Study Guide

Objective

After completing the course, the student will be able to:
- Engage in theoretical discussions about games that are not only for entertainment
- Apply known success factors of serious games to the design and development of a serious game
- Describe and implement a serious game as part of a learning environment
- Apply a basic understanding of human motivation to the design of solutions aimed at increased user engagement with underlying business processes
- Build and implement solutions for increased user engagement with underlying business processes
- Evaluate the effectiveness of serious games and gamification solutions

Content

- Serious game development frameworks
- Gamification development frameworks
- The psychology of learning and how this relates to serious game development
- Academic literature that highlights and explains human motivation as the basis for gamification
- Various game design and game development tools
- Evaluation techniques and methodologies for evaluating serious games and gamification solutions

Materials

Due to the ongoing research in the fields of Gamification and Serious Games, recommended literature will be provided as part of the lecture material at the appropriate timing. This ensures that students are kept abreast of the latest techniques and trends.

Teaching methods

Learning on this course combines instructivist (20-25%), constructivist (50%) and connectivist (25-30%) methods, implying that students will receive instruction during contact sessions while also being responsible for their own development in the Fields of gamification and serious games. Peer-assisted learning will be encouraged through various e-communication channels - particulalrly for the course group assignment.

International connections

This course leans on CDIO principles and takes a project-based learning approach.

Student workload

Due to the COVID19 situation, the course is managed entirely online via the Moodle learning platform. During the web-contact sessions, students will receive instructions on how to complete the respective study section for that topic.

All study material will be available online.

This course is 5 ECTS - students are expected to work 135 hours:
- Contact sessions (10 to 20 hours)
- Independent reading and research (25 to 35 hours)
- Practical experiential learning (80 to 100 hours) - this includes time for doing assignments

Content scheduling

This course is spread over 7 weeks according to the following topics:
02.11.2020
- Introduction to the course and group formation
- Introduction to gamification and serious games
- UI design for Mobile and Web
09.11.2020
- Managing a gamification or serious games project workflow
- We will suggest some mock-up tools students can use for the course
- Unpacking the requirements document for a gamification or serious game design
16.11.2020
- Learning and motivation theory behind gamification and serious games
- Ethical issues surrounding gamification and serious games
23.11.2020
- Midway customer presentation session
30.11.2020
- GUEST LECTURE: Mobile and VR platform design aspects for gamification and serious games
- Player types and how to engage them
07.12.2020
- Final project customer presentation
14.12.2020
- Final project customer presentation

Evaluation scale

H-5

Assessment methods and criteria

The course consists of 1 Group assignment that spans the duration of the course. Students will be introduced to the project at the start of the course. The final submission includes a gamification or serious game mockup with complete UI design, as well as a requirements document for the further development.
- The submission schedule for the Group project is as follows:
16.11.2020 - Paper prototype
30.12.2020 - Wireframe
14.12.2020 - Mockup + requirements document
- Submissions for the group project will be in video format and a PDF requirements document;

The group project is evaluated as follows:
- Project owner evaluation of the game (H-5);
- Lecturer overall impression of the game (H-5);
The average of these will give the group project grade.

The paper prototype and wireframe submissions are for monitoring student progress and used as the basis of formative feedback. For every formative opportunity missed, one grade point will be deducted from the final grade of each group member.

The course also has 3 online quizzes that must be completed at the following timing:
13.11.2020 - Basics of gamification and serious games
27.11.2020 - Psychology of gamification and serious games
18.12.2020 - Design factors for gamification and serious games

The group project and quizzes will be transposed to a grade out of 5
Course grade is calculated as follows:
(Group project x 0,75) + (Average of online quizzes x 0,25)

During the last session, students will be asked to conduct a peer- and self-assessment on a per-group-project basis. This will determine individual performances within each group and form the grounds for individual grade adjustments (if deemed necessary by the lecturer).

All tasks will be submitted through the LMS.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

- Non-participation in the group project (determined through self- and peer-assessment)
- Failure to make the final group project submission on time AND in full (in such cases, the entire group will fail the course)
- Extensions will only be granted for online quizzes
- Extensions will only be granted upon written receipt of credible reason