Serious Game Design and Evaluation: Light Propagation and Reflection in Elementary Education

Authors

  • Anastasia Tsita Independent Designer, Thessaloniki, Greece https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3779-1763
  • Aikaterini Baziakou University of the Aegean, Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory, School of Humanities, Rhodes, Greece https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3227-5100
  • Angelique Dimitracopoulou University of the Aegean, Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory, School of Humanities, Rhodes, Greece https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4686-1530

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34190/ecgbl.19.2.3982

Keywords:

Digital Game, Physics, Optics, Primary School, Game-based Learning

Abstract

The intangible nature of light is the primary reason why children develop misconceptions in their attempts to understand phenomena related to light and its properties. The most common misconceptions among children aged 11-13, are related to what happens when light strikes a mirror. This difficulty stems from their inability to perceive light as an entity in space. Therefore, the use of various representations and experiments is necessary for children to effectively construct light-related concepts. This study reports the design and evaluation of a logic-based digital game for fifth- and sixth-grade primary school students, named “Fotogonies”. Ten levels were developed as a minimum viable, fully functional version of the game. The player guides a laser beam from a source to a target by rotating mirrors. The game becomes progressively more challenging, with the difficulty carefully calculated and gradually increased. The main goal is to create an appealing digital game that can deliver educational value. It is designed to accurately represent key concepts of light propagation and reflection, with specially defined mechanics and rules, aligning with the relevant scientific models. At the same time, the game meets the requirements of serious educational games, balancing simplicity and low-cost development. Additionally, emphasis was placed on designing a classroom-friendly game with an easy-to-use setup to support possible widespread adoption. Surprisingly, the first tests showed that the game can be equally challenging and appealing for adults. The resulted game was evaluated in terms of usability and user satisfaction, gathering both quantitative and qualitative data. The evaluation showed that the participating students had a positive experience engaging with it - an essential precondition for supporting conceptual change regarding children’s misconceptions about light. Furthermore, the evaluation revealed that self-reporting questions addressing specific aspects of the game (consistency, learnability, difficulty), may not be as reliable as qualitative results when answered by young children.

Author Biographies

Anastasia Tsita, Independent Designer, Thessaloniki, Greece

Anastasia Tsita is an independent UI/UX designer with experience in technology research since 2018 and a background in interactive systems design and education. She currently focuses on smart‑living solutions that support sustainability and quality of life, while remaining passionate about the potential of physics‑based games in children's education and development.

Aikaterini Baziakou, University of the Aegean, Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory, School of Humanities, Rhodes, Greece

Aikaterini Baziakou is a school teacher at the Experimental Primary School of Syros and a PhD candidate at the University of the Aegean. Her research focuses on integrating emerging technologies into education, emphasizing the design of technology-enhanced learning activities in Science Education, particularly in the context of teaching light.

Angelique Dimitracopoulou, University of the Aegean, Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory, School of Humanities, Rhodes, Greece

Angelique Dimitracopoulou is Professor [“Design of Technology Based Learning Environments”], University of the Aegean, Greece. She is Director of the Learning Technology and Educational Engineering Laboratory [ltee.aegean.gr]. Her research focus on the Design of Technology-based learning environments empowering learners in everyday learning life as well as on Learning Activities’ Design.

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Published

2025-09-26

Issue

Vol. 19 No. 2 (2025): The Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Games Based Learning

Section

Academic Papers