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1. An Architecture for Simulating Drones in Mixed Reality Games to Explore Future Search and Rescue Scenarios

   Khalaf, Ahmed S; Pianpak, Poom; Alharthi, Sultan A; NaminiMianji, Zahra; Torres, Ruth; Tran, Son; Dolgov, Igor; Toups_Dugas, Phoebe O (May 2018, ISCRAM 2018 Conference Proceedings – 15th International Conference on Information Systems for Crisis Response and Management)

   Boersma, Kees; Tomaszeski, Brian (Ed.)

   The proliferation of unmanned aerial systems (i.e., drones) can provide great value to the future of search and rescue. However, with the increase adoption of such systems, issues around hybrid human-drone team coordination and planning will arise. To address these early challenges, we provide insights into the development of testbeds in the form of mixed reality games with simulated drones. This research presents an architecture to address challenges and opportunities in using drones for search and rescue. On this architecture, we develop a mixed reality game in which human players engage with the physical world and with gameplay that is purely virtual. We expect the architecture to be useful to a range of researchers an practitioners, forming the basis for investigating and training within this unique, new domain. 

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2. Mixed Reality Game for Active Geotechnical Engineering Learning

   Hare, R.; Ziesse, T.; Peterson, C.; Huang, C.; Tang, Y.; Zhu, C. (January 2022, 2022 Spring ASEE Middle Atlantic Section Conference)

   A fully-integrated mixed reality game system called multiphysics enriched mixed reality for integrated geotechnical education (MERGE) is developed to improve student education in the context of geotechnical engineering. This work allows students to learn the design of geothermal pile in a more inclusive way while playing a game and gain an "integrated geotechnical learning experience". Several mini games are designed for students to enhance the geotechnical knowledge. Players can earn points and update their appearance by playing these mini games, which stimulates their interests in geotechnical engineering. By providing students with visualization, collaboration, and simulation tools, we hope to promote the understanding of geotechnical experiments. Based on the laboratory results, numerical experiments are conducted to help students understand the geotechnical application. The leveraging mixed reality technology offers an opportunity for students to access advanced equipment in geotechnical experiments. The main contribution of this work is a discussion of the educational technology and processes behind implementing a mixed reality educational game. We provide developmental insights and educational background to inform researchers who seek to develop similar games. 

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3. A Systematic Review of Data Collection and Analysis Methods in K–12 Educational Games

   https://doi.org/10.3102/2110403  

   Ma, Tianyu; Kahn, Jennifer; Hardy, Lisa; Radke, Sarah (April 2024, AERA Online Paper Repository)

   This paper reports on systematic literature review that examined learning theories and data collection and analysis methods used to study game-based learning in research on educational digital games for K-12 populations. Through electronic database, hand, and ancestral searches, we identified 25 empirical studies (29 educational games) published in peer-review journals that report evidence of how students learn through in-game and out-of-game data collection and analysis methods. Taking an approach to game-based learning as identity-driven and situated, we found that while games do not take such an approach to game-based learning, games tend to collect data on players’ social interactions and collaborative experiences. The review also highlighted the opportunity for providing real-time feedback and data to players during gameplay. 

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4. Investigating the Impact of Annotation Interfaces on Player Performance in Distributed Multiplayer Games

   https://doi.org/10.1145/3173574.3173888  

   Alharthi, Sultan A; Torres, Ruth C; Khalaf, Ahmed S; Toups_Dugas, Phoebe O; Dolgov, Igor; Nacke, Lennart E (April 2018, ACM)

   In distributed multiplayer games, it can be difficult to communicate strategic information for planning game moves and player interactions. Often, players spend extra time communicating, reducing their engagement in the game. Visual annotations in game maps and in the gameworld can address this problem and result in more efficient player communication. We studied the impact of real-time feedback on planning annotations, specifically two different annotation types, in a custom-built, third-person, multiplayer game and analyzed their effects on player performance, experience, workload, and annotation use. We found that annotations helped engage players in collaborative planning, which reduced frustration, and shortened goal completion times. Based on these findings, we discuss how annotating in virtual game spaces enables collaborative planning and improves team performance. 

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5. Online and Interactive Simulations to Teach Manufacturing and Supply Chain

   Khalilollahi, Saaman; Gabel, Zachary; Aqlan, Faisal; Kosienski, Gail; Yang, Hui (January 2020, Proceedings of the 2020 IISE Annual Conference)

   null (Ed.)

   The outbreak of 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has forced schools and universities around the world to adopt online learning. However, many educators are facing challenges because they do not have prior experience with online teaching and the transition happened rapidly. One effective way to keep students engaged and improve their learning is by using online simulation games. Simulation games provide opportunities for feedback and learning and can promote interdisciplinary and collaborative working styles. This research develops internet-based multi-player interactive simulation games to teach manufacturing and supply chain concepts. The players in the supply-chain games include a customer, a manufacturer, an assembler, and a supplier. The simulation games are structured into three different parts: the backend server that handles the game logic, the client server that takes user input, and the database which stores the input information. The simulation involves producing car toys that satisfy customer requirements. A group of high school and community college educators tested the simulation games and provided feedback for improvement. The simulations were then deployed in the practice of high school and undergraduate classrooms. Feedback from teachers and students indicates that online simulations can improve effectiveness of teaching and learning. 

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