Development of a second-generation power exchange game by applying design science

Gaming is an approach to increase the attractiveness of engineering education. However, it is emphasized that also the educational games have to be constantly upgraded. This paper focuses on demonstrating the evolution of the power exchange game in electrical engineering at Lappeenranta University of Technology. The approach is based on design science, the primary target being to reflect upon the experiences gathered and lessons learned in the development process. The development of the second-generation game is described and the outcomes evaluated by elaborating on the student and teacher/admin experiences. Evaluation shows that the objectives of the game development were reached, the game is now illustrative and easy to use. It increases understanding of the market environment and supports learning of the related conceptual knowledge. For a teacher, the game is now more flexible, easily adjustable, and monitorable. The admin's workload is also considerably reduced. The changes are likely to expand the lifetime of the game, as adding new features is easier than before.