Research Log of Web Science Students

MyMathventures, WEdGE, Pitch Paradise, KineSpell2 and I discussed what we should do with our XML. We’ve decided to separate the necessary game info as needed by the PSPortal group from the game data. We’ve commented all optional tags so that PSPortal can distinguish the differences between games. MyMathVentures also finished the sending of xml data to the portal, thus, we can reuse this module for all our games.

* Note that all optional tags can be omitted by other games.

<WSG_EDUGAME name=" " version = " ">
        <GAME_NAME> gameName </GAME_NAME>
        <VERSION> game_version </VERSION>
	<PLAYER>
                <USERNAME> userName </USERNAME>
                <FULL_NAME> name </FULL_NAME> // optional tag
                <SCHOOL> playerSchool </SCHOOL> // optional tag
                <EMAIL_ADDRESS> emailAddress </EMAIL_ADDRESS> // optional tag
	</PLAYER>
	<ASSESSMENT>
		<GAME_INFO>
			<DATE_PLAYED>
				<DATE>month/day/year</DATE>
				<TIME_PLAYED>hh:mm:ss</TIME_PLAYED>
			</DATE_PLAYED>
			<CATEGORY>category</CATEGORY>
			<TIME>
				<TOTAL_GAME_TIME> hh:mm:ss </TOTAL_GAME_TIME>
				<AVERAGE_TIME_PER_LEVEL> hh:mm:ss </AVERAGE_TIME_PER_LEVEL> // optional tag
 			        <AVERAGE_TIME_PER_QUESTION> hh:mm:ss </AVERAGE_TIME_PER_QUESTION>	// optional tag
			</TIME>

                        <GAME_LEVEL name="easy"> // if there are no levels, we can use the tag <GAME_LEVEL>
                                              // which automatically sets the name="default"
			          <NO_OF_CORRECT_ITEMS> numCorrectItems </NO_OF_CORRECT_ITEMS>
		 	          <TOTAL_GAME_SCORE> gameScore </TOTAL_GAME_SCORE>
                        </GAME_LEVEL>
		</GAME_INFO>
		<GAME_DATA>
			<GAME_LEVEL name="easy"> //default tag means "default"
				<CORRECT_ITEMS>
					<ITEM>
						<QUESTION_ID> qId </QUESTION_ID>
						<ANSWER> answer </ANSWER>
						<TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED> hh:mm:ss <TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED>  // optional tag
						<NUMBER_OF_TRIES> numTries </NUMBER_OF_TRIES> // optional tag
					</ITEM>
				</CORRECT_ITEMS>
				<INCORRECT_ITEMS>
					<ITEM>
						<QUESTION_ID> qId </QUESTION_ID>
						<C_ANSWER> corAnswer </C_ANSWER>
						<P_ANSWER> playerAnswer </P_ANSWER> // optional tag
						<TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED> hh:mm:ss <TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED>  // optional tag
						<NUMBER_OF_TRIES> numTries </NUMBER_OF_TRIES> // optional tag
					</ITEM>
				</INCORRECT_ITEMS>
			</GAME_LEVEL>
		</GAME_DATA>
	</ASSESSMENT>
</WSG_EDUGAME></code>

I was thinking after I finish the paper on Usability and User Motivation, I could also test on Interaction Methods for AR. For example, how the markers should be designed such that it can adapt to a desktop AR. For example, there’ll be different test cases using a cube with markers on every face, individual markers without handles, or  individual markers with handles. Hoping that I’d still have a bit of time with this.

Objectives :

Determine the Usability and Motivation of a Tangible Augmented Reality Game in Learning the Human Digestive System.

