Opportunities and challenges of Digital Games for Empowerment and Inclusion

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Joint Research Centre

The European Commission’s in-house science service

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Digital Games for Empowerment & Inclusion (DGEI)

DGEI Stakeholder Workshop, 16th September 2012, Brussels

Challenges and Opportunities

James StewartJRC-IPTS, Information Society Unit

Jan Van Looy IBBT

The views expressed by the author are not necessarily those of the EC

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Introduction to DGEI

1.Social Exclusion2.Practice3.Theorical Framework4.Supply industry and markets5.Opportunties and Challanges for DGEI6.Potential Actions

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Social Exclusion: a Key Concept in European Policy

• 23% of the EU’s population is considered to be at risk of poverty or social exclusion (EUROPE 2020 TARGETS) >110m

• Poverty risk for the unemployed is particularly high at 45.2%

• Social Exclusion is process that “is very expensive, economically counterproductive and lays a heavy social and political burden on society” Bianchi et al. (2006, p.23)

• Complex and Multi-factor process: lack of basic competences, poverty, discrimination, unemployment, poor health, disability, poor access to basic services such as child-care and housing and life long learning etc

“Isolated [..], individuals feel powerless and unable to take control over the decisions that affect their day to day lives.” (EU Council 2004)

“Isolated [..], individuals feel powerless and unable to take control over the decisions that affect their day to day lives.” (EU Council 2004)

Empowerment & Social Inclusion

Personal Empowerment

Attitudes and Motivation

Self-efficacy and Self Confidence

Social Support – community and

family

Social participation: social

network, social capital.

Context and personal relevance –

identity reinforcement

Skills and Knowledge: core skills,

transferable skills and specific

skills

Wellness and personal coping

Social InclusionAccess to essential servicesEducationGood HousingHealth servicesCivic ParticipationEquitySecurity EmploymentIncomeConsumption

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“Enabling people to do what is important to them, to grow as competent subjects who have control over their lives and surroundings” (Makinen, 2006, p.381).

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Social Inclusion PolicyKey priorities in social inclusion policies include health, education, skills, security, housing,

employment, community development, equitable participation, and mobility

Active inclusion polices enrol multiple social inclusion actors or intermediaries to empower individuals and communities by addressing special and complex support needs

• Public sector: health professionals, teachers, social workers, etc working in health, educational, employment and social services;

• Third Sector, social entertprise and community: community workers, carers, family, sports and cultural associations etc

• Employers (e.g. incentives and obligations to recruit and train)

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Examples: Exclusion from the labour market Some people are unattractive to employers (e.g. low or unnneeded

skills), have difficulties with self-employment, or are unable to work due to other responsibilities -=>unemployed, precariously employed

Which can lead to: • Dis-empowerment: loss of self-confidence and efficacy, loss of

social capital, loss of identity as independent citizen.

• Social exclusion low income (in some countries) material poverty, isolation, poor health, low participation in civil society

Often: lowering of housing quality, homelessness, reduced access to health care, education

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People with specific sets of problems School Dropouts and NEETs: disengaged from education, low

attainment, often due to multiple factors related to poverty and deprivation of community and family, but also mental health. Complicated with crime, drug abuse, pregnancy etc. Nothing to offer employers, cannot get into education Young people with ADHD: problems holding down a job.

Young people with autism: problems with integration into workplace.

Older people with chronic illness: unable to manage health (little support), unable to work and lose skills.

Carers struggling to balance care and work: give up workMigrants: lack of local language skills, understanding of culture,

local social capital makes finding a regular job hard.Older women wanting to re-entering the workforce : formal

skills out of date, lack of confidence

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Actions to support inclusion and empowermentNeed to address:

Personal empowerment and participation• Personal motivation, attitudes• Skills (basic, soft, digital and general) and specific knowledge• Particular cognitive or health difficulties• Individual Participation and social capitalSocial context• Family deprivation and lack of support• Community conditions and lack of support• Employers resources and attitudes• Cultural attitudes and practicesServices and Infrastructure• Infrastructures (housing, transport, telecoms)• Quality and quantity of support from Public Services and Third Sector

(health, education, housing etc)What can Digital Games do to support these

processes?

