This week's reading: Cognitive Science and Serious Games

I knew I'd one day come back to this blog. This blog is now converted into a research blog across the duration of my honour's project.

This week's key reading: Cognitive Science Implications for Enhancing Training Effectiveness in a Serious Gaming Context

Authors: Greitzer, F., Kuchar, O., Huston, K.

Relevance to field: The authors note that current attempts to use electronic means for training are very limited and unfruitful, with many people not remembering key things from these simulations. They put forward that the characteristics of video games, such as well balanced cognitive loading, visceral appeal and ability to "stimulate semantic knowledge". They show this by running a test of a serious network game called CyberCIEGE at a certain firm. The results were that employees were much sooner working through "hard" situations with much less difficulty. However, they expressed frustration due to what is described as a poorly communicated tutorial.

What is known about the field: The paper starts with a detailed explanation of the cognitive advantage presented in serious games, as well as detailing limitations in current training software. The authors and staff seem to be fully aware of the advantages of video games as in instructional tool, and thoroughly believe in its strong psychological effects

What's missing: It is unusual that Greitzer et al begin their discussion of cognitive advantages by making specific reference to the effect of games on children and youth, without explicitly stating that the effects carry over into their much older testing demographic. They also surmise that there were several key tools employed by successful games which would be of use in a serious game context, such as levelling up and shared experience, which would aid the teaching process

Comments: This article is a brilliant example of research in the field done correctly. The fact they could cite a recent example with a well thought-out and detailed execution easily puts it above other papers as an excellent source.