EFM: A Model for Educational Game Design Minzhu Song and Sujing Zhang College of Education, Zhejiang Normal University, 321004 Jinhua, Zhejiang, China song-mz@163.com, sjzhang@china.com Abstract. The research and development of educational game in our country is still in a primary stage, and effective models and ideas for educational game design are of great lack. The educational game can not only be considered as a kind of instructional media, but also as a games-learning environment. The paper proposed the EFM model for educational game design through describing the internal connection of motivation, flow, effective learning environment and educational game. Toward creating an effective learning environment, the EFM model aims at inspiring motivation through flow. Based on this model, some ideas are suggested, intending to provide some design guidelines for researchers and developers of educational game. Keywords: Motivation, Flow, Effective Learning Environment, Educational Game. 1 Introduction With the reform and development of education, contemporary educators increasingly concerned about the overall development of learners, who will be promoted as a separate entity for treatment. Under the guidance of such an educational idea, a vast number of educators and parents commonly concern how to inspire learners' motivation and help them truly learn from playing. In the modern society, with the popularity of network games and electronic games, the youth become infatuated with the computer games, which promotes some scholars more actively research how to turn the games effect into education. However, when many educational experts are concerned about the educational value of games, the games was just viewed as teaching media. In fact, the game can not only be regarded as a kind of teaching media, but also as a learning environment to study, because the game itself contains the basic elements which are necessary in learning activities. Through referring to relevant information at home and abroad, it is clearly found the close connection of motivation, flow, effective learning environment and educational game. Educational game can serve as an effective learning environment, so that learners produce motivation during the process of flow experience and change from passive learning to active learning, so as to enhance the quality of learning. Z. Pan et al. (Eds.): Edutainment 2008, LNCS 5093, pp. 509 517, 2008. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2008
510 M. Song and S. Zhang 2 Related Theory 2.1 Motivation According to the Great Chinese Dictionary (CiHai), motivation refers to the driving force in promoting people to learn. Whether the students study positively, what do they glad to study, and how do they study, all have direct relations with the motivation. As some scholars said, motivation can not only result in learning activities, but also enhance the efficiency and improve the effect of learning. The first step of instructional design is to consider how to inspire motivation and maintain it. To help understand motivation in instruction, we can look at the ARCS Model of Motivational Design as developed by John M. Keller of Florida State University. The ARCS Model identifies four essential strategy components for motivating instruction [1]: [A]ttention strategies for arousing and sustaining curiosity and interest. -Learners are more motivated when the instructional design generates curiosity and interest about the content or learning context. [R]elevance strategies that link to learners' needs, interests, and motives. -Learners are more motivated when goals are clearly defined and align with learners' interests. [C]onfidence strategies that help students develop a positive expectation for successful achievement. -Learners are more motivated when challenge is balanced in such a way that the learning process is neither too easy as to bore the leaner, or too difficult such that success seems impossible. [S]atisfaction strategies that provide extrinsic and intrinsic reinforcement for effort. -Learners are more motivated when there are rewards for correctly executed actions. 2.2 Flow Flow Theory developed by Csikszentrnihalyi of Chicago University, as a method for understanding and implementing motivation, is a theoretical bridge between the concerns of instructional design and motivational design theory [2]. Flow theory has been widely applied in the discussion about behavior and psychology in the man-machine interaction environment, and it has been confirmed that the flow experience does exist in the use of network. Csikszentrnihalyi (1991) defined the phenomena of flow state as having nine dimensions [3]: Goals of an activity. Unambiguous feedback. Challenge-skill balance. Action-awareness merging. Concentration. Control. Loss of self-consciousness. The transformation of time. Autotelic experience.
