Research: Instructor’s role underappreciated in educational games – Mynewsdesk (press release)

Some types of computer games used in education and training. These
 game, called Serious Games is in
 great need for an active instructor who can lead and support the players through the game experience.
 PhD student Anna-Sofia Alklind Taylor, who recently presented his research
 at University of Skövde, has studied how video games should be designed to better
 support these instructors.

Research in Serious Games is relatively new, although
 man at the University of Skövde researched in the field since 2004 Serious Games is called the types of games that are used in other
 purposes than entertainment. This can include the game with the aim to educate
 rescue personnel, train strokepatiener or preparing soldiers before
 various efforts. Games that require a skilled instructor.

– The
 I concluded in my research is that inexperienced instructors need
 introduced and supported so that they feel secure with the technology. Actual
 gaming is just part of the training. It is not merely to produce a game
 that will serve as a training tool and then “throw it out” among
 players. We need well-trained staff who can support the gameplay, in
 especially in the case of emergency or in the military, says
 Anna-Sofia Alklind Taylor.

As an instructor, you need to have a
 type of helicopter sighted and quickly get an overview of what happens in
 room. Sometimes it can move about 20-30 players at the same time in the same room
 one as an instructor needs to provide feedback and further guidance in the game.
 Instructor’s role is to evaluate how the players take to the training elements
 in the game and hold a debriefing afterwards.

– The
 I’ve looked at in my research is support for instructors and how to lead
 games in an educational and time-efficient manner. A partner in my
 research has been the Army Academy in Skövde, where I studied instructors
 manages a game that is tailored to the military. In that kind of games can
 instructor, among other things go into a so-called “God Mode” where you no longer
 is limited in the game just like the players. The instructor may also and
 control the game more of an RPG, “jump into” the parts of the game and act and
 thus creating higher dynamic than can be created in a hard-coded environment, says
 Anna-Sofia Alklind Taylor.

Army Academy has been very
 positive about the research and the prototypes developed and some things have
 already been realized in the new interfaces.

For more information,
 contact:
Anna-Sofia Alklind Taylor, University of Skövde, anna-sofia.alklind.taylor@his.se,
 0500-44 83 31

 

If the thesis

 Dissertation title: Facilitation Matters: A Framework for
 instructor-led serious gaming

 Time and place for the Degree of Doctorate: 2014-09-25 13:15,
 University of Skövde, portal, insight

 Opponent: Jonas Linderoth, The Linnaeus Centre for Research on
 learning (LinCS), University of Gothenburg

 Issue: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:his:diva-9923

 
 

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