HOW TO PROMOTE SELF-REGULATED LEARNING PROCESSES BY USING SERIOUS GAMES

Disruptive changes in the working environment in the operative field of Logistics 4.0 lead to completely new competence requirements regarding the operational employees. In conformity with the 21st-century competencies [1], especially competences such as problem solving and decision making abilities as well as efficient communication and holistic understanding of processes are required increasingly [2]. Therefore, new and innovative approaches of skill and competence development are needed.

Serious Games contain principles and mechanisms, which are proven to have a positive influence on motivation and can promote self-regulated learning processes.

To unfold these potentials in practice a list of requirements concerning Game-development, Game-Design and Organizational integration have to be fulfilled. Some results of our qualitative and multiperspective requirements analysis according to the methods of Mayring points out that e.g. of the most effective and meaningful advantages of Serious Games is the direct feedback of the players’ actions in the game situation. Experiencing consequences, progress and the effectiveness of their own actions has a direct impact on their intrinsic motivation.

This includes offering the possibility to fail. The consequent monitoring of skills in the game situation accompanies learners on their way to self-awareness regarding their own strengths and weaknesses. Other than classic, linear training formats, Serious Games offer a framework in which it is possible to acquire knowledge individually and exploratively while this abstract knowledge is put into practice in a meaningful context to gain experience. To avoid boredom on the one hand and frustration on the other hand it is necessary to find an individual degree of challenge. Knowledge about the skills, competences and previous experiences of the learner play a central role here in order to be able to provide needs-based information, support and stumbling blocks at the right moments in the game situation. Therefore, a user-centric game design approach is recommend to design a Serious Game, and much more. [3]

This paper aims to draw out the empirical requirements analysis` key issues and illustrate them with concrete examples of successful implementations using the example of developing a Serious Game concerning the development of 21st-century competencies in the field of operational logistics.

References:
[1] P21. Partnership for 21 century learning (2007): Framework for 21st Century Learning. A unified vision for learning to ensure student success in a world where change is constant and learning never stops.
[2] Pfeiffer, S.; Lee, H.; Zirnig, C.; Suphan, A. (2016): Industrie 4.0- Qualifizierung 2025., VDMA (Hrsg.).https://arbeitsmarkt.vdma.org/documents/7974667/7986911/VDMA-Studie%20Qualifizierung%202025/f88fce03-d94e-46cb-a60f-54329236b2b7. Abrufdatum: 10.01.2017.
[3] Kaczmarek, S.; Straub, N.; Henke, M. (2017): How Serious Games Unfold Their Potential In Further Training In Logistics. Results of a Multiperspective Empirical Requirements Analysis. In. EDULEARN 2017 9th annual International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies. Barcelona (Spain). 3rd - 5th of July, 2017.