TY - THES A1 - Oberdörfer, Sebastian T1 - Better Learning with Gaming: Knowledge Encoding and Knowledge Learning Using Gamification T1 - Besser Lernen durch Spielen: Wissensencodierung und Lernen von Wissen mit Gamification N2 - Computer games are highly immersive, engaging, and motivating learning environments. By providing a tutorial at the start of a new game, players learn the basics of the game's underlying principles as well as practice how to successfully play the game. During the actual gameplay, players repetitively apply this knowledge, thus improving it due to repetition. Computer games also challenge players with a constant stream of new challenges which increase in difficulty over time. As a result, computer games even require players to transfer their knowledge to master these new challenges. A computer game consists of several game mechanics. Game mechanics are the rules of a computer game and encode the game's underlying principles. They create the virtual environments, generate a game's challenges and allow players to interact with the game. Game mechanics also can encode real world knowledge. This knowledge may be acquired by players via gameplay. However, the actual process of knowledge encoding and knowledge learning using game mechanics has not been thoroughly defined, yet. This thesis therefore proposes a theoretical model to define the knowledge learning using game mechanics: the Gamified Knowledge Encoding. The model is applied to design a serious game for affine transformations, i.e., GEtiT, and to predict the learning outcome of playing a computer game that encodes orbital mechanics in its game mechanics, i.e., Kerbal Space Program. To assess the effects of different visualization technologies on the overall learning outcome, GEtiT visualizes the gameplay in desktop-3D and immersive virtual reality. The model's applicability for effective game design as well as GEtiT's overall design are evaluated in a usability study. The learning outcome of playing GEtiT and Kerbal Space Program is assessed in four additional user studies. The studies' results validate the use of the Gamified Knowledge Encoding for the purpose of developing effective serious games and to predict the learning outcome of existing serious games. GEtiT and Kerbal Space Program yield a similar training effect but a higher motivation to tackle the assignments in comparison to a traditional learning method. In conclusion, this thesis expands the understanding of using game mechanics for an effective learning of knowledge. The presented results are of high importance for researches, educators, and developers as they also provide guidelines for the development of effective serious games. N2 - Computerspiele stellen attraktive, spannende und motivierende Lernumgebungen dar. Spieler erlernen zu Spielbeginn die grundlegenden Spielregeln und wenden dieses Wissen während des Spielablaufs an. Dadurch wird das dem Spiel zu Grunde liegende Wissen durch Wiederholung geübt und verinnerlicht. Durch einen konstanten Fluss an neuen Herausforderungen, die in ihrer Schwierigkeit ansteigen, müssen Spieler das Wissen auf neue Szenarien übertragen. Innerhalb eines Computerspiels sind Spielmechaniken für eine Anwendung als auch Demonstration des Spielwissens verantwortlich. Die Spielmechaniken regeln den Spielablauf, in dem sie die Spieleraktionen definieren, die virtuelle Umgebung generieren und die Herausforderungen des Spiels festlegen. Das in den Spielmechaniken kodierte Wissen kann jedoch auch der realen Welt entstammen. In diesem Fall entwickeln Spieler Kompetenzen, die später auch in der Realität Anwendung finden können. Das Kodieren von Wissen in Spielmechaniken und der damit einhergehende Lernprozess wurde allerdings noch nicht genau theoretisch erfasst. Diese Dissertation versucht diese Forschungslücke zu schließen, indem ein theoretisches Model der Wissenskodierung in Spielmechaniken entworfen wird: das Gamified Knowledge Encoding. Dieses Model wird sowohl für das Design einer Lernanwendung für das Wissen der Affinen Transformationen, GEtiT, als auch zur Vorhersage von Lerneffekten eines Computerspiels, Kerbal Space Program, herangezogen. In einer Usability-Studie wird sowohl die Anwendbarkeit des Modells für ein effektives Spieldesign als auch das Gesamtdesign von GEtiT bewertet. Das Lernergebnis, das beim Spielen von GEtiT und Kerbal Space Program erzielt wird, wird in vier weiteren Nutzerstudien überprüft. Die Studien validieren den Einsatz des Gamified Knowledge Encoding Models zur Entwicklung von computerspielbasierten Lernumgebungen und die Vorhersage von Lerneffekten. GEtiT und Kerbal Space Program erzielen ein ähnliches Lernergebnis bei einer höheren Motivation im Vergleich zu einer traditionellen Lernmethode. Als Endergebnis erweitert das präsentierte Forschungsprojekt das generelle Verständnis über die Verwendung von Spielmechaniken für ein effektives Lernen. Die präsentierten Ergebnisse sind von großer Bedeutung für Forscher, Pädagogen und Entwickler, da sie auch Richtlinien für die Entwicklung effektiver Serious Games hervorbringen. KW - Serious game KW - Gamification KW - Lernen KW - Game mechanic KW - Spielmechanik KW - Knowledge encoding KW - Wissensencodierung KW - Virtuelle Realität Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-219707 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Unruh, Fabian A1 - Landeck, Maximilian A1 - Oberdörfer, Sebastian A1 - Lugrin, Jean-Luc A1 - Latoschik, Marc Erich T1 - The Influence of Avatar Embodiment on Time Perception - Towards VR for Time-Based Therapy JF - Frontiers in Virtual Reality N2 - Psycho-pathological conditions, such as depression or schizophrenia, are often