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Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments
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Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2021) | Viewed by 81480

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Ahmed Tlili

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Smart Learning Institute, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100082, China
Interests: educational games; learning analytics; open education; educational psychology; artificial intelligence in education
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Daniel Burgos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Research Institute for Innovation & Technology in Education (UNIR iTED), Universidad Internacional de La Rioja (UNIR), 26006 Logroño, La Rioja, Spain
Interests: adaptive and informal eLearning; educational technology; learning analytics; open education; open science; educational games; serious games; gamification; elearning specifications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Educational games and gamification systems have been attracting increasing attention from researchers and educators as they can make the learning process immersive, interactive, and fun (Thomas et al., 2004). Consequently, several studies have reported that they can enhance learners’ motivation, engagement, and learning outcomes (Deater-Deckard et al, 2013). However, many researchers have also pointed out that educational games are black boxes, i.e., aside from the game score and the achieved game levels, the teacher cannot see how the learning process is occurring (Alonso-Fernandez, Calvo, Freire, Martinez-Ortiz, Fernandez-Manjon, 2017). Therefore, studies have highlighted the need to design smart educational games and systems which incorporate analytics tools. These tools can analyze learners’ in-game data while learning to give insights into the learning process. For instance, some studies have used smart educational games and gamification systems to identify learners’ individual differences, such as personality and working memory capacity, or assess learners’ performance and outcomes (Denden, Tlili, Essalmi, and Jemni, 2018; Khenissi, Essalmi, Jemni, Chang, and Chen, 2017; Hernández-Lara, Perera-Lluna, and Serradell-López, 2019).

Despite the emerging significance of LA when implementing educational games, limitations are still present. Multiple game genres and their contexts cause high variations of adoption of LA in educational games. Specifically, this issue limits defining general analytics to effectively incorporate LA in educational games (Serrano-Laguna, Torrente, Moreno-Ger and Fernández-Manjón, 2014). In other words, the applications of LA in educational games is still complex, and no generally accepted approach has been reported to date (Perez-Colado, Perez-Colado, Freire-Moran, Martinez-Ortiz, and Fernandez-Manjon, 2017). Additionally, no research has reported a way to design educational games to incorporate Artificial Intelligence (AI) for smart learning experiences. Notably, it is also seen that there is a lack of applying smart educational games and gamification systems in specific areas, including language learning, accessible learning for disabled students, healthcare, and e-health. Therefore, this Special Issue is focused on the design, development, and implementation of smart educational games and gamification systems in online learning environments. It aims to fill this research gap and calls for research papers in, but not limited to, the following areas related to educational games and gamification:

  • Education
  • Learning analytics
  • Language learning
  • Health care and e-Health
  • Artificial Intelligence and Big Data
  • Big data in Educational games and gamification systems
  • Disabled learners and functional diversity educational contexts
  • Behaviour modeling and pattern recognition
  • Competence development
  • Other topics related

Dr. Ahmed Tlili
Prof. Dr. Daniel Burgos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • education
  • learning analytics
  • language learning
  • health care and e-health
  • artificial intelligence and big data
  • big data in educational games and gamification systems
  • disabled learners and functional diversity educational contexts
  • behaviour modeling and pattern recognition
  • competence development