EFM: A Model for Educational Game Design 511 Based on the process of flow experience, Novak and others (2000) classified these nine dimensions into three categories [4]: Conditional factors, which could stimulate flow experience, include goals of an activity, unambiguous feedback and challenge-skill balance. Experience factors, the feeling of individuals in a state of flow experience, include action-awareness merging, concentration and control. Result factors, the results of experience of individuals in the flow state, include loss of self-consciousness, the transformation of time and autotelic experience. 2.3 Effective Learning Environment The so-called learning environment is an integration of the supporting conditions which promote the development of learners. This shows the possibility and significance to create a learning environment [5]. Learning environment design is to create an effective and positive learning environment, in order to help the students understand and master the learning content, and improve the abilities of self-cognition [6]. Norman identified seven basic requirements of an effective learning environment [7]: Provide a high intensity of interaction and feedback. Have specific goals and established procedures. Motivate. Provide a continual feeling of challenge that is neither so difficult as to create a sense of hopelessness and frustration, nor so easy as to produce boredom. Provide a sense of direct engagement, producing the feeling of directly experiencing the environment, directly working on the task. Provide appropriate tools that fit the user and task so well that he can get aid and do not distract. Avoid distractions and disruptions that intervene and destroy the subjective experience. 2.4 Educational Game Education and game are originally an indivisible whole. Especially for children, game is learning. Children's study start from observation, imitation and inquisition, and the best activity which can embody Children's spirit of learning is game. When the children play role playing games, play with sand or imitate adult activities they are interested, their active attitude, cooperation spirit, explore awareness, imagination, and even a certain degree of creative intelligence all will get trained and developed. "Learning from playing" has been stressing since the era of Confucius, and the principles of all learning activities modern educators advocated can be reflected in the game. The game is one of the important ways for children and adult to study. "Educational game" is still a newly emerging thing in our country, and there is no explicit definition nowadays. Narrowly speaking, educational game refers to the integration of education and game, and the education effect naturally generated from the process of playing games, in other words, it means "a type of computer game software which generates education effect through interest" [8]. The educational game in narrow
512 M. Song and S. Zhang can be defined as excellent educational game. Broadly speaking, educational game means all computer software which includes both educational material and game elements [8]. It includes electronic game clearly pointed to the education application, as well as some healthy electronic game with educational value or other study aids software with the effect of game. This research points at the narrow definition of educational game, which is studied as a learning environment. It is considered that the educational game is a games-learning environment followed game mechanisms. Through the created situation and the internal rules, the educational game can stimulate participants' interest, as well as the expectation of final victory. At the same time, the game content is richer in knowledge and education effect. In the virtual challenging context, learners are required to learn and apply various skills and knowledge to complete the designed tasks, in order that they can acquire knowledge and skills, develop intelligence, cultivate emotions, attitudes and values, and achieve the purpose of education. 3 The Raising of EFM Model Through the interpretation of the theories above, it is clearly found the connection of motivation, flow experience, effective learning environment and educational game, as shown in Figure 1: Educational game can provide the virtual environment with specific targets and preset procedures to learners. Learners participate in the scenes, and challenge to specific tasks with existing knowledge, skills and appropriate tools. They can get access to the feedback during the interaction with the environment, adjust their behaviors and go on playing with the incentive mechanism. In this period, learners will almost not notice that they are going through a learning process in an urgent rhythm, and also can not describe the relevant principles and motives of their own action. In fact, they have already learned some knowledge or skills. Obviously, the educational game is an edutainment environment, containing many essential conditions of effective learning environment. Through rational design, it will have the completely possibility to become an effective learning environment. As an effective learning environment, it must be provided with the seven basic requirements, which include providing students certain tasks with clear goals and appropriate challenges, and achieving a high degree of interaction and feedback. They are exactly related to the three conditional factors that stimulate flow experience. Obviously, in an effective learning environment, learners can certainly acquire a flow experience. The four essential strategy components for stimulating motivation--relevance strategies, confidence strategies, satisfaction strategies, and attention strategies, relate to the four elements which are goal, challenge, feedback and interest. The nine dimensions of the flow experience also include clear goal, unambiguous feedback, challenge-skill balance, and concentration. Evidently, the state of the flow experience includes the four essential strategy components for stimulating motivation. Once a learner goes into the state of the flow experience, he will achieve positive study under the driving of the inherent motivation.