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Actions to support inclusion and empowermentPersonal empowerment and participation• Personal motivation, attitudes• Skills (soft, basic and general) and specific knowledge• Particular cognitive or health difficulty• Individual Participation and social capitalSocial context• Family deprivation and lack of support• Community conditions and lack of support• Employers resources and attitudes• Cultural attitudes and practicesServices and Infrastructure• Infrastructures (housing, transport, telecoms)• Quality and quantity of support from Public Services and Third

Sector (health, education, housing etc)Plenty!

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DefinitionsDigital games: games played using any kind of

digital device but also digital play, simulations and virtual worlds building on game platforms and approaches,

Game-based approaches: ways of using digital games to support instrumental outcomes

1. Commercial entertainment games from leisure market (COTS)

2. Special-purpose games: games not primarily for entertainment but for

other instrumental purposes, e.g. training, learning, raising awareness… Gamification: using game elements (e.g. challenge, competition,

progress) in other activities

3. Game Making: game making by target individuals and groups (media

education, and skills development)Game Based Practices: the way that digital games

approaches are integrated into broader practice and context of social inclusion interventions by social inclusion actors

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Practice: Examples

Based on an Extensive review of games working in practice (examples beyond research)

7 game-focused cases5 initiative or policy focused cases

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DGEI applications domains in E&I (Based on empirical evidence)

1. Skills, Knowledge through learning: disengaged and disadvantaged learners, improve employability and integration into societye.g. job applications, tenancy, computer skills

2. Health & well-being: prevention and treatment of illness, promote healthier livinge.g. healthy eating, brushing teeth, safe sex

3. Civic participation: raise awareness, build communitiese.g. poverty, democracy, cultural understanding 13

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Issue: Youth Homelessness, Housing quality

Inliving Who: Kirklees Neighbourhood

Housing, 2008Aim: Raise awareness of

dangers of independent living among young tenants to support inclusion, to reduce tenancy failure and save money for housing association

Intervention: F2F course on independent living – Including a Free mobile phone game to engage young people and support learning.

Outcomes: successful tenancies have increased by 10%; supports reengagement of NEETs

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Challenge: Support Disadvantaged learners

Gamestar Mechanic

Who: MacArthur Foundation, 2010

Aim: support education through digital literacy to raising educational success

Intervention: Browser-based game-design platform to be used in class or at home.

Community platform, detailed qualitative and quantitative feedback on games by peers

Outcomes: Improves digital and game design literacy

Impact: ??

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Challenge: Raise awareness of poverty and civic engagement among European youth

Poverty is Not a Game (PING)

Who King Baudouin Foundation, 2010

Intermediaries: TeachersAim: sensitise young people to

issues of povertyIntervention: Classroom and home

support to young people using free-to-user online browser role playing game & manual, five languages

Use: 40k online players, 5k downloads

Extended research on impact.

Outcomes: high perceived learning

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Challenge: Suicide risk and poor mental health of young peopleAt-Risk

Who: Mental Health Association of New York City, 2009

Intermediaries: professors, universities

Aim: improve ability of University staff to identify mental distress, prevent suicide,

Intervention: training for University staff (and other educational professionals supported by commercial browser-based role playing training game

Outcomes: Research shows attitudinal and behavioral changes in staff and students

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Challenge: Combat Extreme beliefs and social exclusion

Choices and Voices Intermediaries: Schools,

West Midlands Police Department, 2008

Aims: Enhance understanding among teenagers of various belief systems, social exclusion

Intervention: Computer role-playing game for use in schools

600 schools in Birmingham area adopted, 60k users

Outcomes: high engagement

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Challenge: Improve educational outcomesConsolariumWho: Scottish EducationIntermediaries: Teachers and heads Aim: raise levels of educational outcomes through engaging teaching techniques

