Florida International University FIU Digital Commons FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations University Graduate School 6-28-2016 Training Through Serious Games: The Relationship Between Travel Agent Engagement, Knowledge of Cruise Products and Cruise Sales Lizette Cruzie Pabon Florida International University, [email protected] DOI: 10.25148/etd.FIDC000713 Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd Part of the Adult and Continuing Education and Teaching Commons, and the Curriculum and Instruction Commons Recommended Citation Pabon, Lizette Cruzie, "Training Through Serious Games: The Relationship Between Travel Agent Engagement, Knowledge of Cruise Products and Cruise Sales" (2016). FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2612. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/2612 This work is brought to you for free and open access by the University Graduate School at FIU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of FIU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY Miami, Florida TRAINING THROUGH SERIOUS GAMES: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAVEL AGENT ENGAGEMENT, KNOWLEDGE OF CRUISE PRODUCTS AND CRUISE SALES A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF EDUCATION in CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION by Lizette C. Pabón 2016 To: Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts, Sciences and Education This dissertation, written by Lizette C. Pabón, and entitled Training Through Serious Games: The Relationship Between Travel Agent Engagement, Knowledge of Cruise Products and Cruise Sales, having been approved in respect to style and intellectual content, is referred to you for judgment. We have read this dissertation and recommend that it be approved. _______________________________________ Hyejin Bang _______________________________________ Kyle Perkins _______________________________________ Sarah A. Mathews _______________________________________ Thomas G. Reio Jr., Major Professor Date of Defense: June 28, 2016 The dissertation of Lizette C. Pabón is approved. _______________________________________ Dean Michael R. Heithaus College of Arts, Sciences and Education _______________________________________ Andrés G. Gil Vice President for Research and Economic Development and Dean of the University Graduate School Florida International University, 2016 ii © Copyright 2016 by Lizette C. Pabón All rights reserved. iii DEDICATION I dedicate this dissertation to my parents, my fiancé, my in-laws and my family. Without their patience, understanding, support, and most of all love, the completion of this work would not have been possible. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to thank the members of my committee for their support, and patience. I would also like to thank Lee Clark and Barbara Sealund for their guidance in the area of gamification and instructional design in the business setting. v ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION TRAINING THROUGH SERIOUS GAMES: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAVEL AGENT ENGAGEMENT, KNOWLEDGE OF CRUISE PRODUCTS AND CRUISE SALES by Lizette C. Pabón Florida International University, 2016 Miami, Florida Professor Thomas G. Reio Jr., Major Professor Research is limited on the role game-based training has on the engagement of learners. The following study was conducted to further advance research on engagement and game-based training in businesses by studying the engagement of travel agents in the game. Engagement is the manner in which a learner's cognitive and motor skills are motivated when participating in a game. Engaged learners will often push through challenging tasks and will concentrate on improving their skills due to their excitement about playing. The present study examined the engagement of travel agents as they played a serious game. The serious game, Adventures Game, was designed to provide a fun and memorable format for learning for travel agents who sell cruise tickets for a cruise line. The focus of this study was to examine the relationship between engagement (as measured by total number of minutes playing the game) and knowledge attainment (as measured by total number of fun points) of travel agents while playing a serious game. vi In addition, to understand the relationship between engagement and total cruise sales (as measured by total number of cabins sold). Thus, this nonexperimental study investigated the relationship between engagement and knowledge attainment. A combination of linear regression analyses and correlations were used to examine this relationship. The sample consisted of travel agents (N = 309) who played the serious game. The study focused on data which ranged from January 1, 2012 until December 31, 2014. The regression results supported both hypotheses proposed in this study. A strong, positive and statistically significant relationship between engagement and knowledge attainment was found. In addition, a modest, positive and statistically significant relationship between engagement and total cabin sales was found. Based on these results, further analysis was conducted, leading to finding a statistically significant relationship between knowledge attainment and total cabin sales as well. Future research should be designed to test whether the modest link between engagement and total cabin sales is mediated by knowledge attainment. The implications of the findings demonstrate theoretical, empirical and practical relevance, particularly as it is linked to adults learning optimally in computer-mediated, workplace settings. vii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 1 Background of the Problem ....................................................................................... 1 Why Was This Study Conducted? ............................................................................. 6 Why Was This Study Conducted at a Cruise Line? ................................................... 7 Learning Management System .................................................................................. 9 Overview of the Training Program .......................................................................... 10 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................ 12 Significance of the Study ......................................................................................... 12 Research Questions and Hypotheses ....................................................................... 12 Definition of Terms.................................................................................................. 14 Assumption of the Study .......................................................................................... 17 Delimitations of this Study ...................................................................................... 17 II. LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................................. 19 Evolution of Video Games....................................................................................... 19 Demographics of Gamers ........................................................................................ 24 Definition of Gaming ............................................................................................... 26 Overview of Serious Games .................................................................................... 29 What is a Serious Game? ......................................................................................... 29 Application of Serious Games for Education and Training ..................................... 34 Game-based Training Versus Face-to-Face Training .............................................. 42 Theoretical Framework for Gaming ........................................................................ 43 Activity Theory ........................................................................................................ 43 Motivation ................................................................................................................ 46 Curiosity ................................................................................................................... 53 Challenge ................................................................................................................. 55 Fantasy ..................................................................................................................... 56 Engagement.............................................................................................................. 58 Development and Application of a Serious Game ................................................... 59 Summary .................................................................................................................. 80 III. METHODS ................................................................................................................. 81 Research Questions and Hypotheses ....................................................................... 81 Background for the Study ........................................................................................ 82 Population and Sample ............................................................................................ 85 Methodological Rationale .......................................................................................