Steven Weitz and Mary Rasley - The Edugaming Framework: Keeping the Quiz out of Educational Games to Create Effective Le

1. The The Edugaming Edugaming Framework Keeping the Quiz Out of Educational Games to Keeping the Quiz Out of Educational Games to Create Effective Learning Environments Create Effective Learning Environments Framework Steven Weitz Steven Weitz & & Mary sweitz@ sweitz@lccc.edu lccc.edu & mrasley@lccc.edu & mrasley@lccc.edu Lehigh Carbon Community College Lehigh Carbon Community College Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Mary Rasley Rasley NSF-ATE Grants 1003154 & 1304216 - Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation

2. Educational games Educational games have a for being for being terrible are are terrible … because … because many many educational games educational games have a reputation reputation terrible… … terrible. .

3. wrong with many educational wrong with many educational games? games? But they But they don’t have to don’t have to be! That question is That question is actually actually 2 questions 2 questions… be! …

4. What’s What’s wrong wrong with many educational with many educational games? games? That question is That question is actually actually 2 questions 2 questions… …

5. 1. 1. Why don’t games cause a Why don’t games cause a deeper understanding deeper understanding? ? 2. 2. Why aren’t educational Why aren’t educational games games engaging engaging? ?

6. They are They are q quizzes pretending to be games pretending to be games uizzes

7. Quizzing Quizzing has a place in the has a place in the classroom classroom. . They are They are q quizzes pretending to be games pretending to be games uizzes

8. Quizzing Quizzing has a place in the has a place in the classroom classroom. . Quizzing significantly Quizzing significantly detracts detracts from from games games. .

9. Quizzing Quizzing has a place in the has a place in the classroom classroom. . Quizzing significantly Quizzing significantly detracts detracts from from games games. .

10. Bloom’s Taxonomy

11. 1. 1. Why don’t games cause a Why don’t games cause a deeper understanding deeper understanding? ? 2. 2. Why aren’t educational Why aren’t educational games games engaging engaging? ?

12. 1. 1. Why don’t games cause a Why don’t games cause a deeper understanding deeper understanding? ?

13. Games Games are for for fact retention fact retention are NOT NOT great great

15. What the What the player does player does is what will be is what will be reinforced reinforced. .

16. All All games “teach” games “teach” something. something. We’re trying to make games We’re trying to make games that that teach something teach something useful. useful.

17. The The educational content educational content needs to be the to be the play needs play. .

18. The The educational content educational content needs to be the to be the play play play needs play. . play play

19. 1. 1. Why don’t games cause a Why don’t games cause a deeper understanding deeper understanding? ? 2. 2. Why aren’t educational Why aren’t educational games games engaging engaging? ?

20. 2. 2. Why aren’t educational Why aren’t educational games games engaging engaging? ?

21. It’s about Choices

25. Two choices… … one right answer

26. “A game is a series of interesting choices.” – Sid Meier

27. “A game is a series of Interesting choices.” – Sid Meier Interesting

28. Quiz Quiz =/= =/= Engaging Game. Engaging Game.

29. =/= =/= Engaging Game. Engaging Game. Quiz Quiz

30. Quiz + Luck Quiz + Luck =/= =/= Engaging Game. Engaging Game.

31. =/= Engaging Game. Engaging Game. Twitch Skill Twitch Skill Luck =/= ? ? Quiz + Quiz + Luck

32. Quiz + Twitch Skill Quiz + Twitch Skill? ?

34. Quiz + Twitch Skill? Quiz + Twitch Skill?

35. Quiz + Twitch Skill? Quiz + Twitch Skill?

36. Quiz + Twitch Skill? Quiz + Twitch Skill? Reinforces Reinforces reflexes reflexes and and fast recall fast recall… … NOT NOT understanding understanding. .

37. ... Educational games that Educational games that aren’t quizzes aren’t quizzes Easier said than done. Easier said than done.

38. The Edugaming Framework

39. 1) Identify the specific concept to reinforce

40. 2) Analysis: Break the concept into its component parts

41. An example: 2 + (- 4) = X 2 is a piece + is a piece (- 4) is a piece X is a piece = is a piece • • • • •

42. 3) Consider the essence of the knowledge those components represent.

43. Back to our example… 2 + (- 4) = X 2 is a starting point + is how to alter that starting point (- 4) is how much to alter it by X is the end result • • • • This is about manipulating numbers

44. 4) The essence becomes the core gameplay using the relationship of the components.

45. Back to our example… 2 + (- 4) = X Components: Numbers, Combinations, Results • Essence: Manipulation • • Core Gameplay: Acquiring and manipulating numbers to reach a goal.

46. 5) Determine what the User Experience (UX) will be.

47. 6) Build the rest of the game around the core gameplay, within the desired experience.

48. 7) Refine the game through iterative playtesting.

49. Always perform a core check: Is the educational content still the core play of the game?

50. Steven Weitz Steven Weitz & & Mary sweitz@ sweitz@lccc.edu lccc.edu & mrasley@lccc.edu & mrasley@lccc.edu Lehigh Carbon Community College Lehigh Carbon Community College Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Mary Rasley Rasley NSF-ATE Grants 1003154 & 1304216 - Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation