechanics, highlighting the importance of thoughtful design guidance. This work contributes novel insights to game-based learning by demonstrating how GJs can serve as pedagogical tools, helping students rethink their roles, both as designers and as citizens. Ultimately, the study offers evidence-based recommendations for implementing meaningful GJs in higher education, reinforcing their value in cultivating ethical awareness and promoting sustainable development through games.
The violence present in child-friendly internet games includes both visual and verbal aggression. Visual violence occurs when players perform actions that harm themselves or another player's avatar. On the other hand, verbal aggression often happens during player interactions, even if no physical action takes place. This study explores whether a multimodal deep-learning framework can more effectively detect violence by simultaneously analyzing visual and verbal signals, and whether a hybrid late fusion approach provides better results than traditional fusion methods. Methodologically, the visual modality integrates 3DCNN, BiLSTM, and attention mechanisms, while the verbal modality incorporates BERT and BiLSTM. Each modality is handled independently. The hybrid late fusion employs rule-based and softmax probability to integrate the outcomes of each modality. The proposed multimodal model achieves an average accuracy of 96.72%, with 99.14% for the visual modality and 94.30% for the verbal modality. This performance clearly surpasses existing state-of-the-art fusion methods. The novelty of this study lies in the combination of each modality model and its integration of a hybrid late fusion multimodal approach. Additionally, the study outlines the process and stages for incorporating the model into a system suitable for any child-friendly online game, creating an early warning system for parents.
This study presents the Game Experience Multidimensional Scale (GEMS), a 13-item instrument designed to identify the attributes that players consider most influential when evaluating video games. Unlike existing scales that measure the presence of certain attributes or their intensity, GEMS focuses on the relative importance that users assign to each attribute when forming an overall opinion of a game. The scale was developed through an extensive review of the literature on existing evaluation models and refined with expert input. It was then applied to a sample of 619 students, primarily at the high school and undergraduate levels, who evaluated a game of their choice using the GEMS questionnaire. The instrument demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.861). Two analytical methods (stepwise multiple linear regression and linear programming) were employed to determine the attributes that best explain users’ overall ratings, with the regression model explaining 48.99% of the variance in overall game evaluation. Although both methods converged on similar key predictors, the findings should be interpreted with caution, as the homogeneity of the sample, the genre of the evaluated games, or demographic factors may have influenced the results. Nevertheless, GEMS offers a novel and preliminary approach to game evaluation, with potential applications in educational and professional contexts once further validation is conducted.
