Abstract:
Education and training are among the fields taking advantage of serious games (SGs). In this article, we present Gea 2: A New Earth, a digital SG developed as an immersiv...Show MoreMetadata
Abstract:
Education and training are among the fields taking advantage of serious games (SGs). In this article, we present Gea 2: A New Earth, a digital SG developed as an immersive 3-D virtual learning environment, integrating several educational resources, including multimedia learning material, communication tools, and intelligent tutoring support. The game aims to complement traditional classroom activities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), for high school students and teachers. It incorporates an intelligent pedagogical agent that can converse in natural language with the student and provides unsolicited hints during gameplay. This article presents the game and its evaluation based on experiments involving about 100 participants. We think that the results presented here add to the research on game-based learning for STEM, by proposing a complex game system, where artificial intelligence techniques are integrated to support students’ learning, and by confirming that the game experience can be attractive for the learners, also in very constrained classroom environments, such as those we operated in.
Published in: IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies ( Volume: 14, Issue: 6, 01 December 2021)
Funding Agency:
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Lauren S. Ferro received the Ph.D. degree in media and communication, specializing in player and user modeling and profiling, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, in 2017. She is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree focusing on human factors in cybersecurity with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Her research inter...Show More
Lauren S. Ferro received the Ph.D. degree in media and communication, specializing in player and user modeling and profiling, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, in 2017. She is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree focusing on human factors in cybersecurity with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Her research inter...View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Massimo Mecella (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2002.
He is currently a Full Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has authored or coauthored more than 180 research papers and has chaired various conferences in the areas of his interest. His research interes...Show More
Massimo Mecella (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2002.
He is currently a Full Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has authored or coauthored more than 180 research papers and has chaired various conferences in the areas of his interest. His research interes...View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Annalisa Terracina received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2017.
She has been working in the field of Earth observation and space missions for many years, previously serving as a consultant for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), as well as a Technical Manager for several European Union projects. Since 2018, she has been a Project M...Show More
Annalisa Terracina received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2017.
She has been working in the field of Earth observation and space missions for many years, previously serving as a consultant for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), as well as a Technical Manager for several European Union projects. Since 2018, she has been a Project M...View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Marco Temperini received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 1992.
He is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has organized several international workshops and chaired a number of international conferences in the field of technology-enhanced learning. He has been a Work-Pa...Show More
Marco Temperini received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 1992.
He is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has organized several international workshops and chaired a number of international conferences in the field of technology-enhanced learning. He has been a Work-Pa...View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Francesco Sapio received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2021.
He is currently a Researcher with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. His research interests include serious games, cultural heritage, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, technology enhanced learning, AI applied to ...Show More
Francesco Sapio received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2021.
He is currently a Researcher with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. His research interests include serious games, cultural heritage, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, technology enhanced learning, AI applied to ...View more
Contents Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Lauren S. Ferro received the Ph.D. degree in media and communication, specializing in player and user modeling and profiling, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, in 2017. She is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree focusing on human factors in cybersecurity with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Her research interests include understanding human and player behavior in various interactive experiences in the areas of gamification, game-based learning, cultural heritage, cybersecurity, and psychology.
Lauren S. Ferro received the Ph.D. degree in media and communication, specializing in player and user modeling and profiling, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia, in 2017. She is currently working toward the Ph.D. degree focusing on human factors in cybersecurity with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.
Her research interests include understanding human and player behavior in various interactive experiences in the areas of gamification, game-based learning, cultural heritage, cybersecurity, and psychology.View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Massimo Mecella (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2002.
He is currently a Full Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has authored or coauthored more than 180 research papers and has chaired various conferences in the areas of his interest. His research interests include business process management, cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things, advanced human–computer interfaces, software architectures, and service-oriented computing, with applications in multiple fields including digital government, smart spaces, Industry 4.0, healthcare, disaster/crisis response and management, cybersecurity, and the digital humanities.
Massimo Mecella (Member, IEEE) received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2002.
He is currently a Full Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has authored or coauthored more than 180 research papers and has chaired various conferences in the areas of his interest. His research interests include business process management, cyber-physical systems and the Internet of Things, advanced human–computer interfaces, software architectures, and service-oriented computing, with applications in multiple fields including digital government, smart spaces, Industry 4.0, healthcare, disaster/crisis response and management, cybersecurity, and the digital humanities.View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Annalisa Terracina received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2017.
She has been working in the field of Earth observation and space missions for many years, previously serving as a consultant for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), as well as a Technical Manager for several European Union projects. Since 2018, she has been a Project Manager with ESERO Italia, a collaboration between ESA and ASI, focusing on space-related STEM education.
Annalisa Terracina received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2017.
She has been working in the field of Earth observation and space missions for many years, previously serving as a consultant for the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Italian Space Agency (ASI), as well as a Technical Manager for several European Union projects. Since 2018, she has been a Project Manager with ESERO Italia, a collaboration between ESA and ASI, focusing on space-related STEM education.View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Marco Temperini received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 1992.
He is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has organized several international workshops and chaired a number of international conferences in the field of technology-enhanced learning. He has been a Work-Package Leader and Research Unit Coordinator for several European Union research projects. His research interests include adaptive e-learning, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, automated assessment, and learning analytics.
Marco Temperini received the Ph.D. degree in computer science from the Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 1992.
He is currently an Associate Professor with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. He has organized several international workshops and chaired a number of international conferences in the field of technology-enhanced learning. He has been a Work-Package Leader and Research Unit Coordinator for several European Union research projects. His research interests include adaptive e-learning, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, automated assessment, and learning analytics.View more
Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
Francesco Sapio received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2021.
He is currently a Researcher with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. His research interests include serious games, cultural heritage, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, technology enhanced learning, AI applied to videogames, gaming software architectures, human–computer interaction, Industry 4.0, with applications in 3-D visualization, architecture, gaming, healthcare, and entertainment.
Francesco Sapio received the Ph.D. degree in engineering in computer science from Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy, in 2021.
He is currently a Researcher with the Department of Computer, Control, and Management Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome. His research interests include serious games, cultural heritage, social and collaborative learning, game-based learning, technology enhanced learning, AI applied to videogames, gaming software architectures, human–computer interaction, Industry 4.0, with applications in 3-D visualization, architecture, gaming, healthcare, and entertainment.View more