Approach: Support teachers and heads to mainstream digital game use in classroom education

Intervention: Programme since 2006 to support teachers and supply COTS games and game equipment in over 170 schools in Scotland, engaging children with products familiar from home environment

Outcomes: e.g. increased scores on maths among primary school children in deprived areas, particular those with low achievement scores

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Challenge: NEETs and deprived communitiesIntermediary: LearnPlay

Intervention 1: enhancing employability training through alternative education approach using game making

Outcomes: 100% retention over 1 year of 175 students, building confidence and motivation,

Intervention 2: Community regeneration though game making (600 people reached)

Intervention 3: Apprenticeships in Game development (200 apprenticeships in game technology firm)

Practice: analysis

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Individual Outcomes of using DGEIs

Personal empowerment – Change behaviour, raise self-esteem, coping

Increase participation, citizenship, community building

Develop knowledge and Core transferable & specialised skills

Increase awareness of social exclusion among general and specific populations 22

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Observations regarding case studies

Broad variety in:• Goals: learning, raising awareness, community

building, empowerment

• Strategies: experiencing, role-playing, training, connecting, competing, creating

• Platforms: web, mobile, offline, 2D, 3D, single-, multi-player

• Project sizes: small local to international multi-stakeholder initiatives

BUTSocially innovative yet often isolated, temporary

initiativesSketchy information, figures regarding effectiveness,

impact

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Strengths and weaknesses of 3 main approachesSpecial-purpose games

+ control: targeted content, learning strategies+ possibility to involve stakeholders in design process- cost- distribution and sustainability

Commercial off-the-shelf games+ high production value at low cost+ less stigmatizing- lack of control in terms of content, learning strategies- stakeholder reserve

Co-creation of games+ creative+ social, participatory- work intensive, less scalable- need for expectation management

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Inclusion Intermediaries play a key roleEducational institutions, community police,

unemployment offices, social housing firms, neighborhood and community centers, poverty organizations,…

Can function as• Initiators of projects• Domain experts, inform projects• Gatekeepers, able to mobilize groups at risk• Implementers: introduce, facilitate & guide use of

DGEIs, incorporating games in their practice

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Theory: Games for learning and participation

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Why do digital games support EI? (1/2)

Using digital games can be…

Engaging, intrinsically motivating learning, participation without external rewards

Experiential, interactive hands-on, user takes perspective, makes decisions

Social competition, cooperation, peer support, online communities

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Why do digital games support EI? (2/2)Using digital games can be…

Creative role-play, co-creation, engagement in game community

Personalized content adapts to level, preferences user

Safe allows to experiment without suffering the consequences due to virtual nature, anonymity 28

Summary: Supporting game-based practice

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Attempt to support with diverse practices

B. Inclusion

Intermediaries

(individuals and

organisations)

AIndividuals, Groups and Communities at risk

Digital Game-based Practices

supporting learning and participation

Goal

Empowerment and social

inclusion outcomes

D Institutions:Régulations, Public Policy

Public service professions etc

Contribute Frameworks and institutional support and leadership or barriers

Contribute to products ,service, expertise, research andpractices

C Digital game

industry, distribution, research and

expertise

Actors in DGEI

Broader SocietySocial

inclusion research

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Production of and market in products and services for DGEI

• ‘Videogame’ industry

• ‘Serious’ game industry

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Video Games Industry and MarketGlobal Video games industry is worth

$56bn/year->85bn (2015) (PWC)• European markets make up 30% of world market• Major players e.g. EA have revenues of over 4bn USD• 5% of Europe Software industry; 20% of UK Interactive Media

industry workforce (depending on classification)• But facing crisis and change, and European industry competing

against heavily supported foreign producers. 21st C. digital game culture familiar to much of

the population• NewZoo 2012 33m active gamers in UK; 21m paying gamers

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s• Valuable market is Younger men• High growth in older players, driven by casual gaming• Casual & mobile 50% growth in EU 2011 (NewZoo)• US data puts female players at 47% of total game players

