Baltasar Fernandez Manjon

Complutense University of Madrid

Serious games, e-learning and standards

balta@fdi.ucm.esELSE conference, Bucharest 2013

2/22

Context: e-UCM research group

E-learning , educational technologies

15 researchers Specialized in serious games

National and EU projects SG in the medical domain

www.e-ucm.es

3/22

Serious games, e-learning and standards?

Serious Games have probed to be educationally effective in several domains Medicine, business, training

But still a limited number of sucess cases

Open issues Cost Scalability Deployment in real environment (e.g. schools) Integration into the curriculum ……..

4/22

Serious games, e-learning and standards?

Some of the issues are common to other educational content

Why not to pack and distribute SG as standard compliant learning objects?

Many benefits Integrate SG into already existing e-learning

infrastructure (LMS or VLE) Reusability, Interoperability ….

How to use e-learning standards with Serious Games?

5/22

eAdventure

Ease the development of serious games and game-like simulation Low cost, high reusability

Use photos and videos for graphical assets Participation of educators in the development process

No programming required Specific educational features (e.g. assessment)

Serious games as learning objects Simple exportation without requiring deep knowledge

about e-learning standards

Introducing games into learning flow Integration with LMS

6/22

7/22

8/22

Integración con Entornos Virtuales de Enseñanza

Proceso de exportación Configurar arquitectura (ambas capas). Etiquetar contenido con meta-datos Empaquetamiento como Objeto de Aprendizaje

(IMS-CP, SCORM, AGREGA)

9/22

Models for Integration of Serious Games in VLEs

The Black Box Model

Games as independent pieces of content – LO. Launched from the VLE – content service. No active communication. IMS CP + LOM.

10/22

Models for Integration of Serious Games in VLEs

The White Box Model

Games as independent pieces of content – LO. Launched from the VLE – content service. Active communication. SCORM.

11/22

Models for Integration of Serious Games in VLEs

The Decoupled Model

Games as independent pieces of content – LO. Launched from external server– mash-up. Active communication or not. IMS-BLTI, IMS-LTI Basic Outcome, IMS-CC. Specific non-standards solutions (e.g.

LAMS)

12/22

Models for Integration of Games in VLEs - Summary

Black box Pros : widespread support. Cons: game run isolated; dependent on updates. Learning scenarios: game as complementary activity.

White box Pros : communication (allowing assess. and adapt). Cons: restrictive data model; data cannot be shared;

dependent on updates. Learning scenarios: main activities and homework.

Decoupled model Pros : more powerful approach (richer data, shared among

tools, game developer keep control over the game. Cons: more complex ICT infrastructure Learning scenarios: games outputs adapt learning sequences

13/22

eAdventure + Learning Analytics

Game Engine

Communication

API

Logic

Input

Input

Logic

Input

{ type: 'input', timeStamp: some_timestamp, device: 'some_device', action: 'some_action', target: 'target_id', data: { key1: value, ...}}

{ type: 'logic', timeStamp: some_timestamp, event: 'some_event', target: 'some_id', data: { key1: value, ...}}

LA Database

14/22

But new e-learning standards appears …

How can we use Experience API with Serious games? Previously known as TIN CAN API

Deal with new aspects Independence of LMSs New devices Any kind of activity …

15/22

Experience API (XAPI)

Data Model Like Activity Stream

Extended for educational purposes

High flexibility Verbs: key elements

<I> <did> <this>

<actor> <verb> <object>, with <result>, in <context>

16/22

Storing and communicating data: LRS and API

Learning Record Store

API

17/22

Experience API (XAPI)

18/22

SCORM vs XAPI

19/22

XAPI and eAdventure

1st step: conceptual analisys Identify how use SCORM advantages:

Interactions: it is inlcuded in XAPIStore fine-grained informationDifferent kinds of interaction (relationship,

true-false, etc. ) Multiple correct answers Tagging particular entries with identifiers that

link them to sets of related learning objectives Journalist vs State

Identify how use simple and general game outcomes as done with eAdventure-LAMSScore, completed, time, and play-time

20/22

XAPI and eAdventure

2st step: Implementation in eAdventure Include a communication module Include a profile in the game editor

The communication settings (game exported with experience communication module)

Link statements with assessment rules

21/22

XAPI and eAdventure

3st step: case studies Old case studies: SCORM and LAMS

New case studiesLarge experiments in real schools

22/22

XAPI and eAdventure

4st step: advance use of XAPI and games Analyze old and new case studies New possibilities and learning scenarios

provided by XAPI Experiences from EU projects (GALA, CHERMUG,

etc) Create “standards” verbs definitions for Serious

games community Learning analytics, games and XAPI

23/22

Raw data can feed several systems An LRS A Learning Analytics System

eAdventure + Learning Analytics wit XAPI

Logic

Input

Logic

Input

Input

Input

Raw data

LRS

Learning Analytics System

StatementsAnalyzer

StatementsAnalyzer

EXPERIENCEAPI

EXPERIENCE

API

24/22

Other experiences with XAPI

Laboratory of Computer Science MGH Integration medical mannequin simulation data

in a LMS

LRS THE HUB

25/22

Thank you!!

More info Presentation by Ivan Martinez this afternoon http://e-adventure.e-ucm.es

Also a version in Romanian language http://www.e-ucm.es/publications/

eAdventure is open source codeSourceforge.net