Ergonomic Considerations of the Gaming Classroom
As the game-based training industry grows, games are increasingly being used within traditional classroom environments. In at least one case, an entire classroom-based course will feature daily training game play over the course of several weeks. To date,
- PDF / 122,483 Bytes
- 9 Pages / 439.37 x 666.142 pts Page_size
- 4 Downloads / 239 Views
Abstract As the game-based training industry grows, games are increasingly being used within traditional classroom environments. In at least one case, an entire classroom-based course will feature daily training game play over the course of several weeks. To date, there has not been an ergonomic evaluation of the so-called gaming classroom. This work summarizes the existing literature with respect to the ergonomics of two similar contexts—office work and prolonged gameplay. This includes topics such as the ergonomics of various input devices for prolonged use (e.g., mouse, keyboard, game controllers), work station design, and overall course time management to prevent muscle strain and fatigue. Recommendations with respect to the above are provided. Keywords Game-based training
Ergonomics
1 Introduction The video game-based training industry has exploded in recent years, and rightfully so. These so-called serious games are compelling training tools because, when thoughtfully-designed and well-executed, they create virtual training environments that feature appropriate fidelity, deliver various levels and types of feedback, and instill motivation in their players. Serious games may be easy to distribute and provide consistent training experiences across users. They can also be used to train individuals on tasks that are otherwise too dangerous or cost-prohibitive for real-world exercises. Much of the serious games literature focuses on best-practices for design with respect to instructional game features, harnessing engaging gameplay, and training effectiveness [1–3]. For example, Sitzmann [3] found that more effective serious games are those embedded within a larger training program. An example of this is a classroom that augments traditional lecture-based instruction K. Procci (&) Cubic Global Defense, Orlando, FL, USA e-mail: [email protected] © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2017 J.I. Kantola et al. (eds.), Advances in Human Factors, Business Management, Training and Education, Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing 498, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-42070-7_62
667
668
K. Procci
with opportunities for practice and application via serious game. To date, there has been little—if any—analysis of the unique ergonomic implications of the game-based training classroom. This is an especially pertinent aspect to consider if the serious game is to be a prolonged experience as opposed to a one-off training intervention that may only last an hour or two. Importantly, negative health effects related to lengthy stretches of video game play have been documented since the 1990s [4, 5]. This work summarizes the existing literature with respect to the ergonomics of prolonged video game play. This includes topics such as the ergonomics of various input devices for prolonged use (e.g., mouse, keyboard, game controllers), work station design, and overall course time management to prevent muscle strain and fatigue.
2 Defining the Gaming Classroom The first task is to define what the game-based training class
Data Loading...
