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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Serious games are starting to attain a higher role as tools for learning in various contexts, but in
particular in areas such as education and training. Due to its characteristics, such as rules, behavior
simulation and feedback to the player's actions, serious games provide a favorable learning
environment where errors can occur without real life penalty and students get instant feedback from
challenges. These challenges are in accordance with the intended objectives and will self-adapt and
repeat according to the student’s difficulty level. Through motivating and engaging environments,
which serve as base for problem solving and simulation of different situations and contexts, serious
games have a great potential to aid players developing professional skills. But, how do we certify the
acquired knowledge and skills? With this work we intend to propose a methodology to establish a
relationship between the game mechanics of serious games and an array of competences for
certification, evaluating the applicability of various aspects in the design and development of games
such as the user interfaces and the gameplay, obtaining learning outcomes within the game itself.
Through the definition of game mechanics combined with the necessary pedagogical elements, the
game will ensure the certification.
This paper will present a matrix of generic skills, based on the European Framework of Qualifications,
and the definition of the game mechanics necessary for certification on tour guide training context. The
certification matrix has as reference axes: skills, knowledge and competencies, which describe what
the students should learn, understand and be able to do after they complete the learning process.
The guides-interpreters welcome and accompany tourists on trips and visits to places of tourist
interest and cultural heritage such as museums, palaces and national monuments, where they provide
various information. Tour guide certification requirements include skills and specific knowledge about
foreign languages and in the areas of History, Ethnology, Politics, Religion, Geography and Art of the
territory where it is inserted. These skills are communication, interpersonal relationships, motivation,
organization and management. This certification process aims to validate the skills to plan and
conduct guided tours on the territory, demonstrate knowledge appropriate to the context and finally
match a good group leader.
After defining which competences are to be certified, the next step is to delineate the expected
learning outcomes, as well as identify the game mechanics associated with it. The game mechanics,
as methods invoked by agents for interaction with the game world, in combination with game
elements/objects allows multiple paths through which to explore the game environment and its
educational process. Mechanics as achievements, appointments, progression, reward schedules or
status, describe how game can be designed to affect players in unprecedented ways.
In order for the game to be able to certify tour guides, the design of the training game will incorporate
a set of theoretical and practical tasks to acquire skills and knowledge of various transversal themes.
For this end, patterns of skills and abilities in acquiring different knowledge will be identified.
Description
Keywords
Serious games Certification Training Game mechanics Game based learning
Citation
Publisher
IATED - International Academy of Technology, Education and Development