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 developments in the field of Game Testing, recommended literature and further resources will be provided as part of the lecture material at the appropriate timing. This ensures that students are kept abreast with the latest testing techniques and trends.

Teaching methods

The course has two phases - an online phase and contact phase. Explicit details for each will be given during the first lecture, which is a contact session.

Exam schedules

This course has no formal exam.

International connections

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

Student workload

The course has two phases - an online phase and contact phase. Explicit details for each will be given during the first lecture, which is a contact session.

This course is 5 ECTS - students are expected to work 135 hours
- 30% individual theory work
- 70% group project work

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

The group project grade will be the course grade. The group project is graded out of 5 against a rubric that will be made available to students during the course.

Grades will be withheld from students who do not fully complete the requirements as stipulated through the collaborative learning platform.

Content scheduling

This course covers the following topics related to Serious Games and Gamification:
- Theory of Gamification
- Theory of Serious Games
- Theory of learning and motivation
- Workflow of a gamification or serious games project
- Ethics of serious games and gamification

Evaluation scale

Hyväksytty/Hylätty

Assessment methods and criteria

The first phase of the course requires students to complete online activities in the collaborative learning environment. Their progress is tracked through the platform and a student dashboard will indicate the completion status to the students.

Students are expected to present their group project at the end of the course. The group project is active throughout the duration of the course.

Assessment criteria, fail (0)

If a group does not deliver a group project at the end of the course, the group will be interviewed and the causes of non-delivery will determine the course outcome for the students of that group.

Students who do not complete all the online activities required in the first phase will fail the course.