Enhancing Design Historical Education Through AI Virtual Characters Role-Playing Narratives in Serious Games

Abstract

The potential of serious games to improve students' engagement and knowledge retention in design historical education has gained significant attention in recent years. This study proposes a learning strategy integrating AI virtual characters into a role-playing serious game designed to teach design history. Utilizing the Arts and Crafts Movement as the narrative foundation, the game employs AI-driven characters to provide adaptive guidance, interactive storytelling, and personalized feedback. A quasi-experimental design was adopted with two groups of college students (N = 60): an experimental group using the AI-supported game and a control group playing the same game without AI integration. Results show that the inclusion of AI virtual characters significantly enhances students' engagement and knowledge acquisition compared to the traditional game. These findings highlight the potential of AI-powered serious games to transform historical education by fostering active participation and deep learning.