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Games are types of media that engage players in structured conflicts, based on sets of rules, which enable players to reach game goals, and obtain the corresponding reward mechanisms. As games are dynamic systems, they have a level of uncertainty that results in unequal outcomes depending on the player strategy. Creating long-term engagement in games is a challenge and building up motivation becomes even a more critical issue when prototyping Digital Educational Games (DEGs) that should seamlessly integrate specific learning objectives the players should reach by playing the game. There is no perfect blend of formal, dramatic, and dynamic elements that should be part of a DEG. Therefore, designers are challenged to employ their knowledge and creativity to construct captivating and fun experiences that expose learners to consistent sets of stimuli to guide and hide the learning flows. How can learning be made more effective through DEGs? How can DEGs be prototyped to exploit games' capabilities to engage players? How can learning objectives be met without compromising the engagement? How should rewards mechanisms and assessment metrics be defined? The authors address these questions and present a prototype of Tingo, a DEG constructed to support foreign language learning. The game integrates a multilingual dictionary and provides userfriendly customization mechanisms that enable teachers to reuse the game structure and adapt the content to teach new languages. The paper integrates a case study that describes key game mechanics and workflows that support the learning experience. The work presented herein is funded by Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii (UEFISCDI Contract no. 19/2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An educational game is an active learning method that uses pedagogical elements integrated in the game mechanics with the aim to lead the user from an initial level to a higher level, meaning to accumulate knowledge or skills. The main characteristics of educational games are their training or education objectives. The evaluation of educational games is a difficult process, because it cannot be determined clearly and quantitatively the influence of various parameters involved in the process. On the other hand, an important indicator in evaluating serious games is the experience gained by players in different stages of interaction between them and the context of the game. In this regard, we can consider the following directions: usability represented by player experiences related to online environment characteristics and the utility that meets the player's needs for training and education. Usually, the educational games are focused on a specific thematic and are directed to a specific group of people, therefore the learning objectives will be specific. From a logical necessity, the methods to evaluate the educational games will be also specific. Depending on the context, some methods could offer relevant data of evaluative process or may be means of collecting and processing information, cooperation and social communication. By targeting different elements, not all offer the same information about the learning process, each of them having advantages and disadvantages. This paper intends to have a direct approach regarding the evaluation and analyze of educational games in terms of desired operational objectives to be achieved by players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A learning management system is an application for the administration, tracking, and reporting of learner progress, classroom and online events, e-learning programs, and distribution of educational content. One of the main objectives of this paper is to present a correct approach in developing software module for an open-source learning management system, especially for ILIAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The technology is an instrument which can be used by each country to improve the most important areas of human life. Education and training area is one of the beneficiaries and in the last years, it has been very much transformed due to the large use of the technology. E-Learning is a branch of education and training that experienced a rapidly development due to its advantages. When speak about e-Learning, we have to take in consideration both the modality to deliver the content to the final user and the modality to connect teachers/ instructors with students/stakeholders. Usually, these functionalities are assured by so called Learning Management Systems (according with national Romanian law in domain of education they are called online educational platforms). Even there are different kinds of Learning Management Systems, with different functionalities, the aim of this paper is to analyze two perspectives: first, how an online platform could be used as a learning environment and second, how an online platform could be used as collaborative working environment. As the case study, will be used an initiative developed by Human Resources Management Directorate, supported by the Advanced Distributed Learning Department from "Carol I" National Defense University for improvement of the foreign languages' learning process by using electronic resources as well as on-line communication technologies. More concrete, how was used the ILIAS platform for the online preliminary language evaluation/assessment, maintaining the language skills already gained and the modality of using the same platform for the collaborative work realized to develop the online tutoring modules for online English courses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the recent years, all modern armies use technology for improving the educational and training process. One of the latest aspects of involving technology are serious games. During their specific activities, military personnel have to accomplish tasks that are abstract, multidimensional, nonlinear, dynamic and interdependent. These tasks can be managed to be fulfilled in an optimal manner if they are first solved in a virtual space and after that in a real world. In fact, there is nothing else than a new methods that is adequate for a specific purpose. In this sense, depending of the final aim, the