PRE2017 3 Groep9 - Game Concept

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Concepts behind the game

A big part of our concept is that it will be a real game, meaning that even if the learning aspects would be removed it still functions as a game that people will want to play. This is what sets our concept apart from most other existing “Games” for language learning. However to still achieve the learning we will make use of the following methods, which are very compatible with a game:

Image based learning Studies have shown that it’s much easier to link an image to a word, than linking a word to another word. Most schools and traditional language courses would teach you words like this:

Paard = Horse

However the brain memorizes it a lot easier if you would do it like this instead:

Paard =

Not only does this connect the word to the actual concept, but also is it actually easier for the brain to remember the word.

“Mnemonics” Mnemonics are commonly used when learning. A mnemonic is a device or method to make it easier for your brain to remember things by linking it to something that is easier to remember, they are basically little scenarios you make in your mind to remember something.

These “Mnemonics” are one of the fundamental methods of game based learning, since games are always based around learning in scenarios and through experience. Another fundamental concept of game-based learning is that of using the thing you want to learn as a tool, not as the end goal. This way you can give meaning to the thing that you are trying to learn.

As can be seen, our game will make use of the fundamentals of game-based learning and apply them in a more specific way to the learning of words. This is a general method in which most educational games work.

The Game

Our game will revolve around learning words in Italian. For the test we are going to build a game in which we are teaching the player at least 15 words, with every word being reasonably difficult to learn. For every word there is a small minigame. To show how the game works we go through the example word “Torta” meaning pie in italian. First the word is shown on screen followed by six images.

After this 6 images come on the screen, 1 of these is the correct image, an image of a pie, the player has to click on the correct image.

This test might also occur in the opposite direction, where an image and the english word will be shown, and the user has to choose out of a set of italian translations.

After this little test, a minigame of about 1-5s long starts. In the minigame for “Torta” we play out the pie-smashing scenario, the player controls a foot and when they press a button the foot smashes what is below it.

The game will let the player go through this process for every word, in a random order, before repeating it again for every word in a different order. The short duration of every minigame and test will allow for a lot of repetition, which is always needed during learning.

Game Requirements

The following is a list of requirements that our game has to fulfill.

- The game has to link each word to an image.

- The game has to link each word to a minigame.

- The minigames should be at most 5 seconds long.

- The word list needs to consists of at least 15 words, which are not too easy to learn

- The game needs to be fun to play

- The game needs to use the native language (English for the concept) as little as possible (only for game explanation, or clarification)

- If a wrong image is chosen the user will get a lower score from the minigame.

- Every minigame must appear once in random order, before the same minigame will appear again, unless the image was guessed incorrectly.

Tool specifications

The game will be run on a computer, which is the robotic device at the core of our research. The fact that it is specifically a computer and not a smartphone, which we consider to be a similar robotic device, is because we do not have the expertise to create it for a smartphone. However given knowledge about programming for smartphone devices it could easily be made to work on a smartphone, or any other similar robotic device.

The Code

The code of game is open source and can be found on GitHub: https://github.com/Kaj0Wortel/learningGame