Pixel International Conferences

Effective engagement is a critical element for the success of serious gaming interventions, as insufficiently engaging games can result in diminished participation and restricted learning outcomes. The GameFlow model was developed by Sweetser and Wyeth (2005) to guide developers in creating and evaluating enjoyable educational games; however, many language-focused serious games lack comprehensive assessments of both enjoyment and feasibility. This study examines the enjoyment and feasibility of a mobile-based story-listening game designed for preschoolers at cognitive risk for dyslexia, grounded in GameFlow principles. Additionally, it explores the game's potential to support early literacy development. As part of a preventive reading intervention, 53 five- to six-year-old preschoolers identified as cognitively at risk for dyslexia engaged with the game for 12 weeks, four days per week, either in conjunction with a phonics-based intervention or alongside control games. The game involved listening to narrated stories and responding to content-related questions. Enjoyment was evaluated using a questionnaire and GameFlow assessments. Feasibility was measured through story appreciation ratings, question response accuracy and total training duration. The relationships between enjoyment, difficulty, and feasibility were explored. Data from 53 participants suggested overall positive engagement, though the GameFlow evaluation identified areas for design improvement. Question response accuracy confirmed appropriate difficulty levels, and all participants completed the story-listening game with varying training durations. Greater initial story appreciation correlated with shorter training durations, whereas higher question response accuracy showed no significant relationship with total training time. The tablet-based story-listening game appears to be both feasible and enjoyable, though design refinements could further optimise the user experience.

Keywords: GameFlow, mobile application, enjoyment, feasibility, early literacy

REFERENCES

[1] Sweetser, P., & Wyeth, P. (2005). GameFlow: a model for evaluating player enjoyment in games. Computers in Entertainment (CIE), 3(3), 3-3.