A comparison of learning effectiveness among serious games with varying degrees of playability

Serious games are composed of three components, namely, learning contents, learning strategies, and game elements. To emphasize the significance of game elements on learning effectiveness in serious games, this study proposed a design pattern for courses of serious games, based on serious game courses which addressed the endocrine unit for students in the seventh grade. Since the courses were first developed and put to use three years ago, the courses have been implemented and modified many times. The courses adopted in this study were the fifth version. Employing a quasi-experimental research design, an experiment of two-week courses was organized in three groups, namely the traditional instruction group, the serious game group, and the low playability game group, which used courses with less playabilities modified on the basis of serious games. A total of 234 students participated in this research. The research instruments included achievement test. The results showed that serious game courses with sufficient playabilities outperformed the low playability group and traditional group in both the achievement test, indicating that playability was an important factor influencing the effectiveness of serious game courses. Additionally, with respect to the categorical variables, gender differences had no significant influence over serious game courses. Learning background had no significant influence on the outcome of achievement test of the serious game group.