UI / UX

Introduction:

The Makoko virtual environment was meticulously developed with a primary goal of expanding educational horizons. This innovative platform underwent a rigorous evaluation, guided by Dale's Cone theory, in order to discern whether active participation in virtual activities yields superior retention rates compared to passive learning methods.

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Methodology:

Two distinct studies were conducted, each involving 20 participants who were non-Nigerians with no prior knowledge of Makoko. These participants were divided into two groups:

• Passive Learning Pedagogy: This group engaged in a passive learning approach. They were tasked with listening to audio dialogues featuring discussions about Makoko while simultaneously perusing a manuscript for supplementary textual information (For script details, please request the full PDF document).

• Active Learning Pedagogy: The active group, in contrast, was immersed in the virtual Makoko environment. As they listened to the same audio content, they also had the advantage of visual attachments that corresponded to the voices and dialogues they were hearing.

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Procedures: The study comprised three key stages:

1. Pre-Study Session: This initial phase was designed to address any potential issues or concerns prior to the primary playtest.

2. Primary User Study: During this phase, participants engaged in controlled tasks within the virtual environment. The study drew inspiration from Fullerton's playtesting methodology to ensure that the approach did not unduly influence participants.

3. Post-Study Session: After the primary study, another session was conducted to identify and address any remaining bugs, errors, or areas for improvement. This iterative approach was aimed at refining the product to better cater to the needs of the target audience.

 

Research Aim: The overarching aim of the research was threefold:

1. To ascertain whether the active group retained more information compared to the passive group, as measured through a final quiz.

2. To analyse which specific questions posed greater challenges for participants and the underlying reasons.

3. To investigate whether serious games represent a more effective educational approach in contrast to traditional methods.

To achieve these objectives, the researchers meticulously measured and compared the average quiz scores of both the active and passive groups. Additionally, a user study was conducted utilizing the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ), as outlined by Ijsselsteijn et al. in 2013 (please request the full PDF document for further details found in Appendix B).

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Results: Quantitative Results:

• In terms of the quiz, the active group achieved an average score of 8.5, while the passive group attained an average score of 7.9, signifying a notable 20% disparity in favour of active learning.

• A detailed analysis of individual questions revealed that questions 10 and 7 posed particular difficulties, with an average of 60% of participants answering them incorrectly. Notably, these challenging questions were associated with Tinuke's section.

• In an attempt to address this, the researchers tested the effectiveness of introducing an "information gap" by providing the information needed to answer question 7 to Tobi. This was done to ascertain if the gap would enhance comprehension. The outcomes of this adjustment were to be evaluated with another group.

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GEQ Results:

In the GEQ, active participants responded to 16 close-ended questions on their gaming experience. Scores were meticulously analysed and categorized to gauge participants' perceptions of the game.

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Correlations:

The researchers further conducted correlation analysis using Python and identified that Positive Affect and Immersion exhibited the strongest correlation. However, it's worth noting that this correlation was statistically insignificant, as indicated by a P-Value of –0.027.

Qualitative

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UX Testing:

After completing the GEQ questionnaire, participants provided valuable qualitative feedback on various aspects of the virtual environment, including interface design, audio quality, storytelling, aesthetics, and controls. It's worth highlighting that feedback was not uniformly consistent, with some participants suggesting improvements in facial animation, audio synchronization, and subtitles, while others had no reservations regarding controls or audio. For a detailed breakdown of participants' feedback please request the full PDF document.

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Final Active Playtest:

In a subsequent active playtest, questions 7 and 10 remained challenging for participants, suggesting that the introduced "information gap" did not significantly impact knowledge retention. The average quiz score in this final playtest was 8.8, indicating minimal changes in knowledge acquisition.

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Qualitative Results:

During this latest round of testing, different problems were encountered, distinct from those previously addressed. However, these challenges did not exhibit a consistent pattern across participants' feedback, leading to the conclusion that major adjustments were not immediately necessary. For a detailed account of the study results, please request the full PDF document.

 

Limitations and Future Directions:

While the findings align with Dale's Cone theory, it is important to acknowledge the limitations of the study. The relatively small sample size and the predominantly non-Nigerian participant pool warrant future research with a more diverse and culturally representative group of participants who have experienced Makoko. This could provide a richer and more authentic cultural context for the learning experience.