THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA®
myBama
AI-enhanced Educational Game Design
Sources · 30 references

Thirty sources
under every claim.

Every design heuristic in this handbook is traceable to a source. The list below grounds Parts 1–2 (foundations + design toolkits) and the case material in Part 3. Where the handbook says “research-informed,” this page is what's behind it.

Principle → citation

Where each claim lands.

The handbook is built outward from a small set of stable findings. This is the traceability table — every design instrument in Part 2 and every required deliverable in Part 3 maps back to one or more of these sources.

Claim in this handbookPrimary source(s)
Teacher facilitation and curriculum context can moderate whether GBL is usable and connected to classroom outcomes. Jong, Dong, & Luk (2017); Nousiainen et al. (2018); Sharma et al. (2024)
Frameworks commonly recommend mapping learning objectives to game mechanics; the mapping is a design aid, not a validated predictor by itself. Plass, Homer, & Kinzer (2015); Annetta (2010); Arnab et al. (2015)
Gamification effects vary by design and context; pooled effects should not be treated as a guarantee for a particular implementation. Sailer & Homner (2020)
Meta-analyses report positive pooled effects for critical-thinking or computational-thinking outcomes in particular study sets; moderators, heterogeneity, and transfer limits matter. Mao, Cui, Chiu, & Lei (2022); Lu, Chiu, Cui, Mao, & Lei (2023)
Playtest with target learners — not proxies — is a recurring stakeholder-design recommendation. Bunt, Greeff, & Taylor (2024); Silva (2020)
Cognitive load theory's intrinsic / extraneous / germane distinction guides screen-element pruning. Sweller, van Merriënboer, & Paas (2019)
Backward-design discipline — outcomes → evidence → mechanics — for the D2 crosswalk. Wiggins & McTighe (2005)
Micro-credential workload + quality-assurance bands. Council of the EU (2022); MicroHE (2020); MICROBOL (2022); NZQA (2026); ENQA (2023); OECD (2021, 2023); Varadarajan, Koh, & Daniel (2023); Ahsan et al. (2023)
Three.js implementation primitives (D5 bridge module). three.js manual + docs (2026)
Bibliography · APA 7

Research sources and normative standards.

Standards used for claims and implementation. The research bibliography below is supplemented by these current primary sources. Version labels on the site should be read as targets or implementation formats, not as proof of conformance or interoperability.

  1. Ahsan, K., Akbar, S., Kam, B., & Abdulrahman, M. D.-A. (2023). Implementation of micro-credentials in higher education: A systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies, 28(10), 13505–13540. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11739-z
  2. Alaswad, Z., & Nadolny, L. (2015). Designing for game-based learning: The effective integration of technology to support learning. Journal of Educational Technology Systems, 43(4), 389–402. https://doi.org/10.1177/0047239515588164
  3. Annetta, L. A. (2010). The "I's" have it: A framework for serious educational game design. Review of General Psychology, 14(2), 105–112. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018985
  4. Arnab, S., Lim, T., Carvalho, M. B., Bellotti, F., de Freitas, S., Louchart, S., Suttie, N., Berta, R., & De Gloria, A. (2015). Mapping learning and game mechanics for serious games analysis. British Journal of Educational Technology, 46(2), 391–411. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12113
  5. Bunt, L., Greeff, J., & Taylor, E. (2024). Enhancing serious game design: Expert-reviewed, stakeholder-centered framework. JMIR Serious Games, 12, e48099. https://doi.org/10.2196/48099
  6. Council of the European Union. (2022). Council Recommendation of 16 June 2022 on a European approach to micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability (2022/C 243/02). Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.C_.2022.243.01.0010.01.ENG
  7. European Education Area. (2026). A European approach to micro-credentials. https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/micro-credentials
  8. European Education Area. (2026). European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS). https://education.ec.europa.eu/education-levels/higher-education/inclusive-and-connected-higher-education/european-credit-transfer-and-accumulation-system
  9. European Network for Quality Assurance in Higher Education (ENQA). (2023). Quality assurance of micro-credentials. ENQA. https://www.enqa.eu/wp-content/uploads/ENQA-micro-credentials-report.pdf
  10. Jong, M. S. Y., Dong, A., & Luk, E. (2017). Design-based research on teacher facilitation practices for serious gaming in formal schooling. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 12, Article 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41039-017-0056-6
  11. Lu, Z., Chiu, M. M., Cui, Y., Mao, W., & Lei, H. (2023). Effects of game-based learning on students' computational thinking: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 61(1), 235–256. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331221100740
  12. Mao, W., Cui, Y., Chiu, M. M., & Lei, H. (2022). Effects of game-based learning on students' critical thinking: A meta-analysis. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 59(8), 1682–1708. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331211007098
  13. MICROBOL. (2022). Micro-credentials linked to the Bologna Key Commitments: Common framework. Bologna Follow-Up Group. https://microbol.microcredentials.eu/
  14. MicroHE Consortium. (2020). The Micro-Credential Users' Guide. MicroHE. https://microcredentials.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/05/D3_3_MicroHE-Users-Guide.pdf
  15. New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (2026). Micro-credential listing, approval, and accreditation. https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/tertiary/approval-accreditation-and-registration/micro-credentials/
  16. New Zealand Qualifications Authority. (2026). Micro-credential Approval and Accreditation Rules 2026. https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/rules-fees-policies/nzqa-rules/micro-credential-approval-and-accreditation-rules/
  17. Nousiainen, T., Kangas, M., Rikala, J., & Vesisenaho, M. (2018). Teacher competencies in game-based pedagogy. Teaching and Teacher Education, 74, 85–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2018.04.012
  18. OECD. (2021). Micro-credential innovations in higher education: Who, what and why? OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/f14ef041-en
  19. OECD. (2023). Micro-credentials for lifelong learning and employability: Uses and possibilities. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9c4b7b68-en
  20. Perkins, M., Furze, L., Roe, J., & MacVaugh, J. (2024). The Artificial Intelligence Assessment Scale (AIAS): A framework for ethical integration of generative AI in educational assessment. Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, 21(6). https://doi.org/10.53761/q3azde36
  21. Plass, J. L., Homer, B. D., & Kinzer, C. K. (2015). Foundations of game-based learning. Educational Psychologist, 50(4), 258–283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2015.1122533
  22. Sailer, M., & Homner, L. (2020). The gamification of learning: A meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 77–112. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09498-w
  23. Sharma, R., Tan, C., Gomez, D., Xu, C., & Dubé, A. K. (2024). Guiding teachers' game-based learning. Teaching and Teacher Education, 155, 104915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2024.104915
  24. Silva, F. G. M. (2020). Practical methodology for the design of educational serious games. Information, 11(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.3390/info11010014
  25. Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31, 261–292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-019-09465-5
  26. Varadarajan, S., Koh, J. H. L., & Daniel, B. K. (2023). A systematic review of the opportunities and challenges of micro-credentials for multiple stakeholders. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 20, Article 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-023-00381-x
  27. three.js manual. (2026). Creating a scene. https://threejs.org/manual/en/creating-a-scene.html
  28. three.js manual. (2026). Picking. https://threejs.org/manual/en/picking.html
  29. three.js documentation. (2026). Raycaster. https://threejs.org/docs/?q=Raycaster#api/en/core/Raycaster
  30. Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005). Understanding by Design (2nd ed.). ASCD.