Proposal for a Participatory Methodology for the Creation of Serious Games

Abstract

We are facing a new generation of students, who are not only looking for theoretical knowledge, but also want learning to be practical, interesting, and fun. They request didactic techniques that allow them to have a more prominent role in their learning, models that are not focused on teaching, but on learning. They are students with different characteristics because they were born in the digital age. Technology has changed the way they relate to the world. They are not comfortable with respect to traditional models and try to incorporate new technologies into all aspects of their lives. Within the educational field, new technologies are seen as a tool that facilitates learning and develops skills in students. From this perspective, the development of simulators and serious games are now used as a strategy to facilitate learning. The advantages of using a serious game seem evident, they help develop critical thinking, encourage creativity, increase problem-solving skills, increase retention, among other benefits. However, when games are not well designed, they lose both their appeal and their playful essence. One reason for these problems is the absence of the application of any design methodology, and that many of these problems come from the requirements definition phase. Specifically, most of the problems occur in the game design phase, where there is a deficiency in the writing of the requirements requested by the teachers. When the requirements are vague, or ambiguous, experts in the development area are unable to interpret the interaction design, the game mechanics, or the way in which users will interact with the software. This article aims to discuss the specifications and requirements that instructional designers and developers should address before migrating to project development, implementation, or evaluation. This article is important because it analyzes the need to establish clear requirements and objectives that will facilitate the creation of serious games in education.