serious games can be used in a proper manner for developing a specific set of skills. So it is not surprising that, even serious games are a relatively new tool used in military education, due to the undeniable advantages of using them in a cost-efficient way, the process of training can be improved including situations that are very difficult to be realized otherwise for reasons of costs and sometimes safety. Serious games' playing is a complex activity that involves the use of interaction with real and virtual tools and images. Such an activity develops skills in identifying relevant information, generating decision criteria and selecting alternatives. Can be used different scenarios according to various types of missions. A series of studies demonstrated that persons who completed serious games adapted for a specific area of operations were more familiar with the specificities and realities from that area than those who have not accessed it. In this paper we will try to underline the particularities of serious games used for covering major area of military training domain taking in consideration that the final aim is to improve the military personnel behavior during their specific missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serious Games, unlike entertainment games, necessitate the implementation of specific educational and technical requirements related to pedagogical constructs, learners' assessment and standardization. The authors present a case study based on the premises that the application of standards and interoperability has the potential to improve development and ease of use, while lowering overall cost. The purpose of this study has been to investigate key interoperability challenges encountered when implementing a SCORM (Sharable Content Object Reference Model) compliant game on a Learning Management System (LMS). A case study on the implementation of the "Cultural Awareness Training - Afghanistan" game on the ILIAS platform (Integrated Learning, Information and Work Cooperation System) of the "Carol I" National University of Defence in Romania has been carried out. The Cultural Awareness Training is part of the Afghanistan Pre-Deployment Course developed by the Joint Advanced Distributed Learning and Simulation Section, NATO Allied Command Transformation. The ILIAS platform is an open source web-based learning management system (LMS) - compliant with standards such as SCORM 1.2 and 2004, LOM, AICC, QTI, XML - that supports learning content management and tools for collaboration, communication, evaluation and assessment. It also complies with information exchange standards (LDAP, SOAP, Shibboleth, CAS, RADIUS) and the NATO security standards, and was the first open source LMS that was awarded the NATO security certificate. The main aim of this work is to highlight the advantages and the restrictions of implementing a SCORM compliant game into an LMS, in order to provide practice-based guidance to game developers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing simulations, serious games, and other forms of training in a way that enables interoperability is one means of increasing the depth and scope of instructional materials available to learners while reducing overall development costs and time. Interoperability, the ability of computers and applications to communicate and share resources in a heterogeneous environment, is dependent on standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Some of the most important issues needed to be to taken in consideration in reference with the educational content distributed through cutting-edge technology are to ensure access for all categories of individuals and the possibility to reuse the content. These aspects can be realized using standards. For a number of years, various organizations have been working on different aspects of Web-based learning technology, developing specifications to enhance effectiveness and to help vendors and practitioners to create products and materials. The aim of this paper is to analyze the main existing standards and how they influence the creation of educational content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It can be notice that in the entire world the educational content is converting into a digital form, making such products available to anyone, anywhere and anytime. According with this trend "Carol I" National Defence University started few years ago to improve its capabilities in delivering the education and training services using the power of communication and information system. As a result was developed our own Advanced Distributed Learning System. In the present we have the capabilities to develop online course full compliant with SCORM standard, we have experience in installation and maintenance a Learning Management System and now we are able to deliver proper knowledge to those who need to know using ADL capabilities. Also, through Advanced Distributed Learning Department, our university is implicated as a coordinator in a few elearning research projects. Through this paper we try to spread our experience in developing an ADL system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SCORM 2004 has a concept of "system global objectives" for which the status is maintained across attempts and across SCORM 2004 packages. In practice this feature is often perverted to provide a kind of variable to allow communication between activities. It's easy to use this concept to fulfil the imposed didactical objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In eLearning socialization is on forum and chat, but professional communication is held on assessment grids. For most institutions, reliance on these resource-intensive methods is difficult, if not impossible, in the context of today's rapid expansion of student numbers and cuts in the unit of resource. It does appear, however, that through a relatively simple intervention incorporating a combination of explicit articulation and grid assessment processes and a considerable amount may be achieved in developing shared understanding and, consequently, in improving student performance- and that this improvement may last over time and be transferable, albeit possibly only in relatively similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]