The doctoral dissertation in the field of Computer Science will be examined at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Joensuu campus and online.
What is the topic of your doctoral research? Why is it important to study the topic?
Every day, we use gamified applications that provide different types of rewards, such as points and badges. However, what is currently known about rewards in games? How prevalent are they in popular titles? What research has been conducted on this topic? Who advocate for these kind of rewards, and do they achieve their intended purpose?
Answering these questions is key to unlocking insights into the current state of rewards and their use in serious and educational games. This purpose is central to my doctoral thesis, "Exploring Rewards in Serious and Educational Games." With a deeper understanding of where and how rewards are applied, this thesis aims to determine where and how different rewards are used, and to what effect.
What are the key findings or observations of your doctoral research?
This thesis provides several key findings. First, a bibliometric analysis shows that research in this field has expanded rapidly since 2010, with a significant focus on gamification, learning, and motivation. An analysis of popular serious and educational mobile games shows a steady increase in the variety of reward types over time. However, recreational games offer a broader range of reward types compared to their serious and educational counterparts.
Recognizing these differences, the study sought to understand which game elements experts would prioritize for educational games. Insights were gathered from game designers, teachers, and students, revealing notable differences in their preferences. Additionally, when prompted with the same questions, a large language model failed to reliably replicate expert input, even when instructed to respond as a "game designer," "teacher," or "student."
Finally, the most requested elements – points, badges, and learning materials – were integrated into an educational game as rewards for increasing game difficulty. The findings indicate that learning materials are just as intrinsically motivating as points and badges. Furthermore, the use of voluntary difficulty systems positively influenced intrinsic motivation.
How can the results of your doctoral research be utilised in practice?
The findings of this research can be applied in several ways. First, they establish a foundation for future studies on rewards in games. This thesis identifies key areas of focus within the field and proposes directions for further exploration. For example, recreational games typically provide different types of rewards compared to serious and educational games. This distinction is not only a compelling topic for further research but also a practical insight for game designers to better understand how and when specific rewards should be implemented.
The analyses conducted also offer valuable guidance for practical game design. The observation that different expert groups prioritize distinct aspects highlights the potential of co-design as a promising methodology during the ideation phase. Moreover, while large language models can generate individual actionable insights, they cannot replace the value of collecting input directly from relevant stakeholders.
Finally, the results suggest that, at least in the short term and within this study's context, educational rewards such as points and badges have a comparable effect on intrinsic motivation. Additionally, incorporating voluntary difficulty options into a game positively influences intrinsic motivation.
What are the key research methods and materials used in your doctoral research?
This thesis includes four different studies. In the first study, we use a bibliometric approach to explore the body of literature in the field of rewards in serious and educational games. In this methodology, a search query is used to gather a large body of studies related to these topics. The studies are then analyzed for context.
The second study is a comparative analysis of popular recreational, educational, and serious mobile games. Using a reward typology, we classify the types of rewards present in these games and examine whether the number of reward types affects the popularity of the game.
In the third study, we present an educational game concept to expert participants, including game designers, teachers, and students, to gather input on how the game should be further developed. Additionally, the exact same prompt is given to a large language model, which is instructed to "answer as if you were a game designer, teacher, or student." The results are compared and analyzed across datasets.
Finally, different rewards are compared against each other in an educational game. Their effects on intrinsic motivation are tested in a classical A/B test setting.
The doctoral dissertation of Janne Tyni, MSc, entitled Exploring rewards in serious and educational games will be examined at the Faculty of Science, Forestry and Technology, Joensuu Campus and online. The opponent will be Associate Professor, Lobna Hassan, LUT University, and the custos will be Professor Roman Bednarik, University of Eastern Finland. Language of the public defence is English.
For more information, please contact:
Janne Tyni, janne.tyni@uef.fi, p. 050 571 7136
