Muzzy Lane

Non-traditional students & New directions in game-based learning Muzzy Lane Non-traditional students & New directions in game-based learning Bert Snow VP of Design, Muzzy Lane Software

Muzzy Lane We are a technology company powering game-based learning and assessment.

We have developed over 30 products with major publishing partners. Muzzy Lane We have developed over 30 products with major publishing partners.

Partners

Gates Research 30+ Instructors and School Administrators Year-Long Focus on Non-Traditional Students 1700+ Students 11 Focus Groups

Where Game-Based learning can help In the Interviews, we heard: Focus on needs of students (not big game-based courses) But see places for targeted game-based modules

Where Game-based learning can help All the ı

Where Game-Based learning can help Five needs that stand out: Auto-assessing student application of learning Building employment skills in real-world contexts Safe skill building Developing and assessing critical thinking skills Student Success applications In our interviews and subsequent conversations, five places have stood out, heard consistently as important needs that game-based learning can help address

Focus Groups What we learned about nontraditional students Goal: Understand students’ learning journeys, challenges, and needs. Students from variety of programs: Adult-education programs (Becker Advanced) Community colleges (NECC, Bunker Hill) Programs focused on Nontraditional students (Endicott)

Nontraditional Students’ Balancing Acts Balancing School with Work and Play They are hard working – most all work in addition to school, and work hard. More than half 30+, 70+ 20+. Listed TIME as barrier… Work Children or Family Responsibilities Listed Time Management as #1 Barrier to Success

Nontraditional Students’ Balancing Acts Hard studying too. 64 – 3 or more courses 58% study 2h… But juggling – one thing can knock them off. Almost ¾ have paused. Family, money, work…

Kayla: Fitting Studying in Whenever She Can Waitress How use phone?

Students using phones for schoolwork I use my phone to watch video or audio lectures, flashcards, I do some writing, and sometimes I’ll use my phone to write code for a class project.” – Louis, Computer science student and full- time nursing assistant Waitress How use phone?

Nontraditional Students in Online Classes HIGHLIGHT: More nontraditional, more online. Older, children, the more they work, more likely

Nontraditional Students in Online Classes STUDENTS TAKING 2 OR MORE ONLINE CLASSES … older, have paused, have kids… Ask

Nontraditional Students in Online Classes What do they think of their online classes? In Focus Groups, we asked students what they thought of their online classes They had mixed feelings Many said they couldn’t be in school without the flexibility online classes provide. They like: Looking for: Flexibility Confidence that they are developing the skills they will really need Fitting their lives Helpful feedback at 1am Online practice activities Insights & help in approaching material Community

How to help students today? Addressing key issues educators expressed: The hurdles (and how to get over them) Reduce cost Work with curriculum, don’t require total disruption Fit into educators’ and students’ workflows Let educators author and update Auto-assess performance Be easy for faculty to integrate and use Work across devices (including phones) Most game-based work to date have not addressed these hurdles. Lower cost Fit my curriculum, don’t disrupt it Let us author and update Scalable assessment

Gates research Micro learning activities and assessments Course Design Marketing Biology Cyber Security History Math Course Design Fully game-enabled course Micro learning activities and assessments

Provides Results for Assessment Mobile first authoring and editing Works on any device Provides Results for Assessment

Goals for Game-based learning Fit with existing course material. Flatten the learning curve for students. Meet the needs of nontraditional learners. Scale across multiple subjects. Enable AUTHORING

Muzzy Lane products & services Custom

Time & cost comparisons Free DIY Slow Fast Custom Expensive

Muzzy Lane Author workflow Muzzy Lane Author Content = + Assignment

Muzzy Lane Author workflow Muzzy Lane Author C = + A C = + A C = + A C = + A

Maria: Balancing School, Work, and family HIGHLIGHT: Maria working in one area, looking to advance to a new position. Evening school – goes to her classroom classes then, studies later in the evening, taking one hybrid class. Reads on phone when waiting for kids etc.

Problem to be solved Help instructors auto assess whether students can apply what they’ve learned. Eval Synthesis Analysis Muzzy Lane’s targeting here: Application Comprehension Most of the action has been here. Flashcards & MCQs. Knowledge