Overview

Background

Interest in Digital Learning Games (DLGs) has flourished at all levels of education. They are effective tools to support learner centered teaching practices. However, the design, development and uses of DLGs remain an issue due to the gap between teachers, game developers and researchers.

Project Goals

The goal of the co.LAB project is to improve the design, development and uses of Digital Learning Games. This goal will be achieved by the development of a collaborative methodological framework associated with a collaborative digital platform dedicated to co-design, co-development and co-evaluation of DLGs.

Research questions (RQ)

  • RQ1: What methodology is needed to support collaborative DLG design and development?
  • RQ 2: What are the digital platform features necessary to support the collaborative DLG design and development process?
  • RQ 3: What are the effects of the methodology and digital platform on development cost and duration (efficiency)?
  • RQ 4: What are the effects of the methodology and digital platform on the quality of DLGs produced (relevance and effectiveness)?
  • RQ 5: What are the drivers for adoption of the methodology and digital platform by the educational, game developer, and research communities?

 

WorkPackages

WP1: Design of the Methodological Framework

WP 1 aims at design of the methodological framework, with guidelines, tools and recommendations for the co-design, co-development and co-evaluation of DLGs.

WP2: Development of the Collaborative Digital Platform

Based on the results of WP1, development of the digital co-design platform, improvement of the co-development platform and development of the evaluation and dissemination modules. The co-development platform will be built on top of the existing open-source Wegas platform.

WP3: Tests in Naturalistic Contexts

Development, use and assessment of two use-cases of DLGs. Tests will involve all stakeholders of the project: game developers, teachers, students, and educational researchers.

The two tests DLGs will be selected based on our previous experiences and partnerships: Evolution of the “Computational thinking game” at secondary school, new game in medical education at the University of Applied Sciences.

Results will include the developed serious games and a report with an evaluation of the quality of the games, an evaluation of the collaborative process and recommendations for the improvement of the methodology.

WP4: Dissemination

Dissemination of project results to target audiences, through online availability, publications in peer reviewed conferences and journals, presentation in professional conferences and seminars.

 

Latest News

At the West Switzerland Emergency Medicine Day

May 25, 2023
Published by
AlbaSim, MEI (HES-SO)

A serious game designed with the co.LAB methodology, with the purpose to train to the pre-triage of victims during major events, was used as part of the SIMCUP during the "Emergency medicine day": Twelve inter-professional teams (doctors, nurses, paramedics) competed in different simulated scenarios.

co.LAB at GSGS' 23

February 23, 2023
Published by
AlbaSim, MEI (HES-SO)

co.LAB will be at the 8th International Conference on Gamification and Serious Games, with a talk on "How to design effective serious games ?"

https://gsgs.ch/

GALA Conference

December 05, 2022
Published by
LIP/TECFA

The co.LAB project was present at the Games & Learning Alliance conference held in Tampere (Finland) from November 30th to December 2nd. 
Estelle Prior presented the analyses conducted on knowledge sharing in the context of collaborative design work. 

Prior, E., Sanchez, E., Mandran, N. (2022). Supporting Knowledge Sharing for the Co-design of Digital Learning Games. In: Kiili, K., Antti, K., de Rosa, F., Dindar, M., Kickmeier-Rust, M., Bellotti, F. (eds) Games and Learning Alliance. GALA 2022. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 13647. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22124-8_4

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