can we make a test fun?

Can we make a test fun?

Eric Church – BreakAway Games/ University of Baltimore

eric.d.church@gmail.com

Taking a test

We can do better

Objective: Explore possible solutions to test design using board games

Usable in a class of 20 or more

Provide summative assessment

Playable in ~60 minutes

“The voluntary attempt to overcome unnecessary obstacles” - Bernard Suits

Providing a goal other than "pass the test" may allow assessment with less stress

Obligatory definition of games

Video games and assessment

Video games are constantly testing

Video games produce rich data

And…

Video games are scalable

Video games teach and run themselves

Video games provide constant feedback*

Tuning is hidden

Board games are different

(in some specific ways)

Board games tend to obliterate much of the data in their playing

Board games have flat difficulty - you learn the rules then you play*

Feedback not explicit

The linkages between mechanics and their effects can be obscured

Game mechanics are exposed*

The known success

Charlier, Nathalie. “Game-based Assessment of First Aid and Resuscitation Skills.” Resuscitation 82.4 (2011): 442–6. Web. 18 Apr. 2013.

First Aid and Resuscitation Assessment Game

Key Game Design ConceptA quick lesson

COMBINATORICS

Create a rule, behavior, game element

Create a new rule that modifies the first

Create another rule that changes how modification occurs

Simple interaction that creates complexity

An example: Dominion

The (now) classic deck building game

Draw 5 cardsActionsTreasuresVictory

Play 1 action card

Use treasure cards to buy more cards

Now modify that

An experience

A bit of inspiration

1001 Blank Cards – the gamePlace a “draw” pile of blank cards in the middle of the groupEach player gets $8 worth of chipsEach player gets a hand of 5 blank cards

Add content to 1 card Add rules, art, flavor text, whatever you wantUnderline keywords

On your turnPlay a card (may be the card you created before, or a created drew)

Played cards may be played and discardedPlayed and kept face upPlayed into other player's hands

Any new rule is added to the rules of playWhen you play a card, initial it and number it for the round and order played (e.g. 1-1, 1-2, 1-3)

Others may play an instant in reaction to a card, but there is a 30 second limit on Creating new instants

Draw a blank card

Play moves to the next player in clockwise order (unless someone changes it)

Now – collect the dataAssess the players

Cards that use keywords or suites from previous cards score 1, 2 or 3 points based on "cleverness“

Cards that add to a new rule score 1Cards that utilize one of those rules for a different end score 5 points

Cards that eliminate other rules score -1 point

Cards that remove or invalidate previously played card score -5 pointsUnless the card invalidated was just a pain in the ass then score 0

Add up everyone’s scores

That is your score on the game design – combinatorics test

This game assesses valued knowledge of game design

Effective use of combinatorics distinguishes good design from bad

Evidence Centered DesignPart 1

A framework for building assessments based on evidentiary arguments

Helps build valid assessment

This is going to scratch at the methods

ECD (Evidence Centered Design) is kind of what you do when desiging a game anyhow

ECD Layers

Mislevy, Robert. “P A D I Assessment Design : Layers , Structures , and Terminology PADI | Principled Assessment Designs for Inquiry.” July (2005): n. pag. Print.

Domain Analysis

Domain Modeling [Design Patterns]

Conceptual Assessment Framework [Templates and Task Specifications]

Assessment Implementation Assessment Delivery[Four-Process Delivery System]

Domain Analysis

WorkHow domain works in the real worldTask Features

Representational FormsHow is work represented? Obvious example –

Punnett Square

Performance outcomesHow do you distinguish good work from bad

Valued knowledgeWhat knowledge should be applied to problems?

Domain Modeling (The start of the evidence part)

Toulmin Model of reasoning

Also Wigmore Charts

Domain Modeling (continued)

What evidence is needed to connect actions to knowledge?

What patterns of responses provide clues of deeper understanding?

How can we infer mastery?

Note: There are some design patterns for thishttp://padi.sri.com/publications.html

So, the first step

Identify TasksRepresentational formsKnowledge

Identify evidence that points to mastery

Now the game part

Step 1 – figure out what to steal

How much competition and interaction?

Conflict Co-op

Range of co-operation

Range of InteractionSimultaneous Solitaire

Completion for resources

Race

Direct competition

Themeing

Close mapping Weak mapping“Euro”“Ameritrash”

Abstract

What could work?

Co-op or Competitive?

How much interaction?

How much theme?

Consider an adventure

Quests

Collecting resources

Collecting the marks of success within the world

Design a quest

Identify TasksRepresentational formsKnowledge

Identify evidence that points to mastery

How will peers evaluate success?

Will there be feedback – if so, what?