What better way to achieve this than incorporating the element of fun into the project by making it look like a game or story?
The game takes place in an unfriendly galaxy far away. The user assumes the role of a captain who tries to survive the hazards of the universe by navigating his spaceship back to safety. The game includes three mini-games, an exploratory one that requires agility and one that involves pace. In addition, some questions require to be answered for the user to claim the achievements and rewards. 

ClientFreelancing projectServiceseLearning Development, Instructional DesignSoftwareArituclate Storyline, Photoshop Online, Plotagon, Javascript, HTMLYear2020

Learning Theory behind the game

Motivation is vital when it comes to knowledge acquisition.

Unfortunately, most eLearning projects out in the market are considered repetitive and boring. To draw the learners’ interest, the instructional designer/ eLearning developer should come up with techniques and ideas that spark the user’s imagination. 

A common problem in serious games is that they are way too….serious; Yes, I know, serious games are meant to be educational, so creators populate them with questions and answers based on the theory of behaviourism. But, unfortunately, that makes them boring for students since they realise that those games are just well-looking tests.

Having that in mind, I decided to do something different. In this particular approach of mine, I have chosen the path of combining two of the major learning theories, constructivism and behaviourism, to create a serious game that is also fun!

Contents of the game

The game is made of 9 main questions and three mini-games.

  1. In the first mini-game, the user must find a hidden word on a website, like a treasure hunt.
  2. In the second mini-game, the user must be fast and improve one’s spatial awareness by clicking the objects that appear on the screen.
  3. In the third mini-game, the user has to avoid the grid and keep one’s composure until the game is complete by bringing the shuttle to the vault (finish line)

The game is considered complete despite succession in the mini-games. To see the final animation that congratulates the learner, one must gather all nine stars, meaning that all nine questions need to be answered right.

 Learning techniques used

In terms of a behaviouristic point of view, the game includes nine questions. In the game’s initial design, I used some questions to help EFL students learn the English language. What is different here is that there are also three mini-games aligned with the theory of constructivism, experimental and experimental learning. 

Discovery learning is an inquiry-based, constructivist learning theory that takes place in problem solving situations where the learner draws on his or her own past experience and existing knowledge to discover facts and relationships and new truths to be learned. Students interact with the world by exploring and manipulating objects, wrestling with questions and controversies, or performing experiments.

Gamification techniques were also applied. The game includes Avatars in the form of spaceships, Progression tracking in the form of collectable stars and Achievements after completing each mini-game. By doing so, the user is motivated to return to the game and try once more if the initial effort didn’t provide the desired outcome. I wanted to “force” the learner to re-visit the question before trying the mini-game again to establish knowledge acquisition further. After all, video games have a reversible level of difficulty, meaning that the learner adapts and becomes better until one reaches the necessary skill level to overcome the obstacles set. 

Finally, videos are also included to engage the user. Explainer videos make abstract concepts easier to conceive. A video can break down a big complex chunk of data into understandable visual bits. This transition to visual representations automatically makes the information more appealing. GenZ students are drawn to this kind of presentation compared to old-fashioned text. Having that in mind, I decided to use graphical representations and language matching learners’ age.

A final word

The game works on both LMS and browsers, which means it can be customisable and applied to different scenarios and types of learners. The game includes 24 variables that adjust various conditions spanning from turning on and off the music to counting the user’s progression. I decided to create such a complex game with lots of eLearning techniques and deep pedagogical background to show the vast potential that educational games can have if manipulated correctly.

Would you like to experience the game for yourself?

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