AMELIA · Emotional modelling to enhance learning in games

Emotional modelling to enhance learning in games

The mission of this research is to study interactions between game mechanics and emotions as a non-linear dynamical system and observe the impact of such interactions between diverse learners’ cognition and learning outcomes with GBLEs. In this European Fellowship titled, emotionAl Modelling to Enhance Learning In gAmes (AMELIA), we propose to conduct a mixed multimodal methods study to observe relations between game mechanic interactions and in-game emotions, cognition, and learning outcomes by collecting multiple data channels ranging from think-aloud recordings to neurofunctional measures between gender dimensions. AMELIA will be carried out at Tampere University (host) with supervisor Kristian Kiili and co-supervisor Manuel Ninaus (secondment) at the University of Graz. AMELIA is implemented in collaboration with an international game company called Psyon Games. The training-through-research during the fellowship will propel the fellow, Elizabeth Cloude, toward a successful academic career, enabling her to obtain a tenure-track position, apply for an ERC Starting Grant, and build an interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and international research network to study inclusive, equitable, and high-quality GBLEs. Three research objectives (ROs) with corresponding work packages (WPs) are outlined below: RO1. Conduct a mixed methods study and collect multimodal data (logfiles, facial expressions, heart rate, electrodermal data, performance, neuroimaging, and think-/emote-alouds) on emotions before, during, and after interacting with game mechanics in a GBLE called Antidote COVID-19 between diverse learners (i.e., gender dimension) [WP2]. RO2. Leverage non-linear dynamical analyses to assess the temporal emergence of emotions before, during, and after diverse learners interact with game mechanics using multimodal data [WP3]. RO3. Identify key relations between game mechanic interaction, emotion dynamics, cognition, and learning outcomes with Antidote COVID-19 using multimodal data between diverse learners [WP4]. The dissemination of the key project results will produce 3 scientific publications with high (open access) impact: European conference for Technology-enhanced Learning, International Conference on Games and learning Alliance, and the International journal of Serious Games. Currently, we are preparing a journal article to be submitted to the British journal of Educational Technology (April 2025). Our project will advance the scientific meaning of emotions in game-based learning and who benefit from learning with game-based learning environments. Target audience include researchers, learners, academics, teachers/instructors, and game developers and companies. The exploitation of the key project results was done first at the beneficiary where the novel approach was applied. Through open access, the key results were made available to faculty, staff, postdocs, and PhD/undergraduate students to encourage collaboration, development, and optimization of the findings beyond the scope of the project. Our results contributed to collaborative research projects such as applying findings to other game-based learning environments developed by supervisor Kiili’s lab (e.g., MediaWatch) and other TAU’s research groups that focus on games and gamification (e.g., Dr. Muhterem Dindar in the Gamification group with the BirdBreeder Simulation game). Presently, we are planning a visit to local secondary school in Michigan where the fellow is located through the CREATE for STEM institute.

Текст от CORDIS, на английски · Данни: CORDIS, © Европейски съюз