Date of Award

12-2015

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Computer Engineering

First Advisor

Boumediene Belkhouche

Second Advisor

Saad Harous

Third Advisor

Zakaria Maamar

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to design a conceptual model and develop an implementation as a proof of concept of game-based learning (GBL)to support linguistic skills acquisition. Our model lays the foundations of game-based learning by defining methods, processes, and procedures to support the development of game-based learning systems. Integration of learning and gameplay raises various issues, among them the learning process, learning content, and game characteristics. Language competency is fundamental to academic and social success. Vocabulary acquisition is a primary basis for language competency. Word lists and dictionaries have been used as a resource to enrich vocabulary. The general trend in dictionary development is towards the introduction of interactivity and visualization. Not only do they effectively capture the traditional didactic concepts, modern e-dictionaries provide structures and functions that support and encourage learning. To a certain extent, they can be viewed as a scaled down version of game-based learning, in which we see effective alternatives to acquire linguistic skills, specifically in the context of the Arabic language. GBL supports a multi-modal learning environment and various forms of learning strategies, such as exploration, interactivity, and active participation. A basic issue we are facing is the definition of a model of GBL. To delimit the progress in GBL modeling, we review some existing Arabic games intended for education of children. We found that there are very few games for learning Arabic dedicated to children. We analyzed several games for learning Arabic in terms of the nature and organization of the contents, gameplay, interactivity, graphics and assessment. Generally, they are simplistic and tend to revolve around the same trivial idea. Overall, there is a lack of quality in the presentation in terms of graphics, animation, colors, and voice-over. None of these Arabic games shows a systematic design process. Moreover, to synthesize the dominant features and trends, we conducted a comparison of current dictionaries features in different viii languages. We selected some representative English and French dictionaries available on the Web, which provides many features like searching (by image and by category) and finding detailed descriptions. For comparison purposes, an Arabic dictionary was also included. This study was intended to identify possible features that enhance the ease of learning a new language within a GBL context.

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