LSRI: Auditory Perceptual learning, educational technologies and game design

Our aim is to investigate how auditory perceptual learning, educational technologies and game design can be further combined into an approach of training that is suitable for use by individuals outside the laboratory, e.g. on home computers or mobile devices. 

The context of the work is auditory discrimination therapy for tinnitus (ADT). I will illustrate some of design issues that were identified through the prototyping of two game-based learning environments: the auditory submarine and the auditory treasure hunter. The games illustrate two different alternative paradigms for ADT, in an attempt to integrate both game design and auditory training principles.

I will show the importance of the tight integration between the learning material and the gameplay, and therefore the need for an inter-disciplinary approach to auditory training.  As an outcome of the design-based research process, I will try and generalize from our experience, proposing some provisionary principles and guidelines to drive the conception of the next generation of game-based auditory training.