Impact of Serious Games on Teacher Training: An Analysis of Competence, Immersion, and Positive Emotions

In recent times, the use of serious games has significantly advanced in science education, with notable contributions in the design and implementation of game mechanics in immersive environments. This research aims to assess the usability and experience of the serious game ABCCI, identifying both the positive and negative effects generated by its interaction from the perspective of pre-service teachers, considering levels of competence, immersion, tension, flow, and challenge. To evaluate usability, the System Usability Scale (SUS) was adapted, and the Game Experience Questionnaire (GEQ) was used to assess the overall experience. The results indicate a moderate positive correlation between the experience and usability of the serious game. Most pre-service teachers expressed positive views about the frequent use of the ABCCI serious game in science education, which successfully created an engaging and positive experience characterized by a sense of competence, immersion, and positive emotions, with an appropriate level of challenge and low levels of negative affect. Further studies are needed to develop a framework for designing games in science education. ABCCI proves to be a promising tool for managing learning.