Linehan, Conor and Kirman, Ben and Roche, Bryan (2010) An empirical analysis of ‘challenge’ as a motivational factor for educational games. In: The International Workshop on Serious Games Development and Applications, 8 July 2010, Derby, UK.

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Abstract

Since one of the most basic and important predictors of student achievement is the amount of time a student spends engaged in learning (or time-on-task; Karweit, 1984; Frederick & Walberg, 1980); and because computer games are hugely successful at motivating users to spend time-on-task (Dondlinger, 2007; Gee, 2003; Mayo, 2007), there has understandably been a great deal of recent interest in harnessing the motivational qualities of computer games in order to create powerful, engaging educational tools (i.e., Gee, 2003; Pivec, 2007; Ruben, 1999). However, to date very little empirical academic research has investigated how, exactly, games achieve these motivational qualities. If we are to create games that produce genuinely educational outcomes, we must understand what exactly it is about games that make them so good at maintaining the player’s motivation to continue playing.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Additional Information:	Since one of the most basic and important predictors of student achievement is the amount of time a student spends engaged in learning (or time-on-task; Karweit, 1984; Frederick & Walberg, 1980); and because computer games are hugely successful at motivating users to spend time-on-task (Dondlinger, 2007; Gee, 2003; Mayo, 2007), there has understandably been a great deal of recent interest in harnessing the motivational qualities of computer games in order to create powerful, engaging educational tools (i.e., Gee, 2003; Pivec, 2007; Ruben, 1999). However, to date very little empirical academic research has investigated how, exactly, games achieve these motivational qualities. If we are to create games that produce genuinely educational outcomes, we must understand what exactly it is about games that make them so good at maintaining the player’s motivation to continue playing.
Keywords:	games, motivation, Education, educational games, challenge, game challenge, serious games
Subjects:	G Mathematical and Computer Sciences > G400 Computer Science X Education > X900 Others in Education
Divisions:	College of Sciences > Faculty of Science > Lincoln School of Computer Science
Depositing User:	Conor Linehan
Date Deposited:	10 Sep 2010 13:16
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2013 08:46
URI:	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/3324

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