Digital game-based learning is a hot topic of research and development. Since the advent of computer and video games, educators were inherently interested in utilizing the beneficial aspects of computer games for educational purposes. These factors are primarily the intrinsic motivation of games, immersive environments, engaging stories, and an artful balance between challenges and continuously growing abilities. Proponents of computer games delivered a large number of empirical investigations revealing that games may foster the development of abilities and competencies. Besides the advantageous aspects of computer games, a variety of problems were reported by researchers. Due to the high costs of professional game development, many educational games are technologically poor and cannot compete with entertainment games in terms of visual design, possibilities for interactions, or storytelling. Moreover, many current educational games do not incorporate a sound psychological, pedagogical, or didactic background; instead they are focusing on transmission or rehearsal of isolated facts or skills. Finally, such games lack the ability to adapt to individual competencies failing to balance challenge and abilities regarding knowledge or skills. The ELEKTRA project, introduced in this article, aims for addressing these problems relying on an interdisciplinary approach of cognitive science, neuroscience, pedagogy, game design, and game development. The project will develop an adventure game that can keep up with commercial games and that focuses on primarily curriculum-related educational purposes by incorporating a sound psychological and pedagogical framework. Moreover, the project will prove the outcomes of research and development by a comprehensive game demonstrator.

This document details an initial study into cognitive abilities that may be enhanced from playing computer games. Using a neuro-psychological assessment software package titled SynWin, participants were tested for their ability to function in a synthetic work environment. Scores were recorded and after playing computer games for specified lengths of time, the participants were tested again. The computer game employed was Counter Strike. This game is categorised as a firstperson shooter (FPS), and is a multiplayer networked game. Differences between this game and other first-person shooters such as Quake III include the realism that Counter Strike achieves and the immersive qualities that surround that player. Different experiments were completed; group one, the control group, where the participants were tested three times without playing computer games between tests and group two where they were only tested twice, but played Counter Strike for two hours before the second test. This group showed a statistically significant improvement in their multitasking abilities. In summary, this study indicates that certain types of computer games can improve cognitive functions, and suggests further research to ascertain if these abilities are retained and what other skills can be enhanced by games similar to Counter Strike.

The ongoing evolution of communications technologies and systems creates significant challenges for any effort to understand the role of media in the lives of children and adolescents. The dominant paradigm in studying the relationship between children and media has been one of media effects. However, we propose a reciprocal relationship in which human capabilities and motivation affect the development of media, while media affect human development. In order to investigate this reciprocal relationship, we need not only theories of human development (which are already well established); we also need a theoretical framework for media development, one which has a strong human factors component to it. Without such a framework, the media side of our developmental research will be limited to mere description of a particular local media practice at a particular moment. The purpose of this paper is to sketch part of such a framework and offer an example of its application in a study of the evolution of interactive games.

mental rotation - Spatial Relations factor (SR) connection (Mumaw, Pellegrino, Kail and Carter, 1984), cognitive research about the Visualization factor (Vz ) has not disentangled the Correspondence may be sent to Dbora I. Burin, Programa de Estudios Cognitivos, Instituto de Investigaciones, Facultad de Psicologa - UBA, Independencia 3065 3, (1225) Cap. Fed., Argentina. Fax: (54)(11)4957-5888; e-mail: dburin@psi.uba.ar This research forms part of the doctoral dissertation of D. I. Burin, directed by G. Prieto and A. R. Delgado and was partially supported by a doctoral grant from the Universidad de Salamanca and a research grant by the Secretara de Ciencia y Tcnica de la Universidad de Buenos Aires. "key" component for individual and group differences (Salthouse, Babcock, Mitchell, Palmon and Skovronek, 1990). One possible explanation is the fact that Vz tasks, more complex than SR ones, admit v

This work reviews several aspects of the growing research field interested in video games. First, the evolution of this media in the educational field is discussed. Three different fields interested in the cognitive impact playing of video games are reviewed: abilities and skills, attitudes and motivation, knowledge and content learning. However, most studies used video games as new experimental materials and tasks to contribute to their specific field (i.e. attention and perception), and not as a scientific object of interest per se. We claim that the research on video games is in need of a conceptual and methodological framework in which results and effects could be compared, interpreted and generalized. We argue that video games can have multiple effects on players and that these effects can be used as educational potentials. An empirically-based classification of games, depending on their potential effects for an educational purpose, is strongly needed. Likewise, a unified research paradigm and methodologies to carry on reliable research on video games has to be developed.

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While computers provide access to a multitude of data, the comprehension of that data for decision making and communication purposes relies on humans. What characteristics emerge as important to the skill of data interpretation and is training possible to develop this skill? This paper assesses user competence for the perception and comprehension of graphical computer displays using a knowledge, skills and abilities framework. The basic research questions are: how do characteristics that are inherent to an individual (abilities) affect the use of moving graphical displays, how do characteristics that may be altered through training (skills) affect such use, and how does knowledge related to the task affect use? Following a model of skill acquisition, the possible characteristics of importance are presented based on an experiment conducted using an animated, graphical computer screen. Results indicate that age and domain knowledge are correlated with task performance. Younger subjects performed better, as did those subjects already familiar with the data domain of the states in the United States.

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Naïve conceptions and associated misconceptions about object motion arise in part from limitations on perceptual experience. Certain commercial video games, such as Enigmo, provide interactive experience with realistic trajectories and practice at purposefully manipulating those trajectories. We tested the possibility that this experience could modify naïve intuitions about object motion, bringing them into closer alignment with Newtonian principles of mechanics. Fifty-one middleschool children were randomly assigned to play either Enigmo or a strategy game for 6 sessions. Only the Enigmo group improved their ability to generate realistic trajectories, but this improvement was limited to learning about the general parabolic shape of trajectories. After training, both groups received a 30-min tutorial on Newtonian principles which generated a much larger improvement in producing realistic trajectories than did game play. This improvement was of similar magnitude in both training groups, indicating that gaming experience provided no advantage in deriving benefits from direct instruction.