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Consoles and conventional handhelds100s millions

1. Hardware2. Major publishers3. Many small developers

Linear value chain selling products




Mobile:New Handheld

1.Casual 2.Location-games3.Media integrationetc

Mobile:New Handheld


PC now moving online:1. MMOG – real-time service2. Casual, Browser and Social Network


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Mobile:New Handheld


Mobile:New Handheld




FreemiumApp storesSocial layerIn-game monetisationVirtual goodsDAU/MAUGamificationBadges etc

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Videogame industry relevance to DGEIIn general, Industry and existing professionals not interested

in ‘serious’ uses: Return on investment seen as too low v.v entertainment markets.

DGEI applications not seen important to innovation and growth

Indirect contribution: Audiences, Platforms, Games, delivery systems, genres, and business models.

Direct contribution?1. Some consumer markets: demonstrated by Nintendo

2. SMEs have potential to diversity into less risky business in non-leisure markets

3. Image of industry very important. ‘Serious’ games and DGEI could help can improve this.

Potential contribution: e.g. Enter non-leisure markets building on existing skills and platforms, provide tools and platforms to SG developers, provide and support skills development, leadership, CSR

Challenge: get video game industry (developers, publishers, technology providers etc) engaged

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Non-Leisure market and a ‘Serious Games’ Industry

Does a market and industry even exist?

Constituencies of ideas and action (research, business, conferences, journals etc)

• Digital Game based learning• Meaningful Play• Gamification• Accessible Gaming• Games for Good/Change• “Serious Games”

• Over 10 years of research and business development

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SG Market sectors

Commercial MarketsDefence SectorStrong market (US Dept of Defense $50million 5 year programme of game development for recruit training in 2010 ) Leading edge

Information and communications sector : Advertising. Policy and political communication. Established in the Youth market Youth and business

Corporate Training Sector: 2.2m EUR exergame for Macdonald's employees on Nintendo DS) Gamification mainstreaming

Emerging marketsEducation Sector: Oldest but "low budget, low tech, poor cousins of the computer game industry. “ ENGAGE project.Education policy approach fragmented, but v.big

Health and Wellness Sector:Professional market, Clinical trials, Consumers: Braintraining, Aging

Activism and Games for change:Community building and attitude and behaviour change.

Cultural sectorinc Tourism (cf videogames are culture)

Science: citizen science innovative

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IDATE market estimates

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What could the ‘serious game’ industry and research community do for DGEI?• An ecosystem of supply and support in

associated markets– Products

– Services (training, customisation etc)

– Tools

– Research and Development

• A scientific approach to games that produce instrumental outcomes

• Business Models• Increased pool of skilled professionals

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Important differences SG vv entertainment videogames

Publishing, Distribution and Platforms Privacy, security more important than videogames Distribution often via private or public procurement

processesTechnology

Video games bring new technology platforms to SG Opportunities for new technology implementation in

entertainment games based base don SG research (AI, interfaces etc)

Industry, skills and employment Game designs requires specific skills, not widely available

outside video game industry (in house development) Challenge to involve game designers and business in

‘serious’ application Challenges to train people in game design to apply this in

non-game situations (e.g. gamification)

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Role for Policy in ‘Serious’ Games marketSome domains with potential for impact (positive

demonstrators) are not developing use, and sustainable markets are not appearing

Why?

• Customers in DGEI fields often have few financial resources

• Public customers face multiple barriers to develop use (standards, procurement, support etc)

Public policy can address both these factors

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Challenge:What could DGEI offer mainstream games and ‘serious games’ industry?

i.e. how to get these business interested in DGEI users, for profit, research or CSR

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Summary of Opportunities

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Summary of Opportunities• Capitalise on culture: widespread uptake of digital

games• Exploit Dynamic and innovative videogame sector• DGs have multiple strengths supporting learning

and participation• Positive empowerment and inclusion outcomes

from digital game-based approaches• Digital Game practices empower the gatekeeper

intermediaries• A nascent ‘Serious Games’ sector is growing and

developing knowledge and viability in some markets

• But Evidence for these claims still anecdotal and fragmented. Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness at scale not clear.