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

29 pages, 1289 KiB  
Article
Digital Escape Rooms as Innovative Pedagogical Tools in Education: A Systematic Literature Review
by Agoritsa Makri, Dimitrios Vlachopoulos and Richard A. Martina
Sustainability 2021, 13(8), 4587; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084587 - 20 Apr 2021
Cited by 100 | Viewed by 17131
Abstract
This paper aims to present a systematic literature review on state-of-the-art Educational Escape Rooms (EERs) with the use of digital technologies. More specifically, the focus of the study is to present the current developments and trends concerning Digital Educational Escape Rooms (DEERs) and [...] Read more.
This paper aims to present a systematic literature review on state-of-the-art Educational Escape Rooms (EERs) with the use of digital technologies. More specifically, the focus of the study is to present the current developments and trends concerning Digital Educational Escape Rooms (DEERs) and investigate how they foster learning outcomes for online learners. Additionally, the present study provides insights into the design process of such technology enhanced EERs. This review is attributed to identifying and covering research gaps since the current literature has focused on the pedagogical aspects of Escape Rooms (ERs) in education, but no studies seem to have been conducted in regard to the pedagogical implications of Digital Escape Rooms (DERs) in educational environments. Based on the exhaustive literature review, an agenda for future research is promised and the implications for designing innovative ER approaches have been highlighted. The anatomy of the fundamental components of conducting systematic literature reviews was followed. The results of the review could be addressed to multidisciplinary teams related to education, game researchers, educational researchers, faculty members, scholars, instructors, and protagonists of educational systems to encourage them to thoroughly study the core elements of DEERs and how they can be applied in virtual educational contexts to facilitate students’ learning achievements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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14 pages, 1541 KiB  
Article
Between Level Up and Game Over: A Systematic Literature Review of Gamification in Education
by Ana Manzano-León, Pablo Camacho-Lazarraga, Miguel A. Guerrero, Laura Guerrero-Puerta, José M. Aguilar-Parra, Rubén Trigueros and Antonio Alias
Sustainability 2021, 13(4), 2247; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13042247 - 19 Feb 2021
Cited by 218 | Viewed by 34812
Abstract
Educational gamification consists of the use of game elements and game design techniques in the educational context. The objective of this study is to examine the existing evidence on the impact of educational gamification on student motivation and academic performance in the last [...] Read more.
Educational gamification consists of the use of game elements and game design techniques in the educational context. The objective of this study is to examine the existing evidence on the impact of educational gamification on student motivation and academic performance in the last five years in order to analyze its distribution over time, educational level, variables, and most used game elements, and know the advantages of its implementation in the classroom. For this, a systematic review is proposed through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology in three multidisciplinary databases, through an exhaustive search with inclusion and exclusion criteria on quantitative experimental studies that explore gamification in educational centers, which provide information about the most current lines of research. Fourteen studies were included in this review. These used experimental or quasi-experimental designs. Most of them report gamification as a valid learning strategy. The results support the conclusion that educational gamification has a potential impact on the academic performance, commitment, and motivation of students. Therefore, this study implies the need to expand research on the needs and challenges of students when learning with gamified techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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27 pages, 1264 KiB  
Article
Adoption and Use of Learning Management Systems in Education: The Role of Playfulness and Self-Management
by Selen Balkaya and Ulas Akkucuk
Sustainability 2021, 13(3), 1127; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13031127 - 22 Jan 2021
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 10008
Abstract
This article investigates the factors affecting primary and secondary education teachers’ behavioral intention to adopt learning management systems (LMSs). Information technology (IT) innovations have the power to change the way we work, educate, learn, and basically the way we live. The effect of [...] Read more.
This article investigates the factors affecting primary and secondary education teachers’ behavioral intention to adopt learning management systems (LMSs). Information technology (IT) innovations have the power to change the way we work, educate, learn, and basically the way we live. The effect of IT innovations on education makes it critical to understand the current usage situation of LMSs and the factors affecting their adoption by teachers. The unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) was extended with factors from education and game-based learning literature. In order to see the effect of individual- and organizational-level characteristics, multi-group structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis was conducted and discrepancies in relationships were reported. Evaluation of users and non-users and teachers of different fields were also compared to each other. The findings of this study not only contribute to theory through the development and testing of a thorough model relating technology features and individual characteristics to behavioral intention to use, but also offer strong implications for practitioners who would like to increase LMS usage and create a more effective learning environment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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20 pages, 1780 KiB  
Article
