How can you use technology to grade simulations and games?

1 Why grade simulations and games?

Simulations and games are not just for fun and entertainment. They can also be powerful learning environments that allow students to apply their knowledge, practice their skills, and explore different scenarios and outcomes. Grading simulations and games can help you measure your students' learning outcomes, identify their strengths and weaknesses, and guide them to improve their performance. Grading simulations and games can also motivate your students to take the activities seriously, reflect on their actions and decisions, and seek feedback and support.

2 What to grade in simulations and games?

Simulations and games can involve various elements and dimensions that can be graded, such as knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviors, strategies, processes, and results. Depending on your learning objectives, you can choose to grade one or more of these aspects. For example, you can grade your students' factual knowledge by asking them to answer questions or complete quizzes before, during, or after the simulation or game. You can grade your students' skills by observing how they perform certain tasks or solve problems in the simulation or game. You can grade your students' attitudes and behaviors by evaluating how they interact with other players, follow rules and guidelines, and cope with challenges and feedback in the simulation or game. You can grade your students' strategies and processes by analyzing how they plan, execute, monitor, and revise their actions and decisions in the simulation or game. You can grade your students' results by comparing their outcomes and achievements with predefined criteria or standards in the simulation or game.

3 How to use technology to grade simulations and games?

Technology can be used to grade simulations and games in a variety of ways, such as automating, tracking, recording, analyzing, and reporting student performance and feedback. Built-in features or external tools can be used to automatically score student responses, actions, and outcomes. Data collection and analytics tools can track and record progress, behavior, and interactions. Data visualization and reporting tools can then analyze and display performance and feedback with graphs, charts, dashboards, or reports that summarize scores, achievements, strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

4 How to provide feedback in simulations and games?

Feedback is an essential part of grading simulations and games, as it can help your students learn from their experiences, correct their mistakes, and enhance their performance. It can be provided in different forms such as verbal, written, numerical, or graphical. Additionally, it can be provided at different times, for example before, during or after the simulation or game. Furthermore, feedback can be provided by different sources such as the instructor, peers, system or self. Examples of providing feedback in simulations and games include using technology to provide immediate and automated feedback to students in the simulation or game with sounds, colors, icons or messages indicating correctness. Technology can also provide delayed and personalized feedback to students after the simulation or game through emails, chats or forums offering specific constructive and actionable suggestions for improvement based on their performance. Additionally, technology can facilitate peer feedback among students in the simulation or game with online platforms, tools or games enabling sharing reviews and ratings of each other's performance. Finally, technology can encourage self-feedback by students in the simulation or game through portfolios, journals or reflections prompting them to evaluate and monitor their own performance.