1. Demonstrate a detailed understanding of the various gamification models that are available and be able to apply them as a basis of designing a serious games artefact.

Knowledge and Understanding

2. Demonstrate your independent learning ability required to advance your knowledge and understanding of developing a serious game artefact.

Learning

3. Demonstrate a critical awareness and evaluation of current research, advanced scholarship, contemporary problems and/or new insights, much of which is at, or informed by, the forefront of serious games and gamification research as it currently stands.

Analysis

4. Communicate conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.

Communication

5. Demonstrate an ability to apply appropriate methods and theory to implement a serious solution.

Application

The Assignment criteria is as follows:

Report 25% [2,3]

You will write a 2000-word report on your artefact, and the research that supports it. This report will comprise of and be assessed on your ability to support your arguments and design decisions with current research that is presented appropriately for this level of study. In this report you should also discuss the research methodologies you have followed in order to generate your data and information. The report should also contain a critical analysis of your results and findings from your project, which will culminate in a conclusion drawing together the findings of your work.

Artefact 60% [1,2,5]

You will develop a serious games artefact and/or strategy, which can be applied to a given problem. This will be assessed on:
Clarity and applicability of design
Use of understood models of serious games and gamification
Functionality
Usability
Quality of implementation







Presentation 15% [1,4]

You will deliver your project work in a 5-to-10-minute presentation. This will cover the four key areas of your assignment:



The Aim and objectives of the project

The planning and research

Design decisions and justifications

A demonstration of the final artefact

Gamification frameworks
existing applications of gamification and serious games
Game Design for Serious Games
Game Development for Serious Games
Offline serious games
Implementation methods

In this module you will understand what serious games are, along with the various frameworks and theory that supports them. You will learn a variety of gamification and serious games frameworks that are currently extant. You will compare them and learn how they can be used to develop a simple gamified application and/or strategy.

Students will be expected to engage in a variety of learning strategies, including tutor-led formal presentations and theory lectures, workshops and self-directed learning.

McGonigal, J. (2012) Reality is Broken. London: Vintage.

Burke, B. (2014) Gamify: How Gamification Motivates People to Do Extraordinary Things. New York: Routledge.

Eyal, N. (2014) Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products. London: Portfolio Penguin.

Chou, Y. (2015) Actionable Gamification: Beyond Points, Badges, and Leaderboards. Scotts Valley: CreateSpace.

Dorner, R., Göbel, S. and Effelsberg, W. (2016) Serious Games: Foundations, Concepts and Practice. Cham: Springer.

Kriss, A. (2021) The Gaming Mind: A New Psychology of Videogames and the Power of Play. London: Robinson.

Visual Studio

Unreal Engine / Unity / Other Suitable Engine

VLE (Such as Blackboard)

Office Applications (Such as Microsoft Office)

Staffordshire University Library

Internet Access

Digital Academy Forum

Digital Academy Upload