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Connecting Theory and Design Through Research: Cognitive Skills Training Games

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Serious Games (JCSG 2018)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNISA,volume 11243))

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Abstract

How can the effectiveness of games for learning be enhanced? In this paper, we present an approach that connects theory and research to enhance the design of games that train cognitive skills. Specifically, we combine our model for designing games for learning with Value-Added Design Research, which can provide design guidance for decisions that the model alone cannot provide. We applied this method in the context of designing games to train executive functions, an application area that is highly promising but nevertheless has produced many games that are not effective. We discuss three examples of design research studies we conducted, including the emotional design of the game, the use of an adaptive algorithm, and the design of level progressions privileging either speed or accuracy in learners’ responses. We conclude that this approach is able to contribute to both the enhancement of CHI related design challenges and to theory.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partially supported by IES Grant R305A150417, “Focused Computer Games that Promote Executive Functions Skills, and by PSC-CUNY Award #60816-00 48: Virtual Reality and Emotional Design for the Development of Executive Functions in Adolescents.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New York University, New York, NY, 10012, USA

    Jan L. Plass, Shashank Pawar & Frankie Tam

  2. The Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, 10016, USA

    Bruce D. Homer

Authors
  1. Jan L. Plass
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  2. Bruce D. Homer
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  3. Shashank Pawar
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  4. Frankie Tam
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jan L. Plass .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Stefan Göbel

  2. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Augusto Garcia-Agundez

  3. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Thomas Tregel

  4. Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent, UK

    Minhua Ma

  5. University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany

    Jannicke Baalsrud Hauge

  6. SINTEF Technology and Society, Trondheim, Norway

    Manuel Oliveira

  7. Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia

    Tim Marsh

  8. Technische Universität Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    Polona Caserman

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Plass, J.L., Homer, B.D., Pawar, S., Tam, F. (2018). Connecting Theory and Design Through Research: Cognitive Skills Training Games. In: Göbel, S., et al. Serious Games. JCSG 2018. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 11243. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02762-9_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02762-9_15

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