1. Muzzy Lane

2. 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

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

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

5. Partners

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

7. 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

8. Where Game-based learning can help
All the ı

9. 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

10. 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)

11. 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+,
Listed TIME as barrier…
Work
Children or Family
Responsibilities
Listed Time Management
as #1 Barrier to Success

12. 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…

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

14. 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?

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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

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

21. 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

22. Muzzy Lane products & services
Custom

23. Time & cost comparisons
Free
DIY
Slow
Fast
Custom
Expensive

24. Muzzy Lane Author workflow Muzzy Lane Author
Content = +
Assignment

25. Muzzy Lane Author workflow Muzzy Lane AuthorC = + A C = + A C = + A C = + A

28. 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.

29. 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