Utilizing virtual worlds for game based learning: Grafica, a 3D educational game in Second Life Theodouli Terzidou, Thrasyvoulos Tsiatsos, Antonia Dae, Odysseas Samaras, Apostolia Chasanidou Department of Informatics Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki, Greece {lterz, tsiatsos, antai, osamaras, achasani}@csd.auth.gr Abstract—This paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a three dimensional collaborative knowledge game, called "GrAFiCA", that utilizes the Second Life collaborative virtual environment. The presented study is part of a larger research project focusing on designing and evaluating game based learning in virtual worlds. Our aim is to investigate the effectiveness of three dimensional game-based learning techniques through a detailed collaborative game scenario, at the level of tertiary education. Keywords-3D Game Based Learning; Grafica immersive game; immersive learning; educational game; serious games; learning in virtual worlds I. INTRODUCTION Both popularity of digital games and continuing advances in computer science and technology, constitute a challenge for the educational researchers to provide and to produce knowledge by exploiting both these aspects in an efficient and effective manner. We believe that instructional designers can learn and adopt from commercial "fun" Massively Multiplayer Online Games (MMOGs) techniques, to be adapted to learners needs in order to improve teaching and learning, while fostering students’ engagement. Educational game designers face the challenge to move from one person games to multiplayer and collaborative games and from two-dimensional (2D) to three-dimensional (3D) environments. Moreover learning and game based learning is moving from simple "task execution" to active learning and experiential learning, towards a more constructivist learning model. Immersive environments seem to have the necessary and suitable characteristics to invoke all these new needs of the instructional designers. Both Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) and Game Based Learning (GBL) seem to have gained an advantage in modern learning approaches. Although much research has been conducted towards game based learning for school and pre-school ages, there is little research specifically on tertiary education and even less in highly interactive virtual environments. At this direction, our 3D educational game aims to propose a novel way to put into practice, existing game based learning theories in a modern and technologically advanced framework, utilizing online virtual environments as a system platform. More particularly, the game was designed to support the course "Multimedia Systems" in a Department of Informatics, based on an Extended Design and Evaluation framework for 3D Collaborative Virtual Games [1]. The game scenario is about a collaborative treasure hunt game. According to this scenario groups of students are playing by navigating, interacting, experimenting, collaborating and learning. The game takes place in a properly designed and equipped multi-user 3D educational virtual space. There the students should answer questions and try to earn points in order to help their group to win the game. In order to investigate the effectiveness of the 3D educational game, this paper addresses the following research questions: • RQ1: Can virtual worlds be utilized by the game based learning to improve the effectiveness of the knowledge acquisition? • RQ2: What feelings created the experience of 3D virtual environments to the students during their participation in such a game learning activity? • RQ3: Did the virtual game activity motivate the participated students to study better the course material? • RQ4: Do the students recommend the systematically existence of such activities in education? This article is structured as follows: The next section presents the theoretical framework for game learning. The third section presents the GrAFiCA game scenario. The fourth section presents the implementation. The fifth section presents the evaluation process and results. The final section indicates some concluding remarks along with our vision for next steps. II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This section presents a theoretical research study about game-based learning, their utilization in the educational process and the applicability of 3D virtual worlds as platform for game-based collaborative learning. A. Utilizing games as learning tool A theoretical investigation about the term of Game Based Learning can lead to several similar used definitions that involve the same concept of learning while playing. Thus, GBL is also termed as "Serious Games", "Digital Game Learning" (DGL), "Digital Game Based Learning", 2012 12th IEEE International Conference on Advanced Learning Technologies 978-0-7695-4702-2/12 $26.00 © 2012 IEEE DOI 10.1109/ICALT.2012.55 624