Journal article
Developing a serious game for enhancing student problem-solving: a three-layers effectiveness model
Entertainment computing, v 56, 101072
Jan 2026
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
•Strong pedagogical design: A pedagogy-led serious game with balanced reflection on successes and challenges, offering practical design insights.•Foundational pedagogical theory: The study embeds a clear pedagogical theory, demonstrating how theory-driven design enhances educational value.•Game mechanics strategies: Pedagogically grounded strategies for game mechanics development, with insights into challenges and effective practices.
In recent years, serious games have gained popularity among diverse audiences. These games offer an interactive platform for entertainment while also enhancing soft or subject-matter skills. Recognising the importance of problem-solving skills as well as serious games, especially for undergraduate students, this research paper outlines a three-phased study. Phase I involved semi-structured interviews with psychologists, educational scientists, and soft skills trainers to identify strategies for improving students’ problem-solving abilities. In Phase II, a narrative serious game was designed and developed based on Mezirow’s transformational learning theory. Finally, Phase III evaluated the game’s effectiveness and usability among a sample of undergraduate students. High satisfactory scores received both on “Game Experience Questionnaire” and the “System Usability Scale”. Reflecting on those high scores and the design and development process of this game, a three-layers model is developed, highlighting the three main factors affecting the effectiveness of serious games. The study’s findings have both theoretical and practical implications.
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Details
- Title
- Developing a serious game for enhancing student problem-solving: a three-layers effectiveness model
- Creators
- Razieh Mohaqeqian Yaqoubi - Shahid Beheshti UniversityMorteza Rezaei-Zadeh - University of LeicesterMojtaba Vahidi-Asl - Shahid Beheshti UniversityDarya Ramezani - Drexel UniversitySarvin Mohammadi - Shahid Beheshti UniversityErfan Rafiei Oskouei - Shahid Beheshti University
- Publication Details
- Entertainment computing, v 56, 101072
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Digital Media
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:001654543800001
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-105029734692
- Other Identifier
- 991022196573604721
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
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Source: SDGs in the Output
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Computer Science, Cybernetics
- Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
- Computer Science, Software Engineering