can we make a test fun? eric church – breakaway games/ university of baltimore...
TRANSCRIPT
Can we make a test fun?
Eric Church – BreakAway Games/ University of Baltimore
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
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?