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General opportunities for policy

The social cohesion and individual and community empowerment outcomes of the availability and use of through of appropriate digital game-based practices and products;

The contributions from digital gaming to the effective provision of public services meeting public policy goals, such as education, health and social welfare.

Employment and growth derived from attracting, rewarding and sustaining innovation in the digital gaming industry in general, and ‘serious game’ industry in particular.

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Challenges for DGEI innovation and use

Inter-dependent Challenges

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Challenge to Develop production and distribution capacity

Challenge to Develop production and distribution capacity

Barriers to Empowerment of intermediaries

Barriers to Empowerment of intermediaries

Low awareness and Negative Stereotypes

Low awareness and Negative Stereotypes

Low quality and sustainability of DGEI projects

Low quality and sustainability of DGEI projects

Lack of Evaluation and Impact Assessment tools

Lack of Evaluation and Impact Assessment tools

Knowledge and gaps and best practice

Knowledge and gaps and best practice

Lack of skillsLack of skills

Need for joined up action to promote innovation, social learning and sustainability

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Challenges to develop a supply sector

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Challenges to Challenge Example Potential actions

Reshaping the game-play for non-leisure applications

Simplify, using models from casual games designUser-centred design with professionals from application domain.

Supply and integration of skills designers and technology specialists

Build multi-disciplinary teamsTrain games design professions for serious game development

Automating the production processes

Integration and customisation of conventional game design tools

Persuading reluctant users Provide convincing evidence and demonstrationsConvince SME to investInvest in R&DBuild structured local business environments as part of smart specialisation policy

Shaping Procurement Address issues within procurement processes to make serious game adoption easier, and as a tool to support developers

Innovating business models Develop specific business models appropriate for each sector and target users

Structuring serious games industry by target sector

Support evolution towards organisation of firms and expertise that meets the needs of users

Developing for all platforms Do not limit develop to the PC an browser, but build serious games for platforms such as mobile phones, tablets, TV and specialised ehealth systems

Implementing and Exploiting New technologies

Exploit novel technologies being made available on latest gaming platformsDevelop and implement new technologies for specific user needs that are not available on game platforms

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Examples of Potential actions

Domains of practiceSupporting industry

Research

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Potential action areas to realise policy goals 1/3 Actions in domains of practice: Health, defence, education

and training, social inclusion etc

• Promote the development and use of innovative and cost-effective solutions: experimentation (new uses); demonstrators (awareness) and impact analysis (convincing evidence)

• Build distributed expertise: Identify and promote Good Practice, and Knowledge Transfer within domain specific practice networks and between domains (e.g. defence to youth training)

• Develop generalised end-user intermediary awareness and skills

• Develop sustainable practice through structural support to end-user intermediaries: standardisation, procurement, etc

• Legitimise DGEI: Leadership from decision makers and policy

• Address structural and institutional barriers, e.g. procurement52April 12, 2023

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Potential actions to realise policy goals 2/3 Support Industry

Mainstream industry• Support growth and innovation in

mainstream videogame industry in

Europe to ensure overall capacity• Engage mainstream videogame

industry in DGEI agenda

Serious Game Industry• Support an emerging serious

games industry in Europe,• e.g. , by regional industry

specialisation policy or multi-sector

regional centres of excellence

across Europe, focusing on growth

markets and innovation

Supply of Products and services for DGEI

• Support application of

entertainment and SG products

and skills to DGEI application

domains by connecting industry

intermediaries and research

Example actions• Joined up policy on R&D, knowledge

transfer, business support, skill support,

clustering etc

• Development of Skills for industry and

users

• Game Developers as partners in

research, and demonstrators

• Support specific production capacity

related to DGEI user application

domains (tools, skills)

