Using Adventure Game to Facilitate Learning Assessment Process

Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 1992

This paper details an investigation into the educational applicability of adventure games. Adventure games are defined and their characteristics analysed. Those making claims about the educational viability of adventure games are identified and the claims are discussed. The current status of adventure games in the classroom, and the need for further research into their educational viability and research possibilities are discussed. What is an adventure game? Almost every author has differing perceptions of adventure games: Computerised adventure games create a fantasy world in the real classroom. They provide a problem solving environment. (Board of Studies, 1991, p. 206) An adventure game is a type of package where ... [a] group of children have a problem to solve which usually involves an element of fantasy. (Dyson et al, 1988, p. 15) Adventure Game refers to a computerized, branching series of textual segments that take the player through some kind of adventure. (LaReau and Vockell, 1989, p.22) ... the game consists of a logically connected network of locations which must be explored and travelled through. (Angle Park Computing Centre, p. 2) Computers and adventure games together have generated a rich, creative and imaginary world; one that is difficult to provide in any other way; a world in which the players can manipulate, make decisions, discuss and simulate. (Sherwood, 1988, p. 48

2012

Assessment-based educational games can produce useful information to guide student instruction. This paper describes an approach for integrating components of video games with those of adaptive technologies and assessment into the design of educational games. Three examples in the areas of English language learning and mathematics are also presented.

2006

INFuture2017: Integrating ICT in Society, 2017

Rising popularity of games and increased use of technology in schools have made game-based learning more popular in education. In this paper the advantages of game-based learning are analyzed and some research results on the effect of game-based learning are given. A pilot research on the use of educational games for motivating students was conducted on high school students and results are given. The paper also presents the author's websites which contain many custom educational games such as Tic-tac-toe, Snake, Tetris, Memory, Hangman, etc. These games were created free of charge and without any copyright restrictions using certain web services and available game codes from different websites. A number of crated games are played like traditional games they are based on but have educational content integrated into game mechanics , such as a question for every turn in the game. A number of games were created as a fun way to help students learn languages (Croatian, German, Latin) as well as the basic facts of Computer Science (recognizing parts of a computer). There are also archival games which were created in a similar way as museum games to promote archives and archivist's activities where a player can match pictures of archives to get basic information about them or solve puzzles containing the pictures of archival holdings.

Technology-Based Assessments for …, 2011

This paper describes the characteristics of games and how they can be applied to the design of innovative assessment tasks for formative and summative purposes. Examples of current educational games and game-like assessment tasks in mathematics, science, and English language learning are used to illustrate some of these concepts. We argue that the inclusion of some aspects from gaming technology may have a positive effect in the development of innovative assessment systems (e.g., by supporting the development of highly engaging assessment tasks). However, integrating game elements as part of assessment tasks is a complex process that needs to take into account not only the engaging or motivational aspects of the activity but also the quality criteria that are needed according to the type of assessment that is being developed. 1992). We argue that to achieve these particular goals, several conditions need to exist: (a) students need to be motivated to learn, (b) students need to be provided with appropriate learning opportunities, and (c) an assessment system that provides educational stakeholders with information needed to keep the education system functioning appropriately should be in place. This assessment system should be

2016

The use of games in education necessitates investigations on how to successfully transpose learning objectives and evaluation metrics into game settings, how to effectively assess player performance in the game, and also on how to overcome technical issues associated with the integration of Digital Educational Games (DEG) and Learning Management Systems (LMS). According to Bloom's taxonomy, revised by Anderson in 2001, which is used to develop learning objectives, there are six categories in the cognitive process dimension that should be considered: remember, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate and create. Marzano and Kendall have proposed a new taxonomy (Fig. 1) that integrates three domains of knowledge-information, mental procedures, and psychomotor proceduresand six level of processing: retrieval, comprehension, analysis, knowledge utilization, metacognitive system, self-system. To construct DEGs that assess player's performance in connection with these categories constitute a challenge. Digital games are in essence complex artefacts, whose design and development require extensive efforts both from pedagogical and technical points of view. While methods common to an assessment content are core to many DEGs (rewards, levels, leader boards), creating game assessment mechanisms that are motivating and even disruptive from traditional evaluation methods, and yet can be integrated into formal evaluation processes is still subject to research. This paper examines the design and development of assessment mechanisms for a language learning game, with the purpose of identifying how various assessment mechanisms can be applied in game contexts. The authors also discuss technical issues associated with interconnecting games and LMSs, exploring the possibility to automatically upload assessment criteria into the game and integrate game assessment reports into the LMS. This approach targets to implement a new level of flexibility in game development processes, enabling tutors to customize the assessment mechanisms within the game.

