Gamificaction Galactic Journey

Brasília, October 2024

The Galactic Journey gamification, developed as part of the Canal Ciência Project , is a collaboration between the Center for Studies, Development, and Innovation in Software (CEDIS) and the Brazilian Institute of Information in Science and Technology (IBICT), funded by the Research Support Foundation of the Federal District (FAP-DF). The project is coordinated at CEDIS by Professors Sergio Freitas and Cristiane Soares , with Leda Sampson leading the coordination at IBICT.

Galactic Journey is an innovative platform that uses gamification to transform scientific learning into an interactive and engaging experience. Through a space exploration theme, users embark on educational missions, solving challenges that stimulate curiosity and deepen scientific understanding. This gamification is built on the Octalysis framework, which maps core behavioral motivators, ensuring that the dynamics are tailored to users’ motivational profiles.

A key innovation of Galactic Journey is its ability to personalize the experience for different motivational profiles. These profiles were identified through a process integrating assessments by judges, game dynamics, and motivation questionnaires such as the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI). This approach allows the gamification to meet the diverse needs and interests of a varied target audience, including students from different age groups. By using techniques like level progression, continuous feedback, and personalized rewards, the platform significantly enhances engagement and retention of scientific content.

The development team included students Mylena Faria, Marcus Martins, and Windemberg Sales, who played a key role in bringing the gamification to life. The project has also gained academic recognition, with two international papers accepted on its design and development, one of which was awarded Best Paper at a major conference, underscoring the innovation and impact of the platform.

The Galactic Journey gamification is now available to the public and can be accessed on the Canal Ciência website at Galactic Journey.