A Multi-Agent Simulation of Serious Games to Predict Their Impact on E-Learning Processes

Authors: Ibtissem Daoudi, Raoudha Chebil, Wided Lejouad Chaari

Abstract:

Serious games constitute actually a recent and attractive way supposed to replace the classical boring courses. However, the choice of the adapted serious game to a specific learning environment remains a challenging task that makes teachers unwilling to adopt this concept. To fill this gap, we present, in this paper, a multi-agent-based simulator allowing to predict the impact of a serious game integration in a learning environment given several game and players characteristics. As results, the presented tool gives intensities of several emotional aspects characterizing learners reactions to the serious game adoption. The presented simulator is tested to predict the effect of basing a coding course on the serious game ”CodeCombat”. The obtained results are compared with feedbacks of using the same serious game in a real learning process.

Keywords: Emotion, learning process, multi-agent simulation, serious games.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1129051

References:

[1] N. Whitton, “Motivation and computer game based learning,” Proceedings ascilite Singapore, 2007.
[2] D. Michael and S. Chen, Serious Games: Games that Educate, Train and Inform. USA, Thomson Course Technology, 2005.
[3] M. Zyda, “From visual simulation to virtual reality to games,” Computer, 38(9), 2005, pp. 25–32.
[4] S. Ben, “The serious games landscape,” 2007, presented at the Instructional & Research Technology Symposium for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Camden, USA.
[5] A. Julian, “Du jeu video au serious game: approches culturelle, pragmatique et formelle,” Ph.D. dissertation, Universite de Toulouse II (Le Mirail), Universite de Toulouse III (Paul Sabatier), 2007.
[6] (Online). Available: http://serious.gameclassification.com/ (accessed October 15, 2016)
[7] A. Siddaway, “What is a systematic literature review and how do i do one? 13.”
[8] V. C. Nicolas Sabouret and M. Ochs, “Simulation de la dynamique des emotions et des relations sociales de personnages virtuels,” 2008.
[9] S. Karim, “Adaptation dynamique des environnements informatiques pour l’apprentissage humain,” Ph.D. dissertation, Laboratoire d’Informatique en Images et Systemes d’information LIRIS, 2014.
[10] D. Lotfi, “Contribution de la motivation dans les jeux serieux,” Ph.D. dissertation, universite de Montreal, 2013.
[11] K. k. Sara de Freitas, Sylvester Arnab and T. Lainema, “Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games,” 2014.
[12] B. I. Chourabi Olfa and L. Daniel, “Retour d’experience sur l’insertion d’un serious game dans l’apprentissage des systemes d’information,” 2015, p. pages 1136.
[13] (Online). Available: http://www.simul8.com/ (accessed October 18, 2016)
[14] H. Jones and N. Sabouret, “Tardis- une plate-forme de simulation d’entretien d’embauche,” 2011.
[15] M. O. Vincent Corruble and N. Sabouret, “Osse: un outil pour la simulation du contexte socio-emotionnel d’un personnage virtuel,” 2008.
[16] S. Hidi and K. A. Renninger, “The four-phase model of interest development,,” Educational Psychologist 41 (2), 2006, pp. 111–127.
[17] R. St-Pierre, “Des jeux video pour l’apprentissage? facteurs de motivation et de jouabilite issus du game design,” 2010, pp. 4–26.
[18] J. Keller, Motivational Design for Learning and Performance: The ARCS Model Approach. Springer, 2010.
[19] M. Cskszentmihlyi, Flow: The psychology of optimal experience, 1990.
[20] F. Jacques, Les systmes multi-agents. Vers une intelligence collective, 1995.
[21] (Online). Available: https://codecombat.com/ (accessed October 25, 2016)
[22] B. D. Raad, The Big Five Personality Factors: The psycholexical approach to personality, 2000.