Educational Games for Soft-Skills Training in Digital Environments

Dr.Elena Dell'Aquila is a clinical psychologist with a specialisation in Organisational Psychology and Human Resource Management & Development.

Her research expertise has a strong focus on psychological modelling of soft skills underling role-playing simulation scenarios and development and design of educational and learning methodologies and tools promoting effective users interaction with new technologies, with a particular interest in serious games- avatar based online role play; E-learning through role-play simulations for enhancing soft skills; design and implementation of interactive E-learning objects and development of storyboards to support users' interaction within the simulation environments. In addition she has expertise in the field of Human Resources Management as assessor and trainer, as she has been responsible for designing and delivering development training and coaching solutions for several organisations and contexts, as well as, identifying,designing and assessing specific interventions to support final users' needs.   

Dr.Davide Marocco is Associate Professor in Psychometric at the University of Naples with a consolidated research expertise in artificial intelligent and cognitive modelling. His current research is targeted on advanced application of cognitive modelling for the definition and development of novel and innovative procedures for psychological measurement.  In 2013 he was awarded an EU KA3 Lifelong Learning Project, ENACT, for the development of an Artificial Intelligent System for teaching Negotiation. Dr Marocco has produced more than 80 scientific international publications and is member of several scientific committees for international conferences and journals, and has been invited internationally for presenting his research.

Dr.Michela Ponticorvo has a degree in Psychology and a Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence. She collaboratedin many European research projects on education technology at both the Natural and Artificial Cognition Laboratory at University of Naples "Federico II" and at the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies (ISTC) of the Italian National Research Council (CNR).  

Her research expertise is mainly focused on psychological modelling using Artificial Life and Evolutionary Robotics techniques in the areas of spatial representations and learner-teacher interaction. Moreover she is interested in design and development of educational scenarios using enhanced materials and its application in formal and informal contexts.  She has authored many scientific international publications, also in collaboration with book co-authors.

Dr Andrea Di Ferdinando is a researcher and entrepreneur. His research activity at the University of Naples "Federico II" concentrates mainly on Artificial Intelligence techniques and methodologies and their applications to several domains such as e-Learning, Videogames, Serious Games, and Intelligent Tutor Systems. As an entrepreneur, he co-founded the company Aidvanced s.r.l., with the aim of creating innovative technology-enhanced solutions, applying the methodologies and techniques developed in his research activity.

Massimiliano Schembri has a degree in Psychology and a technical background in computer science. He has a strong experience and expertise in the design and implementation of educational games and simulations in contexts as various as emergency management and business decision making. In 2012 he co-founded a private company Aidvanced with the aim of developing commercial level applications in the field of technology enhanced learning.

Professor Orazio Miglino, full professor at University of Naples, is also the President of Italian Association of Cognitive Sciences and associate researcher at the Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies of Italian National ResearchCo

The book explores advances in soft-skill training through the adaptation of traditional psycho-pedagogical methodology to digital and online settings. Several educational techniques are explored, such as role-playing, psychodrama and rule and drama-based games. The experiences reported in the book are the synthesis of several European projects, coordinated by the authors, aimed at applying known psycho-pedagogical training models to on-line, technology enhanced learning contexts in a broad range of applications and target groups. The specificity of such a psycho-pedagogical methodology, applied throughout all the discussed EU projects, is mainly represented by the importance of feedback and debriefing processes that can be conveyed to learners through different means, such as online group or individual chat with tutors, automatic reports and a psychologically informed scoring system. Tutors, either real or artificial, are seen as thekey factor facilitating the training process. The ultimate objective of this book is to offer a theoretical framework where real examples, direct experiences and possible indications on how rule and drama-based multiplayer and single player games can support traditional practice for enhancing soft skills to a wide community of trainers, coaches, HR advisors, consultants and psychologists.

Reports on several European projects created by the authors that explore the uses of technology in soft-skill education

Standard practices for soft skills training.- From digital games to new training environments for soft skills training.- A methodology supporting technology enhanced learning for soft skills training.- Multiplayer drama based games.- Single-player drama based games.- Multiplayer rule based games.- Standalone rule based games.- Conclusion and future directions.- Acknowledgments.- Appendix.