Evaluation of the Create@School Game-Based Learning–Teaching Approach

Abstract

The constructivist approach is interested in creating knowledge through active engagement and encourages students to build their knowledge from their experiences in the world. Learning through digital game making is a constructivist approach that allows students to learn by developing their own games, enhancing problem-solving skills and fostering creativity. In this context two tools, Create@School App and the Project Management Dashboard (PMD), were developed to enable students from different countries to be able to adapt their learning material by programming and designing games for their academic subjects, therefore integrating the game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics into the academic curriculum. This paper focuses on presenting the validation context as well as the evaluation of these tools. The Hassenzahl model and AttrakDiff survey were used for measuring users’ experience and satisfaction, and for understanding emotional responses, thus providing information that enables testing of the acceptability and usability of the developed apps. After two years of usage of code-making apps (i.e., Create@School and its pre-design version Pocket Code), the pupils processed knowledge from their academic subjects spontaneously as game-based embedded knowledge. The students demonstrated creativity, a practical approach, and enthusiasm regarding making games focused on academic content that led them to learning, using mobile devices, sensors, images, and contextual information. This approach was widely accepted by students and teachers as part of their everyday class routines.

Qualitative Assessment of Effective Gamification Design Processes Using Motivators to Identify Game Mechanics

“…The project measures satisfaction and usability based on user experience methodologies [ 59 ]. The techniques carried out from evaluation systems with users allow the project to evaluate a minimum of five users of the same profile, and an evaluation based on qualitative results allows results obtained from User 6 to be repeated with previous users [ 60 ]. The study that is presented has a rating of 14, which supports the rigor of the results and validates the results of the assessments.…”

“…The test is carried out with a homogeneous group of people, consisting of 14 expert consultants in gamification [ 60 ] with more than five years of experience in business projects, educational projects or research projects and with a standard deviation of 3.33 with respect to age. It is important that the study be based on such a specific profile that, as previously explained, would consist of the potential users of the study results.…”

Constructive Alignment in Game Design for Learning Activities in Higher Education

“…The abundance of game design tools [31] as well as the growing "modding" possibilities provided by games themselves [22] have positively contributed to the expansion of this field. The participatory nature of educational games [32,33] is on several occasions used to create learner-centered learning experiences, where both teachers and students are part of the design process [34]. Kalmpourtzis [32] ran participatory educational game design activities, where kindergarten students could create educational games around pre-algebraic patterning for their peers, showing that student participation in making games had a positive impact on their mathematical problem posing skills.…”

Advanced Sensors Technology in Education

“…Students from different countries are able to adapt their learning material by programming and designing games for their academic subjects, therefore integrating the game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics into the academic curriculum. Gaeta et al [8] focuses on presenting the validation context as well as the evaluation tools developed. The Hassenzahl model and AttrakDiff survey are used to measure users’ experience and satisfaction and to understand emotional responses.…”