Utilizing up-to-date 3D computer games for educational purposes is a dawning technology but still in its fledgling stage. The major goal of 80Days from the perspective of cognitive psychology is to forward adaptive educational theory and technology and to make it part of future educational games. In concrete terms, 80Days will extend existing theoretical approaches to an individually tailored sequencing and presentation of learning material (i.e., macro-adaptivity) by combining it with theories of adaptive storytelling. Such merged theoretical background will enable accounting for the learner’s individual needs and preferences in a complex narrative learning environment such as computer games. In addition, 80Days will forward approaches to interpreting learners’ behavior within the game in order to provide a mature theoretical background for non-invasive assessment and educational interventions (i.e., micro-adaptivity).

In the context of 80Days, adaptivity refers to the aim of enabling the system (i.e., the game demonstrators) to adapt itself automatically to individual needs and preferences, considering the system’s educational goals and an a priori defined target audience. In addition, personalization refers to the aim of enabling adaptability in terms of pedagogical and didactic aims and in terms of self-regulated learning.