How can you use game-based assessments to motivate students in e-learning?

I used to work as an English language private tutor and I wanted to make learning grammar an engaging and exciting experience for my students. Once I used a game-based assessment called "Grammar Police". Mark, one of my students, was particularly struggling with grammar. He found it dull, and the traditional methods of learning weren’t resonating with him. When I introduced him to "Grammar Police," he was immediately involved as a grammar detective, tasked with finding and correcting grammar errors in various texts - any from newspaper articles to fictional stories. Each corrected mistake earned him points and badges, and as he progressed, the challenges became harder, involving more complex sentences and tasks, which was ideal for Mark :)

Younger audiences have a shorter attention span. Game based assessments make learning fun and keeps the learner engaged. A scavenger hunt, or a scenario that forces learners to take what they just learned and apply to a problem or new situation helps them make a personal connection. I would love to create even a quick board game like assessment or even create a simulation. For example you could test a competency skill for a worker learning how to make a drink for a coffee shop or a sandwich in a sandwich shop. It would be realistic to them. I work in healthcare and I am dying to create a medical simulation to test skills competency like take a blood pressure reading.

Game based assessments engage both children & adults alike. Try blookets - use classic mode (it’s like kahoot) and you can set various other modes E.g team challenges & even homework to reinforce learning. Learners gain confidence besides knowledge within an engaging environment.

As an educator deeply committed to the world of e-learning, I've had the privilege of witnessing the transformative power of game-based assessments in motivating and engaging students. In this fast-paced digital age, it's become increasingly essential to leverage innovative approaches to foster student motivation and learning outcomes. One such approach that I wholeheartedly endorse is the integration of game-based assessments in e-learning environments. In my journey as an educator, I've come to believe that e-learning should not be a passive experience; it should be a dynamic adventure. Game-based assessments play a pivotal role in this transformation, ensuring that students are not just learning but embracing the journey with enthusiasm.

I believe that in order to ensure long term engagement we need to utilise both formats of game based learning i.e. add individual educational games along with a larger game based learning strategy by adding reward and redemption loop. Doin only one won't work because if we make independent fun activities then users will miss the thread that weaves them together and if we only have the reward system with boring formats of question answers, the users will not enjoy that too. Also, we need to understand the aspects(challenge etc. ) of assessments that are already engaging and leverage the power of game based learning to make the remaining pieces of puzzle more engaging. That is the best way to do it.

Game-based assessments, the superheroes in the mundane universe of traditional tests and quizzes! Imagine turning the dread of "Exam Day" into the excitement of "Game Day." Instead of zombies mechanically filling in bubbles, you have engaged brains navigating through challenges with the enthusiasm of a cat chasing a laser dot! GBAs turn monotonous memorization battles into epic adventures where knowledge is the superpower. They create instant feedback, adaptive challenges, and real-world scenarios, ensuring that learning sticks like slime on a ceiling! So, in the epic saga of education, game-based assessments are the ultimate sidekicks, battling boredom and unleashing the superheroes of learning in every student! ??♂?????♀?

I used Quizezz as a trial to assess adult learners on the Cyber topics I had been teaching them. While "death by powerpoint" seemed to be taking a toll on all of us, using a game-based assessment tool like Quizezz allowed me to see various insights into how the students engaged in answering questions or demonstrating their knowledge. It perked everyone up as they competed against each other and used various tools to try and "stump" their peers or slow them down. It was fun, engaging, and made it easy to gauge proficiency levels.

Game-based assessments provide an exciting way to inspire students in online learning. By adding elements like scores, achievements, and friendly competition to assessments, we can make learning more engaging and fun. This taps into our students' innate drive to succeed, giving them a sense of accomplishment and motivating them to take an active role in their online learning journey. Moreover, games can make assessments feel less daunting and more enjoyable, leading to better retention and improved learning results.

We have used experiential game based learnings to deliver strategy modules. Where In the game was actually based out of a board game with actual tasks the learner had to complete in real life This really helped create a lived experience and learnings for a learner as against just a digital mode

Game-based assessments, from my perspective as a learning designer, are super effective. They immerse learners in an interactive experience, like a treasure hunt in learning. Instead of boring questions, they face challenges, make decisions, and solve problems. For instance, in a workplace conflict resolution course, they might play a role, like a mediator or a team leader, and handle simulated conflicts. It's engaging and memorable, like a real-life experience. They get immediate feedback on their choices, promoting critical thinking. Game-based assessments make learning enjoyable and stick in the memory, just like a fun adventure that leaves lasting impressions.

Absolutely, designing game-based assessments is a thoughtful process. It's all about aligning them with your learning objectives, finding the right game elements, and creating that perfect balance between challenge and reward. Clear, meaningful feedback is crucial, too – it's what keeps the motivation going. And refining the assessments based on user feedback and data? That's how we make them even better.

We must make sure that the assessment is not discouraging. In other words, will the assessment make them want to give up on the game? Or will it make them want to play again and improve their score? We have to figure out how to make sure it's the latter.

While we want our game-based assessments to be fun, they should first and foremost align with the learning objectives, mirroring real-world situations or problems. By framing the game storyline around relatable contexts learners feel immersed in a believable experience that transfers outside of the game. Including opportunities for low-stakes failure allows learners to safely experiment like they would in an authentic environment. Also, the assessments should provide clear and timely feedback to mimic real-time decision corrections on the job or in life.