Is Classroom Gamification Opposed to Performance?
by Antoni Hernández-Fernández, Noelia Olmedo-Torre and Marta Peña
Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 9958; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12239958 - 28 Nov 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 6925
Abstract
Learning through digital media is currently considered as a mixture of methodologies that aim to approach the reality of students to motivate them. Gamification emerges as one of the pedagogical methodologies on the rise in digital classrooms, but is it really practical? What [...] Read more.
Learning through digital media is currently considered as a mixture of methodologies that aim to approach the reality of students to motivate them. Gamification emerges as one of the pedagogical methodologies on the rise in digital classrooms, but is it really practical? What are its effects? A gamification longitudinal case-study experience was carried out in the subject: complements for disciplinary training in technology of the master’s degree of secondary school teachers (technology specialty) that is taught at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, where gamified activities and alternatives to traditional master teaching have been introduced in a progressive way throughout three academic years (2016/17 to 2018/19). The results show that there is a negative correlation between the numerical scores of the different components of the evaluation and the marks obtained in the activities of gamification. It is surprising that the group less involved in the gamification obtained better academic results, although gamification improved the motivation and the valuations of the subject, due to the inclusion of more games in the course. This raises doubts on whether the positive effects of gamification on the climate of the classroom and on motivation are opposed to academic results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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22 pages, 4873 KiB  
Article
A Method to Develop Accessible Online Serious Games for People with Disabilities: A Case Study
by Angel Jaramillo-Alcázar, Paz Cortez-Silva, Marco Galarza-Castillo and Sergio Luján-Mora
Sustainability 2020, 12(22), 9584; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12229584 - 17 Nov 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 6992
Abstract
Video games that are used as teaching tools are called serious games. However, there is an important factor that is not usually considered in the design of serious games— the inclusion of people with disabilities. Inclusion can be reached only if accessibility takes [...] Read more.
Video games that are used as teaching tools are called serious games. However, there is an important factor that is not usually considered in the design of serious games— the inclusion of people with disabilities. Inclusion can be reached only if accessibility takes on an important role for all. On the other hand, new trends have resulted in different smart devices being used in classrooms. These devices also allow for applications, such as serious games, to be used to support people’s learning process. Despite this, these applications are generally not multi-platform and do not usually consider accessibility features for people with disabilities. This paper proposes a method to develop accessible online serious games that consider people with disabilities as potential users. The method is applied in the case study of an online serious game that teaches about the architecture of a computer in a fun and entertaining way. The method also presents and describes several guidelines to improve online serious game accessibility for people with disabilities. Finally, tests are conducted with some users to gather information about the online serious game and the accessibility features included. This study has important implications for the development of learning tools that consider people with disabilities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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28 pages, 4260 KiB  
Article
Videogames and Innovation: Fostering Innovators’ Skills in Online-Learning Environments
by Hendrys Tobar-Muñoz, Juan G. Cárcamo, Henner Solarte, Christiam Ventes and Jorge H. Mesa
Sustainability 2020, 12(21), 9264; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12219264 - 7 Nov 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3708
Abstract
Innovation is quite important for economies and entrepreneurs around the world, especially for developing countries such as Colombia, where this study was based. Therefore, education for innovation becomes as important, and newer and innovative educational means must be adjusted for developing skills in [...] Read more.
Innovation is quite important for economies and entrepreneurs around the world, especially for developing countries such as Colombia, where this study was based. Therefore, education for innovation becomes as important, and newer and innovative educational means must be adjusted for developing skills in innovation and entrepreneurship. Innovator’s DNA is a framework of skills that are meant to be developed by innovators. This framework proposes five discovery skills, which are: observing, associating, experimenting, networking, and questioning. This paper studied whether and how videogames can develop innovators’ skills in students of entrepreneurship and innovation in online-learning environments, by directly observing the participation of 23 participants during an interaction with a game specifically tailored for fostering these skills. The videogame used is called CAFET, and it consists of a card-based game where players enact coffee industry entrepreneurs in Colombia. A mixed-methods research was carried out by coding each observable action conducted by the participants and interviewing them about their behaviors. Results showed that participants enact actions that may involve and develop innovator’s DNA skills, specifically observing, associating, and experimenting. This study analyzed how videogames can develop innovation skills and explains the behaviors observed among other insights. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Educational Games and Gamification Systems in Online Learning Environments)
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