ELEGANCE: A customizable EducationaL gamE for foreiGn guArdians to understand japaNese sChool culturE

Aiming to address challenges faced by foreign guardians in Japan regarding language barriers and unfamiliarity with local educational practices, this study designed and developed an educational game, named ELEGANCE. The game features two customised, user-friendly learning modes: Exploring Mode, which provides guardians with detailed information about Japanese school activities and highlights essential information through multisensory interactions, and Quiz Mode, which enables guardians to access their understanding of the explored school culture content. A pilot study involving 16 foreign guardians demonstrated the game’s effectiveness, with a significant improvement in comprehension scores in the post-test, compared to the pre-test. Participants reported a low mental load and positively rated the game's immediate feedback and detailed explanation functions, indicating a well-balanced integration of educational content and gameplay. These findings highlight the potential of educational games like ELEGANCE in facilitating multicultural education, especially in effectively enhancing guardians' understanding of school-related cultural practices and knowledge.