Test Metrics/Criteria :

• Usability (taken from the Usability Engineering book by Jakob Nielsen)
  • Learnability refers to how the player’s ability quickly learns how to use the AR game.
  • Efficiency refers to how productive the player gets while playing the game.
  • Memorability refers to how the players find the markers and instructions easy or difficult to remember.
  • Errors refers to faults and delay in gaming affects the players
• Motivation (taken from the ARCS Model and initially proposed by MyMathVentures)
  • Attention – Did the tangible AR game grab the players’ attention in learning the human digestive system?
  • Relevance – Are the questions given from the game deemed relevant with that specific topic in Science?
  • Confidence - Do the players gain more knowledge and awareness of their own digestive system?
  • Satisfaction – Do the players enjoy playing the game? Will they be willing to play it again?

Test Methodology:

The testing will involve three phases – Familiarization, Game Proper, and Survey:

Familiarization – The player will then be asked to detect the markers and memorize the body parts associated with it. It will run for at most 5 mins or until the player gets all the familiarization procedure correct.

Game Proper – The player then plays the game. Each player needs to finish the game before proceeding to the last testing phase.

Survey – After finishing the game, the player then answers a set of survey questions. (5-10mins)

A maximum of 1 hour is given to each player to play the game.

Since the research will be dealing with the usability and motivation of the students, there will be no need to use pre-tests or post-tests. Also, a target of at least 20 grade 6 students will be needed for game testing. I decided to switch from grade 4 to grade 5-6 because they tackle the digestive system thoroughly in grades 5-6 (just before Highschool Entrance Exams(Grade 5)/after Highschool Entrance Exams (Grade 6)) . Hopefully, we can contact UPIS or Diliman Preparatory School for possible testing.

I just finished my XML Template for my game. I patterned the XML format from MyMathVentures’ post but I altered it so it can adjust to my own. Here’s the xml draft.

<WSG_EDUGAME name="">
	<VERSION> game_version </VERSION>
	<PLAYER>
		<NAME> name </NAME>
	</PLAYER>
	<ASSESSMENT>
		<GAME_INFO>
			<DATE_PLAYED>
				<DATE>month/day/year</DATE>
				<TIME_PLAYED>hh:mm:ss</TIME_PLAYED>
			</DATE_PLAYED>
			<CATEGORY>category</CATEGORY>
			<TOTAL_GAME_TIME> hh:mm:ss </TOTAL_GAME_TIME>
			<TOTAL_GAME_SCORE> gameScore </TOTAL_GAME_SCORE>
			<NO_OF_CORRECT_ITEMS> numCorrectItems </NO_OF_CORRECT_ITEMS>
			<NO_OF_INCORRECT_ITEMS> numIncorrectItems </NO_OF_INCORRECT_ITEMS>
		</GAME_INFO>
		<GAME_DATA>
			<CORRECT_ITEMS>
				<ITEM>
					<QUESTION_ID> qId </QUESTION_ID>
					<ANSWER> answer </ANSWER>
					<TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED> hh:mm:ss <TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED>
					<NUMBER_OF_TRIES> numTries </NUMBER_OF_TRIES>
				</ITEM>
			</CORRECT_ITEMS>
			<INCORRECT_ITEMS>
				<ITEM>
					<QUESTION_ID> qId </QUESTION_ID>
					<C_ANSWER> corAnswer </C_ANSWER>
					<P_ANSWER> playerAnswer </P_ANSWER>
					<TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED> hh:mm:ss <TOTAL_TIME_ANSWERED>
					<NUMBER_OF_TRIES> numTries </NUMBER_OF_TRIES>
				</ITEM>
			</INCORRECT_ITEMS>
		</GAME_DATA>
	</ASSESSMENT>
</WSG_EDUGAME></code>

I demo-ed my thesis to Sir Rom awhile ago and I got some feedback regarding it. First, the user should use the markers as mouse pointer to select from the menu. Also, there should also be an introduction with the markers before playing so that they won’t have to check the name associated with (I’m thinking that this will be used for the familiarization part of the testing). Also, more encouragement phrases should be added to the player. I will be demo-ing this again next Wednesday.

I also have other requirements to submit for the week, such as the XML and its Test Plan.