Bring It OnGame Design as a Mechanic for Assessment

All images used from the public domain

WHO AM I?Caryn Swark

swarkc@holyspirit.ab.ca

www.gamifymyclass.blogspot.com

WHY GAMES?

What makes games good for learning?

http://pixelearning.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/why-are-games-good-for-learning/

Designing Games gives…

1. The Opportunity for Instant Feedback

Designing Games gives…

2. The opportunity to learn from mistakes (failure is not the end)

Designing Games gives…

3. The chance to deeply engage students in learning

Designing Games gives…

4. The ability to create multi-disciplinary learning opportunities

Designing Games gives…

5. Students the ability to work collaboratively on a real life project

TYPES OF GAMESStudents can create a wide variety of games!

Main Types of Games for Student Creation

-Video Games-Board Games-Roleplaying Games-Text Adventure Games

Video Games

-Can be used for a wide variety of subject matters-Without complicated coding, may be difficult to cover difficult concepts-Allow integration of technology outcomes

Gamestar Mechanic

www.gamestarmechanic.comhttp://tinyurl.com/7fqnn4o

Sample Game: Slavery and Child Labour

http://gamestarmechanic.com/game/shared/208067/c649934b5b6274a9b76b6407f9e54cbb

Sploder

www.sploder.com

Kodu Game Labs

www.kodugamelab.comwww.kodugamelab.com/resources/

SAMPLE:

The kind of game you can make using Kodu Game Lab

Board Games

-Can be used for a wide variety of subject matters-Low tech option works for many students and teachers-Sometimes lends itself to overly simplified presentation

Roleplaying Games

-Low tech with good focus on story-Can be complicated, especially if teacher isn’t familiar with them-Good option for students

Happy Birthday, Robot

$9.99 for digital download at http://tinyurl.com/lunpn3r

Text Adventures

-Can be very difficult to create, but fun to play and good offline opportunities-Worth exploring for those interested in coding

Playfic

www.playfic.comwww.playfic.com/games/cooper/tutorial

Create Text Adventures

www.textadventures.co.uk

ASSESSING GAMESHow do I assign grades and marks to a game?

1. Decide (and communicate) in advance what you’re assessing

2. Try to balance assessing the game itself and learning objectives

3. Wherever possible, assess multiple subjects from one game

4. Make sure you’re assessing enough to compensate for the time spent teaching the project

5. Remember that your initial investment will pay off in assessments throughout the year

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS?

swarkc@holyspirit.ab.ca @missrithenay www.gamifymyclass.blogspot.ca