Time for:
- Prepare: 20 min
- Implementation: 25 min
Type(s) of Essential(s):
Design
Social & Emotional Growth
Prerequisite:
- Is a prerequisite: Yes
- Has a prerequisite: Yes
Overview
Learners identify the types of changes that are present in games.
Goals and Outcomes
Goal: Learners identify player changes included in games and explain how changes are presented.
Outcomes: Learners cultivate media literacy skills and knowledge about games and critically analyze serious games, as they discuss game goals, player changes, and gameplay components and experiences. They also become familiar with game design strategies developers use to engage players in a topic.
Materials
Decide if you will implement this activity using a digital tool or not. If digitally, select a tool that allows learners to submit entries, like Padlet or Jamboard. If non-digitally, gather a dry erase board, dry erase marker, writing instruments, tape, and change labels.
Preparation
Prerequisite: Activities to complete before this activity - Overview of Transformational Design Framework, Guided Gameplay of Serious Games, Let’s Break Some Rules, Game Sprints
Non-digital: Use a dry erase marker to divide a whiteboard into boxes and write a serious game title in each. Print multiple duplicates of the change labels and place them on a table with writing instruments.
Digital: Set up this activity based on the tools’ features. For example, for a tool like Padlet, create columns listed by game titles or changes on a tool like Padlet. For a Mentimeter, create multiple slides and choose the polling format. One each slide, place the game title at the top.
Implementation and Completion
Tell learners we will use the transformational design framework to examine change in games. Review the five 5 types of changes with them. This activity can be completed individually or in pairs non-digitally or digitally.
Individually: Tell learners to think about games and the types of changes players experience. Once they decide the changes, if non-digitally, instruct them to select a change label and on the label describe the way this change occurred during gameplay. Then tape this label in the box of that particular game. If implemented using a digital tool, on a tool like Padlet, ask learners to insert changes and activities in game columns or games and activities in change columns. For a tool like Mentimeter, on each game title slide, ask learners to submit changes.
Pairs: Tell them to identify a partner to work with to identify player changes within games. DDistribute paper to each pair and ask learners to write the game titles, type(s) of player changes presented in that game, and gameplay activities that cause player changes to occur. It may be helpful to create a printout that has these sections on a sheet. Here is an example.
Assist them if needed. In both cases, when they complete the activity, as a large group, read the changes and explanations for each game, asking learners to elaborate on the reasoning for their choices.