EFM: A Model for Educational Game Design 513 7 Basic Requirements of an Effective Learning Environment A Sense of Direct Engagement Specific Goals and Established Procedures Educational Game Appropriate Tools High Intensity of Interaction and Feedback Motivation Avoiding Distractions A Continual Feeling of Challenge 9 Dimensions of Flow Experience Conditional Factors Goals of an Activity Unambiguous Feedback Challenge-Skill Balance Experience Factors Concentration Control Action- Awareness Merging Result Factors Autotelic Experience The Transformation of Time Loss of Selfconsciousness 4 Essential Strategy Components for Stimulating Motivation Attention Strategies (Interest) Relevance Strategies (Goal) Motivation Satisfaction Strategies (Feedback) Confidence Strategies (Challenge) Fig. 1. The connection of motivation, flow, effective learning environment and educational game In summary, learners can acquire flow experience in an effective learning environment, and the flow experience can certainly stimulate motivation. A well-designed educational game itself can be an effective learning environment for stimulating motivation and promoting learning. Above all, "EFM: a model for educational game design" is raised. EFM is the acronym of effective learning environment, flow experience and motivation. Model is shown in Figure 2: Effective Learning Environment Educational Game Flow Experience Motivation Fig. 2. EFM model for educational game design
514 M. Song and S. Zhang According to the model, educational game can be treated as a learning environment. For the orientation of creating an effective learning environment, the educational game can be designed according to the prerequisites of an effective learning environment. In order to help learners acquire flow experience in the effective games-learning environment, inspire motivation, and improve the quality of learning. 4 Ideas of Educational Game Design on the Basis of EFM Model Based on the EFM model, the designer can embark the educational game design from the fulfillment of the basic requirements of an effective learning environment. Therefore, the designer will, in the process of educational game design, explore how to construct the learning environment from the following aspects: 4.1 Specific Goals To Set up the Goals of Educational Game According to 3D Objective Educational game has educational aims or instructional objectives, which separate from or integrate with the original goals of game [8]. New curriculum standard emphasizes the 3D objective, as perfect combination of knowledge and skill, process and method, attitude and values, which is one of the important references to set up the goals of educational game. So it is very essential to emphasize the process of copious and natural experience of game, and the cultivation of correct passion, attitude and values in addition to the knowledge and skill. The goals of educational game should be set up in the principle of promoting full development of students. 4.2 Established Procedures To Provide Learning Procedure through the Setup of Scenes and Rules To ascertain the type and characteristics of game according to the corresponding curriculum and content first, and then confirm the frame of game scenes based on the detailed teaching unit. We can divide the content into several units on the basis of the goal of educational game, and then divide the game into several scenes on the basis of the content units. That is to say, when we finish the frame of game scenes and the relevant rules, we fulfill the whole game procedure and provide the learning procedure for the learner accordingly. In the game environment, the learner can do everything according to the scheduled procedure, and what he needs to do is to immersing himself into the game body and soul. 4.3 Appropriate Tools To Provide Help Tools through Props Suitable props should be provided to help the learner to fulfill the tasks so that he will not give up when he meet difficulties. Prop is a kind of important motivator in the game, which can awake the curiosity of the learner so as to enhance the recreation of the game. When the task comes with tools, the attention will be moved from learning goal to play, as a result, the learners can reach the state of flow experience.
