Transformative Game Design in Analogue Role-Playing via Microlearning : A Study of Player Experience in the Just B<3 Nanogame

Sammanfattning

This thesis investigates how analogue role-playing nanogames can support transformative learning within time-constrained microlearning contexts. Addressing a gap in research on analogue role-playing microlearning, it examines how Transformative Game Design principles, specifically magic circle, alibi, immersion and bleed, shape the design and player experience of short-form transformative learning. The study also explores how these principles can be synthesised into a concise design framework and how perceived transformation may be quantitatively assessed through exploratory Likert-scale instruments. An exploratory mixed-methods proof-of-concept case study was conducted using an adapted version of the Just B<3: Brilliant, Beautiful, Brave nanogame. Four professionals in educational innovation participated in four facilitated 10-15-minute microlearning sessions, each structured around a single learning theme: social emotional learning, assertive communication, non-violent and positive communication. Data were collected through free-form observation, structured debrief discussions, interviews and phase-specific Likert-scale instruments, then analysed descriptively to identify experiential patterns. While findings are not statistically generalisable due to the small sample size, the study offers an innovative exploratory contribution to understanding the experiential and measurable dimensions of transformative role-playing in constrained microlearning environments, particularly the relationship between immersion, cognitive load and instructional design.