IEEE EDUCON 2010 Conference, 2010

Within the last years educational games have attracted some attention from the academic community. Multiple enhancements of the learning experience are usually attributed to educational games, although the most cited is their potential to improve students' motivation. In spite of these expected advantages, how to introduce video games in the learning process is an issue that is not completely clear yet, which reduces the potential impact of educational video games. Our goal at the <e-UCM> research group is to identify the barriers that are limiting the integration of games in the learning process and propose approaches to tackle them. The result of this work is the <e-Adventure> platform, an educational game authoring tool that aims to make of video games just another educational tool at the disposal of the instructors. In this paper we describe how <e-Adventure> contributes to the integration of games in the learning process through three main focuses: reduction of the high development costs of educational games, involvement of instructors in the development process to enhance the educational value, and the production of the games using a whitebox model. In addition we describe the current research that we are conducting using the platform as a test-bed.

Journal of Software, 2009

With advanced computer and network technologies of nowadays, learners could benefit from well-developed distance learning systems for obtaining vast learning content, as well as performing learning exercises at anytime anywhere. However, to attract learners and to keep them active would be difficult in those content-based learning systems. One possible solution is to include some motivator factors in the online learning activities. Gaming could be considered as sort of learning. It also features in attraction and motivation. Thus, more and more researches are interested in developing game-oriented learning models and related game-based learning systems to attract learners during such learning activities. In this paper, we would like to combine the video-based course materials and game elements with an integrated learning platform called "V-GBL" environment. Course designers could easily design GBL courses and learners could enjoy their learning activities in the serious adventure game world.

2006

The generalization of game-based Learning Objects as serious learning material requires their integration into pre-existing e-learning infrastructure (systems and courses) and the inclusion of gameplay-aware assessment procedures. In this paper, we propose an approach to the production and development of educational graphic adventure videogames that can be deployed as normal Learning Objects in a Learning Management System. The deployment is carried out using a game engine that includes a built-in assessment mechanism that can trace and report the activities of the learner while playing the game.

British Journal of …, 2002

During the past four years Alan Amory, a lecturer in Biology, has investigated the use of multimedia as a teaching resource and converted his courses from old-style lectures and practicals to constructivist-like classrooms. He also enjoys the thrill of creating software. Kevin Naicker, an Honours student at the time of this research, is interested in the use of computer technologies, especially the World Wide Web, in education. Jacky Vincent, our graphic artist, with her abounding enthusiasm and experience, enjoys designing unique virtual worlds and developing game scenarios. Claudia Adams, a zoologist and librarian, helped in the finding and organisation of the content and enjoys the creative side of plot development.

Educational Technology Research and Development, 2014

Assessment is the action through which a number of elements of knowledge of the students are compared to curricula standards. In the means used, it can remember knowledge tests performed in accordance with the cybernetic-scheme of learning process: INPUT-budget, the material bases, characteristics of students / teachers, social context, energy; PROCESS (all processes) - methodology, teachers' style, educational strategies, activities that influences the students; OUTPUT - students, acquisitions and operational information, skills acquired (knowledge, skills, aptitudes), energy consumption, teaching staff/ non-teaching staff with experience enriched but elderly, dynamic society. Assessment can be achieved through assessment tests: initial, continuously or final. To remove some subjective evaluation errors, loaded by the human factor, the present paper presents an online platform "Quizlet: Learning tools & flashcard". Advantages of “Quizlet” platform are to harness the knowledge, to allow anyone to learn through play. Computer games are the most powerful learning tool.

2011 IEEE International Symposium on IT in Medicine and Education, 2011

Using the previous studies on educational game development and coercive learning as our basis, the goal of our project is to be able to develop video games for mobile handheld devices that will be used as educational tools for the topics in the Grade 6 Science Curriculum. The game that we developed tackled Food Chains and Food Webs as topics which are parts of Grade 6 Science Curriculum. The game was developed for the Apple iPod Touch and used a free and open-source game engine, Cocos2D. By identifying the key game elements that make a video game compelling, we were able to strive for a goal of establishing balance between learning and gaming. Lastly, assessment of the games on the teachers' and the students' perspective was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the games that were created. Based on the results, we can conclude that with slight modifications the game can be used to supplement learning in Grade 6 students.

International Journal of Computer Games Technology, 2015

How to design useful digital game-based learning is a topic worthy of discussion. Past research focused on specific game genres design, but it is difficult to use when the target game genre differs from the default genres used in the research. This study presents macrodesign concepts that elucidates 11 crucial game-design factors, including game goals, game mechanism, game fantasy, game value, interaction, freedom, narrative, sensation, challenges, sociality, and mystery. We clearly define each factor and analyze the relationships among the 11 factors to construct a game-based learning design model. Two application examples are analyzed to verify the usability of the model and the performance of these factors. It can assist educational game designers in developing interesting games.