Designing game-based assessments is exciting! I create scenarios that mirror real-world challenges, like workplace conflicts. Learners step into roles, such as a manager, and make decisions. The game tracks their choices and offers instant feedback. I ensure the levels progressively get more challenging, just like advancing in a video game. It's all about balancing fun and learning. The key is aligning the game with the learning objectives, making it an engaging and effective way to assess their skills. So, I'm crafting scenarios that challenge and educate simultaneously, like a well-designed game.

En las formaciones on line es imprescindible motivar al alumnado durante el aprendizaje y en la evaluación es algo fundamental para que el proceso no se haga cuesta arriba. Evaluar de otra manera, poniendo el foco y la mirada en otros aspectos que normalmente no se incluyen en la evaluación formal puede ayudar a estimular al estudiante a seguir aprendiendo y a recibir feedback en ese proceso. Muchas veces la evaluación no tiene porque ser un proceso rígido asociado a un solo instrumento. El juego puede ayudarnos a liberarnos de la presión de la evaluación y a flexibilizar el tránsito en un proceso autoformativo o heteroformativo.

You do not need to be fancy to implement game-based assessments. Use the tools you have at hand, and focus on the principles of game-based assessments.

Another tool that I use to develop gamified content is H5P. For example, you can create a memory game with H5P that challenges your learners to match pairs of cards with images, words, or both. This can help them practice their memory skills, vocabulary, or concepts.

An example of a great tool to implement game based learning is Edpuzzle. It makes it so simple to take a YouTube video and gamify it by adding in multiple choice and open ended questions. Recently they have added ai tools, including my favourite - automark - where once you enter an ideal answer to an open ended question, it will automatically grade student responses - a masterpiece of Ed tech!!

Implementing game-based assessments is a step-by-step process. First, I select a suitable platform or software, ensuring it aligns with our course objectives. Then, I create the game scenarios, just like building levels in a video game. For instance, in conflict resolution training, I set up scenarios where learners can apply negotiation skills. Next, I integrate these assessments seamlessly into our e-learning module. Learners play through these scenarios, receive immediate feedback, and progress to more challenging levels. It's about making the transition from traditional assessments to game-based ones smooth, keeping learners engaged and motivated.

Everyone enjoys collaboration and competition based games. Gamification can sound highly complex and feel like it requires a large amount of development but e learning doesn't require online games in order to create an element of gamification. A simple example of gamification in an online platform is thinking about games people might play face to face. For example An English teacher might use a simple PPT slide to introduce the idea of crashing on a desert island to promote discussion and critical thinking. Students can be separated into breakout rooms, given a list of tools to complete certain tasks like finding clean water or finding a source of food, using only the tools at their disposal. Learners simply need a reason to communicate

Evaluating game-based assessments necessitates a blend of quantitative and qualitative insights. Quantitative metrics, encompassing scores, completion rates, and engagement durations, offer insights into student performance and engagement. Meanwhile, qualitative methods, drawing from feedback and interviews, shed light on student perceptions and feelings. This multi-pronged approach grants a well-rounded understanding of the assessment's impact on the learning journey. By merging hard data with experiential feedback, educators can pinpoint areas of enhancement, ensuring that the game-based assessment remains effective and continually resonates with the evolving educational landscape.

Using quantitative and qualitative data is necessary in any progressive learning program in order to meet the needs of the audience properly. The most fun for me is rolling it all up after pilot and analyzing it. Student feedback always weighs heavily into the next iteration. Then you can return to your historical data again to watch your own progress in hitting the mark, which demonstrates continuous improvement in your learning programs.

The metric measuring time spent on the assessment as a whole, or on the parts, can be critical for adjusting the assessment. Often, the assessment may have time limits that can mask the participant performance. Is the participant performance impacted negatively by the time limit for example? Is the time limit appropriate for the game and such questions can be answered with such data.

Beside game based assessments there are other ways to enable the engagement and accountability of students whether in classroom and/or online environment. In my role as team coach at a hands-on entrepreneurship programme with my colleagues we use also shared grades when marking team work. Teams will have an overall grade and need to allocate to the individual team members based on the performance. Important, that the team should follow a pre-defined way of grade allocation and the process needs to be transparent.

In Game based Assessment, it is important to choose tasks and tests that measure learning performance and measure the achievement of the learning objective. It is not about badges and leaderboards, but the didactically meaningful integration of these tools into the overall learning concept and the entire learning journey.

Several years ago, I changed our capstone course for BBA students to the online business simulation GLO-BUS. It has been amazingly successful. Although it is not a game, but a simulation where students run global companies competing with each other for tops spots, we have found that gamers get quite involved and usually do well in the course.

In designing the game-based assessment it is important to keep in mind that the pedagogical goal is not around the game itself; it is what students can do with it to engage with the real-life tasks that can make them attain course objectives and goals. That means, the task environment that you use in designing the assessment should allow you to reconfigure the task environment to align it with your goals rather than fitting your goals to the actual technology at hand.

Game-based doesn't have to sit only in assessments. It should permeate the entire experience. Nobody jumps into a boss level in gaming; the journey and seeing the progress throughout, it incredibly useful as a learning tool.