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 First Aid and Resuscitation Assessment Game

Key Game Design Concept A 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 cards Actions Treasures Victory Play 1 action card Use treasure cards to buy more cards

Now modify that

An experience A bit of inspiration

1001 Blank Cards – the game Place a “draw” pile of blank cards in the middle of the group Each player gets $8 worth of chips Each player gets a hand of 5 blank cards Add content to 1 card Add rules, art, flavor text, whatever you want Underline keywords On your turn Play a card (may be the card you created before, or a created drew) Played cards may be played and discarded Played and kept face up Played into other player's hands Any new rule is added to the rules of play When 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 data Assess 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 1 Cards 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 points Unless 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 Design Part 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 Work How domain works in the real world Task Features Representational Forms How is work represented? Obvious example – Punnett Square Performance outcomes How do you distinguish good work from bad Valued knowledge What 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 this

So, the first step Identify Tasks Representational forms Knowledge 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 Interaction Simultaneous Solitaire Completion for resources Race Direct competition

Themeing Close mappingWeak 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 Tasks Representational forms Knowledge Identify evidence that points to mastery How will peers evaluate success? Will there be feedback – if so, what?