This is a personal site about my professional research work in Information Trails: a framework for performance assessment within Multi-User Virtual Environments (M.U.V.E.) (including digital games, virtual worlds and online learning). My purpose for this site is to record my research work, thinking process, and other peripheral interests related to doing research with MUVEs and serious games.

For assessment, I have considered the process from the perspectives of an educator and a researcher.  The result of my contemplation gave birth to the conceptual framework for “learning/performance assessment” using video games. The conceptual framework was first published as a book chapter (think of it as a position paper) in the book edited by David Gibson. The framework was granted a provisional patent in July 2007. Thus far, I have found Neverwinter Nights to be the only suitable modding platform.

The following is a list of my publications by categories, instead of the usual format in chronological order.

Video Games & Education

• Loh, C. S. (2009). Researching and Developing Serious Games as Interactive Learning Instructions. International Journal of Gaming and Computer Mediated Simulations. 1(4): 1-19.
• Kaplan-Rakowski, R. and Loh, C.S. (in press). Modding and Rezzing in Games and Virtual Environments for Education. In Y.K. Baek (Ed.), Gaming for Classroom-Based Learning: Digital Role Playing as a Motivator of Study. Hershey, PA: IGI-Global.
• Botturi, L. and Loh, C. S. (2009). Once Upon a Game: Rediscovering the Roots of Games in Education. In C. Miller (Ed.), Games: Their Purpose and Potential in Education. (pp. 1-22). New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. [Chapter 1]
• Loh, C. S. (2009). Confronting the Dark Side of Video Games. In C. Miller (Ed.), Games: Their Purpose and Potential in Education. (pp. 185-218). New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. [Chapter 8]
• Miller, C. T., Loh, C. S., Becker, K., Botturi, L., Barbour, M., Nettleton, K. F., et al. (2008). Blogging the Future from Multiple Perspectives: Current Problems and Future Potentials for Educational Games. In C. T. Miller (Ed.), Games: Purpose and Potential in Education. (pp. 219-250). New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media, LLC. [Chapter 9 ]

Information Trails: Assessment with Video Games

• Loh, C. S. and Byun, J. H. (2009). Modding Neverwinter Nights into Serious Games. In D. Gibson, and Baek, Y. K. (Eds.), Digital Simulations for Improving Education: Learning Through Artificial Teaching Environments. (pp. 408-426). Hershey, PA: Idea Group, Inc. [Chapter 22] [PDF]
• Loh, C. S. (2008). Designing Online Games Assessment as “Information Trails.” In V. Sugumaran (Ed.), Intelligent Information Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications, Vol. I (pp. 553-574). Hershey, PA: Idea Group, Inc. [PDF]²
• Loh, C. S., Anantachai, A., Byun, J., & Lenox, J. (July 2007). Assessing what players learned in serious games: in situ data collection, information trails, and quantitative analysis. In Q. Mehdi (Ed.), Computer Games: AI, Animation, Mobile, Educational & Serious Games (CGAMES 2007). Wolverhampton, UK: University of Wolverhampton. [PDF]
• Loh, C. S. (Jan 2007). Designing Online Games Assessment as “Information Trails.” In D. Gibson, C. Aldrich & M. Prensky (Eds.), Games and Simulation in Online Learning: Research and Development Frameworks (pp. 323-348). Hershey, PA: Idea Group, Inc. [PDF]¹

Web-Based Instruction / E-Learning

• Loh, C. S. and Schrader, P. G. (December, 2007). A Handbook of E-Learning: Two Reviewers Comment. Educational Researcher. 36(9): 573-578. [PDF]
• Loh, C. S., Branch, R. M., Shewanown, S., & Ali, R. (2003). The effect of text spacing after the period on time for on-screen reading tasks. In R. E. Griffin (Ed.), The 2002 International Visual Literacy Association Selected Readings. [PDF]
• Loh, C. S., & Williams, M. D. (Spring 2002). “What’s in a Web site?” - Students’ perception. Journal of Research on Technology in Education. 34 (3): 351-363.
• Loh, C. S. (Nov/Dec 2001). Learning tools for knowledge nomads: Using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in Web-based learning environment. Educational Technology. 41(6): 5-14.
• Wong, P. and Loh, C. S. (2000). Evaluating computer-based educational resources. In M. D. Williams (Ed.), Integrating Technology Into Teaching And Learning. (pp. 93-117). Pearson Education Asia Pte. Ltd., Singapore.
• Loh, C. S. (1999). Children’s perceptions of motivational design elements in educational Web sites. Unpublished M. Ed. thesis: National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Music Education: Aural Skill Development + E-Learning

• Loh, C. S. (2007). Choice and Effects of Instrument Sound in Aural Training. Music Education Research, 9 (1), 129-143.
• Loh, C. S. (2004). The effects of pitch discrimination training on achievement in melodic interval discrimination. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation: The University of Georgia, Athens, GA.

¹ Copyright Notice: This chapter appears in “Games and Simulation in Online Learning: Research and Development Frameworks” edited by D. Gibson, C. Aldrich & M. Prensky. Copyright 2007, IGI Global, www.igi-pub.com. Posted by permission of the publisher.

² Copyright Notice: This chapter appears in “Intelligent Information Technologies: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications” (Vol. I)  edited by V. Sugumaran. Copyright 2008, IGI Global, www.igi-pub.com. Posted by permission of the publisher.