Experiences of Game-Based Learning and Reviewing History of the Experience Using Player's Emotions

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss whether the history of a learning experience, containing action and emotion information, is useful for review of the experience in game-based learning using virtual space. We developed a game-based story generation system that automatically generates scripts in real time by using a player's emotions and actions. The system has two functions: a game-based experiential learning environment and automatic story generation. The system provides the player with a virtual world and a virtual tool operated by using a hand controller and a display. The system recognizes the player's real-time emotions through facial expressions, and it outputs reactions based on these emotions and actions via a knowledge-based system when the player operates the tool. Then, it outputs scripts based on the emotions and the history of actions. We evaluated the system by conducting experiments with university students as subjects. As a result, subjects found the stories generated by this system interesting because they were based on the player's experience in the game and used the player's behavioral history and emotions. If we consider this as a record of the learning experience, the learning history is an impressive record accompanied by emotions. Thus, historical information that records the actions and emotions of the learner in real time is considered effective because it allows the learner to recall his or her own experiences after the game experience. The results suggest that the historical information, including the learner's real-time actions and emotions, is helpful for review in learning. There is a possibility that experiential learning through games using virtual spaces, such as the one used in this study, will become widespread in the future. In such cases, it will be necessary to examine the learning effects of using historical information with emotions. Therefore, we believe that the results and discussions in this study will be useful for experiential learning using virtual spaces.

Keywords: affective computing; emotions; facial expression; game-based learning; operational history; story generation.