Affective educational games: Utilizing emotions in game-based learning

Emotions play an important role in cognition, memory, attention and motivation but the current generation of educational games largely ignore emotions' role in learning. However, there is a movement within games development for entertainment to create more affective gameplay. As such this paper will discuss how new research from affective neuroscience, affective computing and contemporary psychological learning theories can inform educational game development. Firstly outlining our current understanding of emotions in learning, this paper will then explore three key aspects of affective game design: sensing and recognition of emotions; modelling emotions and emotion expression by game characters and player avatars. In this section it will review currently available technology, theories and models as appropriate. Finally this paper will explain how incorporating these aspects in educational game design can produce more effectual learning experiences by being aware of affective game design principles that effect attention, memory and motivation. Although this paper is not conclusive, it is comprehensive enough to bridge the gap between academia and industry, so that commercial educational games development can benefit from our current understanding of affective game design and emotions role in attention, memory and motivation.