If games is spelled games, why is it a fourletter word

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If games is spelled g-a-m-e-s,why is it a
four-letter word?

• Michael M. Grant
• Clif Mims
• Workforce E-learning Resource Network
• September 29, 2006

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What are Games? Simulations?

• Games
• Competitive exercises
• Beginning, middle end goal winners rules
• Preset steps, procedures
• Fun, engaging
• Simulations
• Ill-defined problem, decisions determine how the
  simulation evolves, constraints/boundaries
• Take on a role, real life consequences, attempts
  to represent reality
• Many interacting variables, HOTS/Problem solving
• Fidelity

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What are the structures/components of games?
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What are the structures/components of games?

• Competition, conflict, strategy
• 4 Cs Conflict, Control, Closure, Contrivance
  (and Curriculum)
• Rules and winners
• Directions, Procedures
• Reinforcement

• Engagement, fun, entertainment
• Strategy and luck/chance
• Has an end
• Cheating is possible and beneficial
• Goal
• Equipment
• Prior knowledge

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What are the structures/components of simulations?
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What are the structures/components of
simulations?

• Model of real-world situation
• Interacting variables, based on rich database
• Fidelity
• Participants have defined roles
• Ill defined problem or discrepant event

• Evolving situation
• No right or wrong
• Experiential
• May not have a specific end point
• Reinforcement
• Educational or instructional goal/purpose
• Variables increases choice and engagement

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Game Genres

• Edutainment
• FPS
• Action
• Adventure
• Role-Plays and RPGs

• Strategy
• Simulation and Simulation Games
• Microworlds
• Persistent Universes
• MMOG

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Continuum of Development for DGBL
Educational Games (targeted to skills)
Game Engine-based development
COTS
Role Plays
PPT Games
Interactive Multimedia (Flash)
COTS
Inhouse
Outsource
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What are some of the ways you anticipate or have
used games and simulations?
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Assessment in Games
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In Entertainment Games

• Tutorials
• present the player with the basics of how to
  control and interact with the game and then test
  the player on this information with a series of
  levels or missions
• Scoring
• Efforts, performance or decisions are reinforced
  (positive, negative, punishment)
• No score all indicates that the action is
  probably unimportant

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Challenges for DGBL

• Assessment of learning from traditional methods
  may not equal learning from serious games
• Open-ended simulations can support myriad
  possible solutions. Why one is more correct?
• When teaching soft skills such as leadership,
  teamwork management, how do you measure
  learning and/or improvements?
• What is cheating in the context of serious
  games?

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as with All Assessments

• How do you show that the students are learning
  what you claim they are learning?
• How do you know that what you are measuring is
  what you think you are measuring?

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Meeting the Challenges

• Endogenous Assessment
• Completion Assessment
• In-process Assessment

• Exogenous Assessment
• Teacher/Trainer Evaluation
• Transfer
• Constructionist
• Mixed Model Assessment

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Completion Assessment

• Did the student complete the serious game?
• Useful as a first indicator that learner
  sufficiently understands the content.
• Limitations
• Cheating, exploiting flaws
• Unable to determine if student learned content or
  how to beat the game

Endogenous
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In-process Assessment

• Similar to teacher observations
• Makes decision-making transparent
• Emphasizes process with product
• Logging tracking features to instant replay
  performance
• Examples completion time (efficiency), number of
  mistakes number of self-corrections
  (effectivenessself-regulation)

Endogenous
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Trainer Assessment

• Combination of completion assessment in-process
  assessment
• May include debrief or after action review (AAR)
  to deconstruct performance and decision-making
• Games may include tools akin to course management
  systems or LMS (e.g., homework and assignment
  controls, grade tracking, logging/tracking, etc.)
• Requires performance assessments (e.g., rubrics,
  checklists, portfolios) the more data available,
  though, the less subjective

Endogenous
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Transfer

• Follows Kirkpatricks Level 3 evaluation
• Follows the learner back to the actual
  performance environment
• May not always be possible
• Example some simulations are used for unusual or
  uncommon, unsafe experiences
• Limitations
• Cost time

Exogenous
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Constructionist

• Game development as the assessment method
• The only way a designer can make an effective
  game that simulates a particular phenomenon or
  teaches particular information is if the designer
  already understands the content
• Limitations
• Time/cost, approachable tools

Exogenous
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Mixed Model

• Combines endogenous and exogenous assessments
  (e.g., completion, in-process, teacher
  evaluation)
• May include elements of traditional assessments
• May include observer mode for teacher/trainer
  to review performance
• May include debrief or AAR
• Allows the assessment to start pre-game,
  intra-game and post-game

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Questions
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Games from this Summer
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Games from this Summer
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Games from this Summer