accompanied by a distorted perception of time. People suffering from this conditions often report that the passage of time slows down considerably and that they are “stuck in time.” Virtual Reality (VR) could potentially help to diagnose and maybe treat such mental conditions. However, the conditions in which a VR simulation could correctly diagnose a time perception deviation are still unknown. In this paper, we present an experiment investigating the difference in time experience with and without a virtual body in VR, also known as avatar. The process of substituting a person’s body with a virtual body is called avatar embodiment. Numerous studies demonstrated interesting perceptual, emotional, behavioral, and psychological effects caused by avatar embodiment. However, the relations between time perception and avatar embodiment are still unclear. Whether or not the presence or absence of an avatar is already influencing time perception is still open to question. Therefore, we conducted a between-subjects design with and without avatar embodiment as well as a real condition (avatar vs. no-avatar vs. real). A group of 105 healthy subjects had to wait for seven and a half minutes in a room without any distractors (e.g., no window, magazine, people, decoration) or time indicators (e.g., clocks, sunlight). The virtual environment replicates the real physical environment. Participants were unaware that they will be asked to estimate their waiting time duration as well as describing their experience of the passage of time at a later stage. Our main finding shows that the presence of an avatar is leading to a significantly faster perceived passage of time. It seems to be promising to integrate avatar embodiment in future VR time-based therapy applications as they potentially could modulate a user’s perception of the passage of time. We also found no significant difference in time perception between the real and the VR conditions (avatar, no-avatar), but further research is needed to better understand this outcome. KW - virtual reality KW - time perception KW - avatar embodiment KW - immersion KW - human computer interaction (HCI) Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-259076 VL - 2 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oberdörfer, Sebastian A1 - Birnstiel, Sandra A1 - Latoschik, Marc Erich A1 - Grafe, Silke T1 - Mutual Benefits: Interdisciplinary Education of Pre-Service Teachers and HCI Students in VR/AR Learning Environment Design JF - Frontiers in Education N2 - The successful development and classroom integration of Virtual (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) learning environments requires competencies and content knowledge with respect to media didactics and the respective technologies. The paper discusses a pedagogical concept specifically aiming at the interdisciplinary education of pre-service teachers in collaboration with human-computer interaction students. The students’ overarching goal is the interdisciplinary realization and integration of VR/AR learning environments in teaching and learning concepts. To assist this approach, we developed a specific tutorial guiding the developmental process. We evaluate and validate the effectiveness of the overall pedagogical concept by analyzing the change in attitudes regarding 1) the use of VR/AR for educational purposes and in competencies and content knowledge regarding 2) media didactics and 3) technology. Our results indicate a significant improvement in the knowledge of media didactics and technology. We further report on four STEM learning environments that have been developed during the seminar. KW - interdisciplinary education KW - virtual reality KW - augmented reality KW - serious games KW - learning environments KW - teacher education Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-241612 SN - 2504-284X VL - 6 ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Oberdörfer, Sebastian A1 - Heidrich, David A1 - Birnstiel, Sandra A1 - Latoschik, Marc Erich T1 - Enchanted by Your Surrounding? Measuring the Effects of Immersion and Design of Virtual Environments on Decision-Making JF - Frontiers in Virtual Reality N2 - Impaired decision-making leads to the inability to distinguish between advantageous and disadvantageous choices. The impairment of a person’s decision-making is a common goal of gambling games. Given the recent trend of gambling using immersive Virtual Reality it is crucial to investigate the effects of both immersion and the virtual environment (VE) on decision-making. In a novel user study, we measured decision-making using three virtual versions of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The versions differed with regard to the degree of immersion and design of the virtual environment. While emotions affect decision-making, we further measured the positive and negative affect of participants. A higher visual angle on a stimulus leads to an increased emotional response. Thus, we kept the visual angle on the Iowa Gambling Task the same between our conditions. Our results revealed no significant impact of immersion or the VE on the IGT. We further found no significant difference between the conditions with regard to positive and negative affect. This suggests that neither the medium used nor the design of the VE causes an impairment of decision-making. However, in combination with a recent study, we provide first evidence that a higher visual angle on the IGT leads to an effect of impairment. KW - virtual reality KW - virtual environments KW - immersion KW - decision-making KW - iowa gambling task Y1 - 2021 U6 - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-260101 VL - 2 ER -