• Procurement of specific products and

services

• Support transfer of novel DGEI based

research outputs (technology etc) to

both mainstream and SG industry

Potential actions to realise policy goals 2/3Research : • Generic ‘Serious Game’ research – a ‘scientific’

approach to game design and application• Targeted studies of impact to raise awareness of potential

impact of DGEI application• Connect game and application domain research• Build and share knowledge about DGEI practice, users

and context including evaluation tools• Studies to indentify existing and emerging good practice• Build stronger links from research to practice and

industry

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Summary• Many opportunities

Multiple uses of games, and very active and innovative environment

Engage and empower intermediaries Opportunities for policy in social inclusion, employment

and growth, and public services

• Many challenges• Low awareness and negative images• Low quality of many products, minimal high quality

evidence, lack of large scale demonstrators• Difficult field of application• Systemic challenges

What actions should stakeholders – industry, practice, policy and research - be taking?

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Considering Opportunities

Can we prioritise those which areas and approaches have most opportunity for impact and widespread use?

Considering challenges?

Challenges to sustainable and innovative useAddress underdeveloped production and distribution Empowerment of intermediariesLow awareness and Negative StereotypesTackle low quality and sustainability of DGEI projectsLack of Impact Assessment toolsKnowledge gaps and opportunitiesLack of skills

Supply industryReshaping the game-play for non-leisure applicationsSupply and integration of skills designers and technology specialistsAutomating the production processesPersuading reluctant usersShaping ProcurementInnovating business modelsStructuring serious games industry by target sectorDeveloping for all platformsImplementing and Exploiting New technologies

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Considering Actions

What actions can be taken, and by whom, and when, to stimulate the effective exploitation and use of digital games to support empowerment and social inclusion?

Any questions?

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What can Digital Games offer to action and policy in the field of social exclusion and empowerment? A use perspective• Tap into game-playing culture (49% at least of 16-24 y/o play

console games, UK 2012)• Game culture elements incorporated into communication

(images, gamification)• Use of commercial of the shelf game products and services• Use of game device platforms (consoles, handhelds)• Use of online game platforms • Creation of specially made games• Use of game technologies, tools and engines to create games,

simulators etc• Use of gameplay element (gamification) • Use of game developers (to produce products and services)• Use of game industry (to promote use of games)• (Videogames are key pathway to eInclusion)

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Current Policy Role

Policy domain Types of actions

Support to the video games industry

Support to industry in the form of tax creditsProgrammes of education and training of professions to work in digital games production.Regional and National policies to provide multi-dimensional structural support to the video game industry.

Research and development

Funding of basic and applied research on digital games and all related technologies.Funding of research on GBL, games for health etcFunding for research on digital game culture

Support for serious and applied games industry and use

Funding of development and innovation of digital games in a range of applied sectorsCommissioning and supporting use of digital games in educationCommissioning of 'serious games' and simulations especially for and by the military.Commissioning of ‘serious games’ for social inclusionPublic procurement of games to stimulate innovation and industry

Regulation Regulation of contentRegulation of consumer markets

Leadership Championing the digital games industryLeading the development and use of digital games approaches in applied domains.

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Selected EU ActivitiesCommission has Over 75 Funded Projects• Lifelong Learning Programme• Framework Programmes

Identification value of games within education Where’s the impact?

Networking GALA (Games and Learning Alliance) NoE supported by Technology

Enhanced Learning Unit, with 31 partners SEGAN (Serious Games Network)

Policy support and systemic adoption IMAGINE (Increasing Mainstreaming of Games In Learning Policies[1]) ENGAGE (European Network for Growing Activity in Game-based

learning in Education project)

Safer Internet programme (DG CNECT) has addressed safety in online games since 2005.

MEDIA programme treats VGs as secondary works, but changing