Distinguishing Edutainment and Gamification

Game based Learning vs. Gamification from the Higher Education Students' Perspective

The term Edutainment, has been fabricated by combing the two words “Education” and “Entertainment”, and as this term expresses, this concept provides educational entertainment or entertainment-education. That means this let the student to learn subject matters with entertainment, so that the students get attracted to learning rather than getting used to learning through the teacher centered learning concept. Under this novel concept called “Edutainment” there comes a couple of new ways of teaching like Game Based Learning and Gamification. These concepts can be applied to enhance the learning procedure of students in various age levels. Hope this basic introduction gives you an understanding of Game Based Learning vs. Gamification in higher education from Computer Science students' perspective.


WHAT  GAMIFICATION  IS  NOT...

Gamification is not edutainment, nor is it games-based learning. Often it seems that the spaces of edutainment and games-based learning get mixed up with gamification. Edutainment is the use of  entertainment devices or activities used to teach school based subjects or concepts. 

Video Game Developers and Ethical Obligations

This is the main question: Do game developers have ethical obligations?

Now main problem with the question is how simple it was to answer: Yes. What would've been more interesting is all the other moral and ethical questions that have permeated the industry throughout the years.

For example:

1. Violence and video games
2. Women's portrayal in video games
3. On-disc DLC or Day One DLC
4. DRM (Such as always online or limiting installs)
5. Sexuality in games (homosexual relationships in games)
6. Sex in games in general
7. Censorship in games
8. Incorrect information conveyed 
9. Inappropriate ways and unethical methodologies used

• 
  
• Now apply the main question to these following ones:

1) What are the main arguments from both sides of the issue?

2) Which ethical theory plays a more prominent role in the issue, Social Contract theory or Divine Command theory? Explain.

3) Explain Utilitarianism and show what a Utilitarian response to your question would look like? Could a Utilitarian argue for both sides of the issue?

4) Explain both versions of the Categorical Imperative and show what a Kantian response to your question would look like.

5) Explain Care-ethics and show what a feminist response to your question would look like.

6) Explain your own answer to the question and how it relates to the ethical theories from the course. Are you a multiple-strategies Utilitarian, a Kantian Absolutist, a blend of Social Contract theory and Care-ethics, or something totally different?

So while this is a rather simplified look at ethics and morals and how they relate to video games, it does bring up a the fact that video games are no longer the 'kids toys' that they were marketed as back in the 80's and that there are a lot more mature and important issues that now come along with our pastime.

Ethics is hard. It’s damn hard. And the difficulty is primarily in it’s application.

Confidentiality Awareness Checklist in a Multi National Organization

1.  Awareness -     Are all personnel fully aware of the Group policy on confidentiality of information and the implications of non-compliance? -     Are procedures in place to ensure all persons joining your area are aware of the requirements of the confidentiality policy? -     Are personnel aware that all disclosures of confidential information to third parties must be approved by a member of the Executive Committee and that the Executive Committee as a whole must be informed of the disclosure? -     Are procedures in place to remind personnel of their responsibilities to preserve the confidentiality of information? -     Are all personnel aware that they must report to you any suspicions that confidential information may be or may have been divulged inappropriately? -     Are personnel aware that they may not remove confidential information from Group premises without prior approval?

2.  Physical Security -     Do personnel carry and display their passes at all times on Group premises? -     Do personnel clear their desks of confidential information at the end of each day, utilizing suitable lockable storage? -     Are personnel members aware of the consequences of indiscreet social conversation, reviewing confidential documents in public and similar careless behavior? -     Are procedures in place to ensure that those leaving your area are reminded of their ongoing obligation to maintain information in confidence? -     Are procedures in place to ensure Group property and security passes are recovered/cancelled prior to individuals leaving the Group? -     Are arrangements in place to ensure that all visitors to Group premises are collected and accompanied at all times? -     Do personnel know it is their responsibility to challenge anybody in your area they do not recognize and who is not wearing a valid security pass? -     Do personnel members know the procedures and requirements for the storage, disposal and archiving of documents?

