Share Paper: A Study Design for Exploring Virtual World Familiarization Using Gamification

1. Peter "Asikaa" Cosgrove, University of Missouri-Columbia and Drury University, United States

Abstract: This paper presents the rationale and design process for a work-in-progress study that will explore the potential benefits of gamifying virtual world familiarization courses. Students who are inexperienced with virtual environments can suffer initial difficulties including spatial disorientation, confusion and frustration. This necessitates training courses in which students can become familiar with the format. However, evidence-based best practices for the design of these courses have not been established. Gamification, the process in which game attributes are incorporated into non-game activities, is a technique that has been empirically shown to improve motivation and satisfaction in the fields of education and employment. ...