Technology-enhanced learning applies video games as research, teaching or measurement tools helping teachers to stimulate learning by experiencing novelty, challenge and engagement in development of various skills and competences. There are proposed many educational games providing high level of learner’s motivation and contributing to the effectiveness of teaching process, however, teachers are still unable to build customize games appropriately fitting the curriculum content. The paper presents an educational 3D maze video game introducing Bulgarian orthodox iconography. The maze game is defined declaratively as structure and learning content and, next, is generated by means of a special software platform for generation of customizable desktop video maze games for education. Initial experimental results show high level of immersion, followed by presence in virtual environment, flow, and absorption.

1. EDUCATIONAL VIDEO GAMES FOR
BULGARIAN ORTHODOX ICONOGRAPHY
Boyan Bontchev1, Desislava Paneva-Marinova2, Lubomil Draganov2
1Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Sofia University (BULGARIA)
2Institute of Mathematics and Informatics, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
(BULGARIA)
bbontchev@fmi.uni-sofia.bg, dessi@cc.bas.bg, lubomil@gmail.com

2. Agenda
 Introduction
 Modern Applied Video Games for Education
 Methods for Bulgarian orthodox iconography study
 Game design of the generated and customized
educational maze
 The Maze, 3D Zoom and 3D Quiz game for
Bulgarian Orthodox Iconography
 Video demonstration
 Conclusions
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3. Introduction
 Technology-enhanced learning applies video games
as research, teaching or measurement tools -
experiencing novelty, curiosity and challenge in
development of various skills and competences
 Modern game-based learning (GBL) allows learners
to exercise at play five distinct axes of freedom
 Video games boost enjoyment, motivation and
engagement of learners in an interactive virtual
playing environment
 Engagement, immersion, presence inside a virtual
environment, flow and psychological absorption
 Teachers are still unable to build or customize an
appropriate game in their teaching domain
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4. Modern educational video games
 massive invasion of applied video games for
educational purposes is highly correlated with modern
understanding of the need of experiential learning
 video games provide to learners form of fun and
structured play, motivating goals, interactivity,
outcomes and feedback, win states, challenging
competition, creative problem solving, social
interaction and visual narrative
 positive impact of paying on learning achievements.
 3D educational mazes are very attractive for players
and are very suitable for non-linear gameplay, where
the player has several options to proceed
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5. ICERI’201614-16 of November, 2016 Seville, Spain
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Maze Editor
Transitions
table
Property Editor
Titles …
Texts …
Graphics …
Python
Scripts
Brainstorm
API
3D Maze
Game Engine
Brainstorm
Run Time
Environment
Embedded
Mini-Games
3D
video
game
Property
Metadata
Graph Editor
Generation of maze video games
A software architecture of a platform for generation of
customizable video maze games for education

6. Study of Orthodox iconographic art
 Main activities for studying Fine Arts (including
Orthodox iconographic art) - research and analysis of
the domain: main trends in the development of the
domain, directions and dynamics of that
development, factors and conditions that influenced
the changes, etc.
 Main teaching methods:
project-based learning and understanding-by-design
learning-by-doing
learning-by-authoring and creative thinking practices
real painting tasks (or project) based on their
individual/independent iconographic art observation
and analysis.
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7. Structure of the Maze game
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8. Partial view of the introduction room of
the maze
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9. View of one of the maze tunnels
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10. View of one of the 3D quizzes
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11. View of one of the 3D Zoom game
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12. Flow mental state as function of challenge and
player’s ability/skills (Csikszentmihalyi, 1997)
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LowChallenge/ComplexityHigh
Individual
average
Anxiety Arousal Flow
Worry
Apathy Boredom Relaxation
Low Skills High
Control

13. Post-game survey - Game Engagement
Questionnaire (Brockmyer et al., 2009)
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Term Game Mean SD
Presence
Maze 3.8125 0.7741
3D Quiz 3.8854 0.7147
3D Zoom 3.9375 0.6645
Absorption
Maze 2.8646 0.7766
3D Quiz 2.8021 0.6875
3D Zoom 2.8333 0.6981
Flow
Maze 3.1417 0.5587
3D Quiz 3.1375 0.5089
3D Zoom 3.1625 0.5131
Immersion
Maze 3.9583 1.1971
3D Quiz 4.1667 1.0495
3D Zoom 4.3750 0.8242
Engagement
Maze 3.4443 0.6267
3D Quiz 3.4979 0.5065
3D Zoom 3.5771 0.4210

14. Video demonstration
See gameplay video at:
https://youtu.be/P4rMkLXp_IM
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15. Conclusions
We plan to apply game features in further
applications related to pilgrimage tourism
and cultural heritage literacy.
Gamer style-based adaptations and
customization should be considered.
Web-based releases of both the generation
platform and educational games, which will
result in massive use of this approach for
creation of customized maze games and
game-based learning.
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16. Thank you for your attention!
 Questions and/or proposals?
 Boyan Bontchev, bbontchev@fmi.uni-sofia.bg
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