3.  Disclosure -     Are personnel aware that they must obtain prior approval from a member of the Executive Committee before disclosing confidential information to third parties and that the Executive Committee as a whole must be informed of disclosures? -     Are personnel aware of the extent to which they are authorized in the ordinary course of business, to disclose confidential information outside the Group? -     Are personnel aware that external persons to whom they divulge confidential information must be aware of the confidential status of that information?

4.  Whistle Blowing -     Are personnel aware of the action to take if they suspect that a colleague has disclosed confidential information inappropriately?

Gaming and Social Ethical Issues

Games have become a very popular activity for people among all ages. Most of them are use computers for entertainment purpose. In entertainment these computer are given different ways to enjoy. Such as Music, Movies, Games, Applications are some of them. In entertainment computer games are one of the most popular software’s of the young generation in the world. These computer & mobile games are used by teenagers, kids and most of the people are addicted to computer gaming. Sometime all family members are used to play when their leisure time. The video games have become very modern and realistic. Day by day computer game developing companies are releasing different types of computer games to the market word widely. Adventure games, shooting games, fighting games, knowledge games and simulation games are some of them. This computer games can be categorized in to two main parts such as Single player computer games and multiplayer computer games. This both game category have ethics, social issues, professional issues and legal issues such as,

1. Action games (killing the people and animals)
2. Abuse drugs and using alcohol
3. Stories of Criminal behavior
4. Sexual photographs / videos and violence towards women

In the new technology and high speed internet connections are very popular for multi-player online games. When we are playing the online game we have to register with our personal information and financial information’s. Ones the game has been updated the personal and financial information’s such as credit card information, e-mail address and photos. This information’s can be hacked and use for harmful things.

What are the ethical issues in playing video games extensively for entertainment and recreation, as well as they can act as a catalyst in reducing tension? Due to the advancement of technology, video games evolved and grown to become a great empire affect those in this area. And thus are bringing many of the ethical issues to our attention because of this development.

As a result, we must recognize how the new video games affect to the moral of the people who play them. Ethical issues for video games that affect many people as follows: violence, appreciation, education, and community profiling against women and addiction. Eventually, associated with each topic on violence participate in video games. Studies have shown most of the children who are playing violent video games are not fear to the horror of violence because their mind accustomed to the violence behaviors. Some children solve the problem using the experience gain from violent video games. Children continue playing realistic violence game arise the impact on children. Children and adolescents participate overly so obsessed with video games. They are spending more time for playing these games so in future make problems such as:

• Poor social skills
• No time to spend with family
• Less school homework and hobbies
• Less exercising and becoming overweight
• Less reading ability

In education aspect some video games are ethical and some of them are not ethical.

When we are talk about the social issues paying video games. The games who are playing in online, game servers are automatically registering the player creating profile on it. It is a one of the risk to the game player who is playing on line computer games. Such as talking, chatting and instant, massage to the players. The game players have to register online to play the games. During the game the player has opportunity to communicate with the player who is playing on line at the same time. Then the other player can get details such as email address and personal information etcetera. During the game the computer hackers can hack player’s profile such as face book, credit card information, e-mail address. The hackers use the player’s information for the illegal activities such as hackers can send virus, spy wares, Trojan houses and worms, porn site or terrorism purpose and much more bad things.

Professional Issues in Computing

Software engineering and computer science is emerging as a profession, in the same sense as medicine, law or certain other engineering disciplines. Only appropriately qualified people are allowed to prescribe drugs and certify the safety of a building design but there is no restriction on who can build safety-critical computer systems such as those involved in controlling radiation therapy machines and ambulance dispatch systems. However, there is a trend in this direction.

Membership of a profession confers power in several ways. Technical knowledge itself gives power. The status and prestige of professionals gives more weight to their views (even when the views are not related to technical expertise). The "closed shop" of professions creates a monopoly for certain services, allowing professionals to obtain greater remuneration for their services. Professions are forms of communities, which generally give some support and protection to their members.