EFM: A Model for Educational Game Design 515 4.4 Avoiding Distractions To Avoid Distractions through Transparent Control of Game All the available resource will be used to deal with the relevant information (main tasks) but not the game control because of the limitation of information treatment by human beings. Therefore, in an ideal situation, game control will be transparent, and the learner can be absorbed in the game. It will destroy the first reception and interest to a game if there are long-winded instructions for the game operation and procedure. And if the learner needs to study how to play the game because of the complicated operation, it will occupy the attention and other cognitive resource of the learner, which will slow down the process of the game and even block the achievement of flow experience. Consequently, the game interface should be concise and will not confuse the learner, the relationship and the layers of guide system should be clear and will not let the learners get lost, the definition of common function key should be similar or same to the common games, so that the learner can learn it easily. In conclusion, the transparency of game control can guarantee that the learner will pay maximum attention to the game and can reach the state of flow experience without any interference. 4.5 A Sense of Direct Engagement To Enhance the Sense of Direct Engagement through the Real and Multi-choice Plot The backgrounds of stories could be powerful, unconstrained and imaginative, but their plots should be logical and common. More real the stories are, more immersed the players are, and more sensations of direct engagement are accepted. For example, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) developed an educational game named Food Force. Through the role playing of WFP staff, the players try to transport food to a virtual island damaged by wars, seek refugees, airdrop succor materials, fight with enemies and plan rebuilding programs for the farm. This kind of story background is novel and attractive, and the plot is practical. The players will assume themselves as heroes and take part in the tasks actively. Different from our living environment, in the situation of game, it allows us to act according to our free aspirations despite of considering the results. Being like the learning environment, which should not restrain the capabilities of learners to construct their own knowledge structures, the game situation should not restrain the cognitive processes of players. It should allow players to try freely with their own aspirations, and choose when and where to start or stop game. Therefore, the plot in a story background should be designed as multi-choice, which will let the players try with curiosity, take part in their own choosing plot and enhance the sense of direct engagement as well as the enduring interest of the game. 4.6 High Intensity of Interaction and Feedback To Consider the Interactive Feedback on Quantity, Accuracy and Cue-Sound Interaction and feedback connecting with the objective dimensions are important elements to encourage the study activities. Communicating with the environment of games, the players will know whether their action is positive, within the rules and close
516 M. Song and S. Zhang to the objectives according to the feedback information. A certain degree of interaction and feedback will guide the players to approach next objective and achieve the final victory. However, when the feedback and interaction information is too many and exact, it will give negative influence to the game. For example, in the game called Day Off, the AI feedback system, Bob, will not only inform the players of the numbers and positions of the faults, which will block the further thinking, but its boring alarm sound will also disturb the concentration and game experience of players. Different modes of feedback will cause different feelings of players. The modes of feedback should be designed according to the different operations to the game. Therefore, a scientific consideration to the modes of feedback should be carried out on the quantity, accuracy and cue-sound. 4.7 A Continual Feeling of Challenge To Provide the Skill-Balance Challenge through the Adjustment of Game Hardness Challenge is the core element of the games, and the learner will strive to research the strategy to increase his ability to overcome the system when the challenge balances the skill. Therefore, the designer of educational game should set up different grades for different learners with different skills, which are selectable by the learner. At the same time, the hardness of game will be adjusted automatically according to the ability and performance of the learner. That is to say, there will be clear and reachable challenges step by step in accordance with the improvement of the learner's skills. And the hardness of challenge will be increased accordingly. The learner will continue the game in the sense of self-affirmation and self-fulfillment whenever he overcomes the challenge. That is the inner motivation of game. 4.8 Motivation To Produce Motivation through Grade and Empirical Value The game should reflect the impact of grades and empirical values on the learner, which means different grade and empirical value enjoy different power, which can force the learners to continue the game in the purpose of higher power. The designer can set up different grade according to different teaching objective to provide learning objective step by step to the learners; and the designer also can set up different empirical value according to sub-goal in the same grade. Take "Virtual Life" as instance, the participants can accumulate intellect, fascination and energy through different tasks, and when the empirical value reaches a certain extent, the participants can upgrade to a higher grade and to reach the complete learning objective finally. 5 Conclusion The research and development of educational game in our country is still in a primary stage, effective models and ideas for educational game design are of great lack. This paper proposed the EFM model, in order to provide a new thought for researchers and developers of educational game. In the follow-up study, we will further study how to build the game learning environment, and take the model in educational game design practice to see how the model can help to improve it.
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