long term enjoyment

Just read a paper on "The Effect of Exergaming on Vascular Function in Children*". In this paper, they also assessed level of enjoyment with PACES questionnaire within Hi-intensity and Low-intensity Exergaming. Having relatively same results for both conditions, authors concluded that children enjoyed them the same.
I believe, this sense of achieving and accomplishing is illusory. I believe long term considerations of enjoyment will show different results.


*: Andrew Mills, Michael Rosenberg, Gareth Stratton, Howard H. Carter, Angela L. Spence, Christopher J.A. Pugh, Daniel J. Green, Louise H. Naylor, The Effect of Exergaming on Vascular Function in Children, The Journal of Pediatrics. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022347613003958)

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learning or fitness

I am reading a paper on Active Learning (1). In that study, they are using active pedaling to control a mouse in which eventually helps them learn about nutritional concepts. Challenging tasks results in continued persistence, allows players to use different strategies while having greater interest for performing the given task better (2). However, it’s not clear whether when the tasks are completed successfully, there would be any interests towards continuing them or not. This happens frequently during Exergames as they have lots of repetitive movements. So maybe this is the reason why they are interesting for a short period and after sometimes it gets boring.

(1): Mellecker, R. R., Witherspoon, L., & Watterson, T. (2013). Active Learning: Educational Experiences Enhanced Through Technology-Driven Active Game Play. The Journal of Educational Research, null-null.

(2): Turner, Julianne C. (1995). The influence of classroom contexts on young children's motivation for literacy. Reading Research Quarterly, 30(3), 410.

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not stimulus as they seem

Based on a study by Owens et al. (2011)*, participation is physical activity using active video games, mostly works for children and not for adults. According to their low subject study, levels of physical activity in families owning Nintendo Wii was compared. Children were displaying a significant higher levels of physical activity compared to adults in which was declined from the first 6 weeks of playing with the device to the second week (from 21.5 +/- 9.0 min.d(-1) to 3.9 +/- 4.0 min.d(-1)).
Most measures of health-related fitness in their exploratory study remained unchanged after 3 months of home use of the device. Promoting these devices may not be sufficient stimuli for fitness changes.

*: Owens, Scott G., Garner, John C., III, Loftin, J. Mark, van Blerk, Natalie, & Ermin, Kevser. (2011). CHANGES IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND FITNESS AFTER 3 MONTHS OF HOME WII FIT (TM) USE. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 25(11), 3191-3197. 

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More than a game

"More Than a Game: Friendship Relational Maintenance and Attitudes Toward Xbox LIVE Communication"

An empirical investigation of relational maintenance and closeness between friends who communicate via Microsoft's Xbox LIVE service. 

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Design Ideas

I am reading a very cool qualitative study* on usability of Exergames in people with Multiple Sclerosis. It's amazing. Sometimes, just reading people's comments about Exergames gives you important insights on application of them in certain domains.

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First Person Shooter goes SERIOUS

We know them. They are complaining all the time that you are not getting enough physical activity. They say that you are a lazy couch potato. They encourage you to leave your favorite First Person Shooter (FPS) and participate in Active Video Game (AVG) often tagged as Exergame which look promising but they are not as exciting as Call of Duty. Well, that's about to change...

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Exercise with music

Couple of years ago I was running with a buddy and we noticed that an old guy is running with a mystic traditional Persian music. It was pretty funny because traditional Persian music is usually considered as slow tempo. Besides I believe it's better to drink a cup of Kamar-baarik (type of cup) tea while listening to that kind of music.

Now researchers at Brunel University (Professor Karageorghis is one of my favorite authors interested on music and exercise) documented* the effects of music on physiological parameters while using cycle ergometer. Their study shows that it's better to workout with synchronous music matched with your rhythm (even if it has higher tempo) rather than listening to a music lower than your rhythm. In practice, I tried it and it really helps. It gave me motivation when I imagine myself as part of the music. However, choosing the right music is crucial too. I personally suggest trance genre.

*: Bacon, C. J., Myers, T. I., & Karageorghis, C. I. (2012). Effect of music-movement synchrony on exercise oxygen consumption. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness, 52(4), 359-365.

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