However, with this power comes certain responsibilities and expectations. Professional societies generally have a code of ethics which curtails inappropriate uses of power. For example, it is un-ethical for a doctor to refuse life saving treatment on the grounds that the patient has insufficient money to pay for it. As well as attributes such as honesty and integrity, codes of ethics generally stress that professionals should consider the broad consequences of their actions and place the well-being society as a whole ahead of the interests of individuals. A professional should have reasonable knowledge of the laws which affect their profession and may occasionally have to deal with conflicts between the law and their ethics. Computer professionals must take note of how the powerful technologies we are creating are reshaping the world, and must share responsibility for it.

Communication is an important part of being a professional. This is particularly important in computing because of the huge breadth of computer applications, from art to zoology. Software engineers know the importance of communication with clients concerning requirements of computer systems, et cetera. Computing professionals must also be able to form and express views on broader views such as whether a proposed use of computer technology is good for society as a whole. Professions are also expected to be open about the knowledge they have. Although computing may seem like magic to some, computer professionals do not use spells and incantations which are kept secret from the uninitiated. Professions have a responsibility to educate and demystify (there is often a balance between this responsibility and others concerning protecting intellectual property). Professionals also have a responsibility to further their own education. They must know how to search literature and are expected to keep up with the latest developments in their field.

Professionalism is not something which can be taught like a programming language or algorithm. Technical expertise is assumed but are many other issues involved. The Professional Issues in Computing subject is designed to expose you to some of these issues and help you become a computing professional, not just a computing expert.

Principle 1: PUBLIC

Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:

1.01. Accept full responsibility for their own work.

2. Throughout our design phase we carefully chose which theories we are going to put in to  our app. Since it is a learning app we had to go thoroughly about the questions that we needed to include. Therefore after discussing with my group members we made a list of questions that will be suitable for our app. When designing these questions in our game app we will guarantee that the questions and the answers for that questions are 100% correct. Because it will not good to give wrong information or knowledge to the public. 

Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest. In particular, software engineers shall, as appropriate:

1.06. Be fair and avoid deception in all statements, particularly public ones, concerning software or related documents, methods and tools.

3. From our app the user can learn and get to know about the basic concepts in programming. Therefore the users can get the knowledge with fun. And we hope to publish the app freely. Because of that reason we can say that using our professional skills, we are helping others to gain knowledge.

1.08. Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to good causes and contribute to public education concerning the discipline. 

4. When developing our app we used Unity free version and for creating the images we used software like Photoshop. But Photoshop is not available for free and need to buy it. Even though that is the situation we tend to use Photoshop without buying the license. But it is unethical to use like that kind of software and also it's not illegal. Our idea is to build an app which will help the public that teaches the concepts. Therefore since we are doing this project with a helping mind, we think using that kind of software won't be a matter. 

Applying Code of Ethics

PREAMBLE

The short version of the code summarizes aspirations at a high level of the abstraction; the clauses that are included in the full version give examples and details of how these aspirations change the way we act as software engineering professionals. Without the aspirations, the details can become legalistic and tedious; without the details, the aspirations can become high sounding but empty; together, the aspirations and the details form a cohesive code.

Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. In accordance with their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of the public, software engineers shall adhere to the following 08 Principles:

1. PUBLIC - Software engineers shall act consistently with the public interest.

2. CLIENT AND EMPLOYER - Software engineers shall act in a manner that is in the best interests of their client and employer consistent with the public interest.

3. PRODUCT - Software engineers shall ensure that their products and related modifications meet the highest professional standards possible.

4. JUDGMENT - Software engineers shall maintain integrity and independence in their professional judgment.

5. MANAGEMENT - Software engineering managers and leaders shall subscribe to and promote an ethical approach to the management of software development and maintenance.

6. PROFESSION - Software engineers shall advance the integrity and reputation of the profession consistent with the public interest.

7. COLLEAGUES - Software engineers shall be fair to and supportive of their colleagues.

8. SELF - Software engineers shall participate in lifelong learning regarding the practice of their profession and shall promote an ethical approach to the practice of the profession.

In designing and development of our projects there were some issues and here follows how we overcame that issues using Code of Ethics.

Since this is a new kind of app and also a learning app through fun, at first it was a challenge for us to develop such an app. But we managed to design and develop the app by dividing the work among us and developed this new game app considering about the functions it will includes and so on. So we took the responsibility for our own work.