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A Magic Bullet
for
Educational Games
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What am I Playing Now?
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The Problem:• Games are complex
• Assessments designed for commercial games miss the mark
• Assessments designed for ‘traditional’ instruction also misses the mark
• Summative assessment not always an option
• Critical reviews are hard to do (and even harder to find)
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A Solution• Model for evaluating and
assessing games
• Subjective tool
• Learning NEED NOT = education
• Currently developed for single-player games
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CLAIM:
All learning in a game can be classified in one (or more) categories:
1. Things I CAN Learn2. Things I MUST Learn3. Collateral Learning4. External Learning
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The Key
Relative Proportions
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Things I Can Learn
• deliberately designed by those who created the game
• Includes things designers *hope* people will take up
• Includes game-specific objectives as well as general ones
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Things I MUST Learn
• should be a subset of the first category
• Required in order to achieve a specific goal or to win
• Includes strategy
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Collateral Learning
• other things we can learn– these are not necessarily
designed into the game, although sometimes designers may hope that players choose to take these up
• Have NO impact on success in the game
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External Learning
• not technically considered part of the normal gameplay
• CAN impact success in the game• Includes social learning and outside
communities • Also includes Cheats
– typically designed into the game for testing purposes
– often left in the game once it ships– deliberate design elements on the part
of the designers
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Re-cap
• No guarantees
• A useful lens
• Can indicate where we need to make changes / additions / deletions
Some Examples
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The Ed Piece
• When specifically intended for education / learning, we need more.
• Sub-divide into 3 additional classifications......
Defn: Serious GamesGames design for purposes other than pure entertainment.Includes but is not limited to games for learning.
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The Ed Piece• Operational
Game controls & some mechanicsNecessary overhead
• EducationalThis is the critical piece for us.
• ElectiveAnything that doesn’t fit into the other 2 categories (“fluff”)
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The Ed Piece• Operational
– How much is reasonable?
• Educational– How do you plan to use the
game?
• Elective– Can add value– BUT watch out for the
Decorative Media Trap
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It`s all about balance
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A Few Examples
• The following are a few examples that illustrate the basic model.
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A Good Game
• Good balance• Nothing I MUST learn that is
outside of what I CAN learn.• Allows for learning outside of
game and from cheats and community.
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A Good Game
• Things I MUST learn < ½ of what I CAN learn
• External learning not (always) necessary
• Collateral learning possible
Some Examples
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MUST learn = CAN learn
• Nothing to learn that isn’t part of the ‘goal’
• Often edutainment fits in here
• Lack of collateral learning opportunities implies a single-purpose game (or an impoverished one)
• Game on Rails
Some Examples
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MUST learn ≈ CAN learn
• Challenging for some, frustrating
• Often requires players to repeat plays and levels many times
• Game on Rails
Some Examples
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MUST learn ≈ CAN learn
• Puzzles• Mini-games
Some Examples
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MUST learn > CAN learn
• Need outside help / resources to get into the game or progress
• CAN still be good, but this has serious implications for audience and support requirements– Very risky in serious
games
Some Examples
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MUST learn << CAN learn
• Lacks direction• Aimless• Toy, not game• Twitch game
Some Examples
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MUST learn too small
• Not much to hold interest• Can get through game
without learning anything
Some Examples
That is what the game was meant to be. In reality, the game has no gameplay. A lack of AI means that the opposing truck does not even move from its starting location, so there is really no "race" to begin with. Winning is virtually guaranteed. As well, the game lacks collision detecting which means you can go through any objects like houses, boulders, trees, and bridges that you are required to cross. Besides this, the trucks do not have any top speed, which means you are able to accelerate into infinite, even when going backwards. Traveling off of the edge of the map is possible in the game. Despite the fact that the back of the box and advertising said it would have police chases, absolutely no police cars are actually present within the game. Source: http://www.mobygames.com/game/big-rigs-over-the-road-racing
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Little Game
• Short form game
Some Examples
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Drill Game• Short form game
– Bad if not short– Bad if not interesting....
Some Examples
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Short Form Game
• Can be great if carefully designed
• Must be designed as <= 5 minute game.
• Many puzzle games fit here.
Some Examples
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MUST learn includes collateral learning.
• Can make for great game• Tends to worry traditional
educators• Can be very useful in
serious games• Games do not always need
to be self-contained
Some Examples
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MUST learn = 0
• No direction• Even SIMs has some
MUST learn• Game on rails• This is a toy
Some Examples
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No collateral learning.• Imbalance between
CAN & MUST
Some Examples
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Katrin Becker,
PhD
Thanks!