Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games

K. Kiili; Timo Lainema; Sara de Freitas; Sylvester Arnab

doi:10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002

Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games

K. Kiili, Timo Lainema, Sara de Freitas, Sylvester Arnab

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109 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student's experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students' flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	367-377
Journal	Entertainment Computing
Volume	5
Issue number	4
Early online date	22 Aug 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002
Publication status	Published - Dec 2014

Bibliographical note

NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Entertainment Computing .Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Entertainment Computing, [Vol 5, no 4, 2014] DOI 10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002 .
© 2014, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .

Keywords

Game-based learning
Game analysis
Serious games
Technology-enhanced learning
Flow experience
User experience

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10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002

Flow frameworkAccepted author manuscript, 547 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Sylvester Arnab
- Research Centre in Postdigital Cultures - Professor in Games Science - Applied Games
Person: Teaching and Research

Cite this

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title = "Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games",

abstract = "The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student's experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students' flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences. ",

keywords = "Game-based learning, Game analysis, Serious games, Technology-enhanced learning, Flow experience, User experience",

author = "K. Kiili and Timo Lainema and {de Freitas}, Sara and Sylvester Arnab",

note = "NOTICE: this is the author{\textquoteright}s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Entertainment Computing .Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Entertainment Computing, [Vol 5, no 4, 2014] DOI 10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002 . {\textcopyright} 2014, Elsevier. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ .",

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PY - 2014/12

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N2 - The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student's experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students' flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences.

AB - The challenge of educational game design is to develop solutions that appeal to as many players as possible, but are still educationally effective. One foundation for analyzing and designing educational engagement is the flow theory. This article presents a flow framework that describes the dimensions of flow experience that can be used to analyze the quality of educational games. The framework also provides design-support for producing good educational games, because it can be used to reveal ways to optimize learning effects and user experience. However, the framework only works as a link between educational theory and game design, which is useful for game analysis but does not provide the means for a complete game design. To evaluate the elements included in the proposed framework, we analyzed university student's experiences in participating in a business simulation game. We found that the students' flow experience in the game was high and the findings indicated that sense of control, clear goals and challenge-skill dimensions of flow scored the highest. Overall, the results indicate that the flow framework is a useful tool to aid the analysis of game-based learning experiences.

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KW - Serious games

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KW - Flow experience

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DO - 10.1016/j.entcom.2014.08.002

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ER -

Flow framework for analyzing the quality of educational games

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Sylvester Arnab

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