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Background In recent years, the importance of emotions in learning has been increasingly recognized. Applying emotional design to induce positive emotions has been considered a means to enhance the instructional effectiveness of digital learning environments. However, only a few studies have examined the specific effects of emotional design in game-based learning. Objectives This quasi-experimental study utilized a value-added research approach to investigate whether emotional design applied to scaffolding in a game-based learning environment improves learning and motivational outcomes more than emotionally neutral scaffolding. Methods A total of 138 participants, mean age of 11.5 (SD = 0.73) participated in the study. A total of 68 participants played the base version of a fraction learning game (Number Trace), where scaffolding was provided with emotionally neutral mathematical notations, and 70 participants played the value-added version of the game using emotionally designed animated scaffolding agents. Pre-and post-tests were used to measure conceptual fraction knowledge and self-reported measures of situational interest and situational self-efficacy to evaluate motivational outcomes. Results and Conclusions Our results indicate that the emotional design applied to scaffolds can improve the educational value of a game-based learning environment by enhancing players' situational interest and situational self-efficacy. However, although the intervention improved the participants' conceptual fraction knowledge, there was no significant difference between the scaffolding conditions in participants' learning outcomes. Takeaways The results suggest that emotional design can increase the educational impact of game-based learning by promoting the development of interest, as well as improving self-efficacy., Version of record

Kiinnostus pelien käyttöön opetuksessa lisääntyy ja pelipohjainen oppiminen nähdään tehokkaan työtapana opettaa oppilaille tietoja sekä taitoja ja motivoida heitä opiskeluun. Nykyisin erityisesti opetuskäyttöön suunnattujen pelien, oppimispelien, määrä kasvaa sekä tutkimustieto niiden käytöstä laajenee. Tutkimustieto oppimispelien käytöstä on kuitenkin edelleen puutteellista, eikä oppimispelien pedagogiselle käytölle ole vielä muodostettu mallia. Tämän tutkimuksen tavoitteena on kartoittaa kirjallisuuskatsauksella oppimispelitutkimuksen nykyistä suuntaa, osoittaa aukkoja tutkimuksessa sekä tarkastella oppimispelien pedagogista käyttöä. Tutkimuksessa käytetty tutkimusmetodi oli laadullinen meta-analyysi, joka mahdollisti laadullisten sekä määrällisten tutkimusten sisällyttämisen samaan kirjallisuuskatsaukseen. Tutkimusaineiston kerääminen toteutettiin systemaattisesti. Tutkimusaineiston muodostavien artikkelien tuli täyttää ennalta asetetut mukaanotto- ja poissulkukriteerit, artikkelien hakemiseen käytettiin ennalta-asetettuja hakusanoja sekä artikkelien haku tapahtui ennalta-asetetuista tietokannoista. Tutkimusaineistoksi muodostui 35 empiiristä oppimispelitutkimusta, jotka olivat julkaistu vuosien 1998–2013 välillä ja jotka käsittelivät alle 18 vuotiaiden oppilaiden oppimispelien käyttöä. Tutkimusaineiston analyysia varten kehitettiin koodaustaulukko, jota apuna käyttäen haettiin vastauksia tutkimuskysymyksiin kirjaamalla tutkimusaineiston artikkeleista sekä määrällistä dataa että laadullisia metaforia. Tutkimuksen analyysissä näitä luokiteltiin sekä ryhmiteltiin. Tutkimustulosten perusteella oppimispelitutkimus oli painottunut tutkimaan yli 7-vuotiaiden oppilaiden oppimispelien käyttöä. Tutkimusten havaittiin keskittyneen erityisesti matematiik-kaan ja tutkimusaineisto sisälsi vain vähän pitkittäistutkimuksia. Tutkimusaineistoa pedagogisesti tarkasteltaessa havaittiin opettajan tärkeä rooli opetustapahtuman ohjaajana. Tutkimusaineistosta oli myös evidenssiä siitä, The interest in the use of games in education is increasing and game-based learning is seen as an effective way to teach knowledge and skills and to motivate students. Nowadays, the amount of games designed especially for teaching and learning purposes, the learning games, is growing and research on the impact of their use is increasing. However, the existing research data on the use of learning games is still inadequate and a pedagogical model for their use has not yet been developed. This study aims to give an overview of the research on learning games and show gaps in the research field. Furthermore, it focuses on the pedagogical use of the learning games. The research method used was qualitative meta-analysis, which allowed both the qualitative as well as quantitative studies to be synthesized. A systematic model was used to collect the research data. Prior to the data collection, key words and databases were defined. Moreover, the articles had to meet predefined inclusion criteria. Finally, the research data consisted of 35 empirical studies on learning games, which were published between 1998 and 2013 and examined the use of learning games of students under 18 years old. A special coding matrix was developed in order to code both quantitative and qualitative information. At the synthesizing stage, the coded information was grouped and compared. Based on the results of this study, the learning game research focuses on the use of learning games of over seven year old students. The studies, especially, concentrated in mathematics and were mostly single teaching experiments. From the pedagogical point of view, teacher’s role was highly important when integrating learning games into teaching. Moreover, evidence supporting the use of learning games in small groups was found to enhance learning and joint knowledge creation. The pedagogical models of learning games found in the research data were often ambiguous. Thus, in the future, the research of learning games sho