Abstract:

Digital games constitute a major opportunity for acquiring knowledge and competences in a different way than traditional classroom- and technology-based methods. Well-designed computer games provide key advantages for facilitating learning, such as enhancing motivation and stimulating a flow experience during the learning process. In addition to typical game features, serious games also need a clear strategy on which and how knowledge and competences are conveyed. This paper describes a novel approach for dealing with knowledge and competences in serious games.

The novel approach to support competence-based learning in serious games is based on a combination of three existing learning theories and techniques. The first of them is Competence-based Knowledge Space Theory (CbKST), which is a set-theoretic psychological-mathematical framework for structuring knowledge domains and representing competences of learners. It is used to personalise assessment and learning paths in adaptive learning systems. The second theory incorporated in our approach is the forgetting curve researched by Hermann Ebbinghaus. This curve describes how information in human is lost over time. The third pillar of our approach is a learning technique of using Flashcards developed by Sebastian Leitner (Leitner system). The key idea is that flashcards containing chunks of information are grouped and assigned with a level according to how well a learner knows the respective information. Different repetition intervals are defined for the different groups depending on the assigned level.

The aforementioned theories are combined to an integrated approach for digital serious games. CbKST is used to structure the learning domain in competences that should be acquired. Each competence is assigned with a learning and assessment value indicating to what extent the respective competence has been learned, demonstrated via performance in an assessment. The Flashcard system is realised by defining ranges for the so-called learning values, which automatically assigns each competence to a Flashcard group. Recommendations which competence should be learned next are based on these groups, by recommending competences in lower groups (lower learning value) more frequently than those in higher groups. According to the Ebbinghaus' forgetting curve, the learning values are automatically decreased over time. For example, a competence that has not been repeated for a longer time will be moved to a lower flashcard level.

This novel approach has been implemented in a software component with a documented API and can be integrated in serious games. The implementation follows the principles and methodologies developed by the European project RAGE (http://rageproject.eu/). RAGE aims at enhancing the development and take-up of digital game-based learning for game industry and education by making available advanced game components – in order to enable easier, faster and more cost-effective development of applied games. The implemented competence component is currently used in game development by the French games company Kiupe.

Keywords:

Serious games, applied games, competence.