Teaching children of urban planning and sustainable development through gamification

Čepuran, Ana (author), Marolt, Matija (mentor), Temeljotov Salaj, Alenka (comentor)

For the education system to better address today's students, who represent a generation of "native speakers" of the digital language of computers, video games, and the Internet, it is necessary to use and adapt tools that have already proven useful, for example, develop computer games that would perform the task of learning. At the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), the Department of Civil Engineering developed a game to teach children about urban planning and sustainable development in their city and encourage them to participate in decision-making processes, however, the game prototype does not motivate children to play or learn. By using different models and frameworks and following the guidelines for developing user interfaces for children, we improved and adapted the game prototype. The game was evaluated quantitatively, based on learning outcomes, and qualitatively, based on the motivation and user enjoyment. The results show that the addition of a meaningful goal increases the motivation to learn and the learning results. Furthermore, the observations suggest that the use of educational games in the classroom needs to be carefully planned.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Digital game-based learning, sustainable development, motivation, Unity WebGL, education
• Work type: Master's thesis
• Typology: 2.09 - Master's Thesis
• Organization: FRI - Faculty of Computer and Information Science
• Year: 2022
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-142939
• COBISS.SI-ID: 138672387
• Publication date in RUL: 05.12.2022

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Učenje otrok o urbanističnem načrtovanju in trajnostnem razvoju skozi poigritev

Abstract

Da bi izobraževalni sistem bolje nagovoril današnje učence, tj. generacijo "maternih govorcev" digitalnega jezika računalnikov, video iger in Interneta, je potrebno uporabiti in prilagoditi orodja, ki so se že izkazala za uporabna, na primer razvoj računalniških iger, ki bi opravljale nalogo učenja. Na oddelku za gradbeništvo Norveške Univerze za znanost in tehnologijo (NTNU) so razvili prototip igre za poučevanje otrok o urbanističnem načrtovanju, trajnostnem razvoju v njihovem mestu, da bi jih spodbudili za sodelovanje v procesih odločanja. Trenutna različica igre ni učinkovita v svojem namenu, saj otrok ne motivira za igro ali učenje. Z uporabo različnih modelov in ogrodij ter upoštevanjem smernic za razvoj uporabniških vmesnikov za otroke smo izboljšali in prilagodili prototip igre. Igra je bila ovrednotena kvantitativno, na podlagi učnih rezultatov, in kvalitativno, na podlagi motivacije in splošnega zadovoljstva uporabnikov. Dobljeni rezultati dokazujejo, da dodatek smiselnega cilja poveča motivacijo za učenje in učne rezultate. Poleg tega opažanja kažejo, da je potrebno uporabo izobraževalnih iger v učilnici skrbno načrtovati.

• Keywords: Digital game-based learning, trajnostni razvoj, motivacija, Unity WebGL, učenje