A systematic literature review of empirical evidence on computer games and serious games

Thomas M. Connolly; Elizabeth A. Boyle; Ewan MacArthur; Thomas Hainey; James M. Boyle

Computers & Education Vol. 59, No. 2 (September 2012) pp. 661–686

This paper examines the literature on computer games and serious games in regard to the potential positive impacts of gaming on users aged 14 years or above, especially with respect to learning, skill enhancement and engagement. Search terms...

Language: English

A quasi-experimental study of three online learning courses in computing

Thomas M. Connolly; Ewan MacArthur; Mark Stansfield; Evelyn McLellan

Computers & Education Vol. 49, No. 2 (September 2007) pp. 345–359

This paper presents the results of a 3-year quasi-experimental study of three Masters courses in computing. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which the teaching and learning of these courses were enhanced by being developed...

Language: English

Evaluation of a game to teach requirements collection and analysis in software engineering at tertiary education level

Thomas Hainey; Thomas M. Connolly; Mark Stansfield; Elizabeth A. Boyle

Computers & Education Vol. 56, No. 1 (January 2011) pp. 21–35

A highly important part of software engineering education is requirements collection and analysis which is one of the initial stages of the Database Application Lifecycle and arguably the most important stage of the Software Development Lifecycle....

Language: English

An alternate reality game for language learning: ARGuing for multilingual motivation

Thomas M. Connolly; Mark Stansfield; Thomas Hainey

Computers & Education Vol. 57, No. 1 (August 2011) pp. 1389–1415

Over the last decade, Alternate Reality Games (ARGs), a form of narrative often involving multiple media and gaming elements to tell a story that might be affected by participants’ actions, have been used in the marketing and promotion of a number...

Language: English

Organisational Blogs: Benefits and Challenges of Implementation

Gavin J. Baxter; Thomas M. Connolly; Mark H. Stansfield

Learning Organization Vol. 17, No. 6 (2010) pp. 515–528

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the theoretical link between blogs and organisational learning. It aims to provide a set of practical guidelines on how to overcome the challenges of implementing an organisational blog. Design...

The "State of Art" of Organisational Blogging

Gavin J. Baxter; Thomas M. Connolly

Learning Organization Vol. 20, No. 2 (2013) pp. 104–117

Purpose: The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the "state of art" of organisational blogging. It also aims to provide a critical review of the literature on organisational blogging and propose recommendations on how to advance the...

A systematic literature review of games-based learning empirical evidence in primary education

Thomas Hainey; Thomas M. Connolly; Elizabeth A. Boyle; Amanda Wilson; Aisya Razak

Computers & Education Vol. 102, No. 1 (November 2016) pp. 202–223

Games-based Learning (GBL) has developed a reputation with educationalists it is perceived as a potentially engaging form of supplementary learning that could enhance the educational process and has been used at all levels of education including...

Language: English

An update to the systematic literature review of empirical evidence of the impacts and outcomes of computer games and serious games

Elizabeth A. Boyle; Thomas Hainey; Thomas M. Connolly; Grant Gray; Jeffrey Earp; Michela Ott; Theodore Lim; Manuel Ninaus; Claudia Ribeiro; João Pereira

Computers & Education Vol. 94, No. 1 (March 2016) pp. 178–192

Continuing interest in digital games indicated that it would be useful to update Connolly et al.'s (2012) systematic literature review of empirical evidence about the positive impacts and outcomes of games. Since a large number of papers was...

Language: English

Learning style analysis in adaptive GBL application to teach SQL

Mario Soflano; Thomas M. Connolly; Thomas Hainey

Computers & Education Vol. 86, No. 1 (August 2015) pp. 105–119

The benefits derived from delivering learning content in ways that match the student's learning style have been identified in classroom learning and eLearning. Although there is limited empirical evidence in adaptive Games-Based Learning (GBL),...

Language: English

An application of adaptive games-based learning based on learning style to teach SQL

Mario Soflano; Thomas M. Connolly; Thomas Hainey

Computers & Education Vol. 86, No. 1 (August 2015) pp. 192–211

The fact that each student has a different way of learning and processing information has long been recognised by educationalists. In the classroom, the benefits derived from delivering learning content in ways that match the student's learning...

Language: English

A narrative literature review of games, animations and simulations to teach research methods and statistics

Elizabeth A. Boyle; Ewan W. MacArthur; Thomas M. Connolly; Thomas Hainey; Madalina Manea; Anne Kärki; Peter van Rosmalen

Computers & Education Vol. 74, No. 1 (May 2014) pp. 1–14

Basic competence in research methods and statistics is core for many undergraduates but many students experience difficulties in acquiring knowledge and skills in this area. Interest has recently turned to serious games as providing engaging ways of ...

Language: English

Using an Online Games-Based Learning Approach to Teach Database Design Concepts

Thomas M. Connolly; Mark Stansfield; Evelyn McLellan

Electronic Journal of e-Learning Vol. 4, No. 1 pp. 103–110

The study of database systems is typically core in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes related to computer science and information systems. However, one component of this curriculum that many learners have difficulty with is database analysis...

Students' attitudes toward playing games and using games in education: Comparing Scotland and the Netherlands

Thomas Hainey; Wim Westera; Thomas M. Connolly; Liz Boyle; Gavin Baxter; Richard B. Beeby; Mario Soflano

Computers & Education Vol. 69, No. 1 (November 2013) pp. 474–484

Games-based learning has captured the interest of educationalists and industrialists who seek to exploit the characteristics of computer games as they are perceived by some to be a potentially effective approach for teaching and learning. Despite...

Language: English