Game Goals vs Learning Outcomes
Game Goals vs Learning Outcomes
Game Goals vs Learning Outcomes
Many players are already familiar with game goals and objectives. Fun is why they usually pick up the game; but game goals and objectives are what keeps them playing. It’s because goals give players direction and purpose in play.
However, games can also be used for teaching and learning. How they do that is through experiential learning through game play. As players play the game they learn, form connections, and create knowledge, demonstrate a new skill, or show renewed understanding.
Creating games that are fun and engaging as well as purposeful and educational is no easy task. Both educators and designers need to find a way to merge the goals and objectives of games with the purposeful ends of learning outcomes.
But how do you do that? How do you create serious, purposeful, and educational games that are aligned with specific learning outcomes?
This article will examine how that can be achieved though diligent focus and purposeful design. It’ll first cover the structure and use of learning objectives and outcomes for instructional design and learning experiences. These will then be compared to games-based learning and the use of games as the medium for learning.
Serious games will be covered as games created from the ground up with these educational outcomes in mind. The way that they are designed and structured are based around the learner and player experience and what they see, do, and engage with as they play the game.
This learner experience is what requires the greatest consideration for the designer in structuring these games. They are the forefront for determining how a game will be developed and how its core loop provides feedback through its dynamics to help the learner achieve a specific outcome.
Lastly, this article will examine assessing these learning outcomes and how that is achieved both in-game; out of game; and through formal elements that measure and document individual learning.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
Before considering how to best connect game goals to learning outcomes, we first must examine what learning objectives and outcomes are. Both the terms learning outcomes and learning objectives have been used interchangeably in different contexts; but they have distinct meanings.
Learning objectives examine learning content through the lens of the instructor, educator, or teacher. They examine the goals that the instructor has and what they want to achieve. The purpose of the objective has been set by the instructor and content is shaped around the specific questions the instructor aims to address and answer.
Conversely, learning outcomes are more specific and measurable. They are focused on the knowledge and skills that the learner creates and gains through the learning content. In this way, learning outcomes answer the questions posed by the learning objectives. Learning outcomes therefore are written from the learner’s perspective: specifically what they will gain.
The relationship between the two is that learning objectives translate into learning if the course effectively meets its learning goals. An example of this could be a class on product design. The learning objective could be “Learners will know how to determine if a product meets the demands of the marketplace.” Conversely, a learning outcome that serves this objective would be “Learners will be able to create product features that fit specific demands of consumers.”
Each statement stands alone as a goal to achieve for both the instructor and the student. But both have been written so that the achievement of the outcome serves the objective.
The relationship between learning objectives and outcomes relates to the focus on game goals and objectives because both learning objectives and outcomes focus on changes that are experienced by the end user: in this case, learners. These changes are often cognitive ones such as the creation or acquisition of knowledge.
It’s important to consider the overall orientation and importance of learning objectives and outcomes because its helps focus both the effort of learners and the direction of instructors into what expected skill and knowledge changes there are for them to address.
This focus is even more important when considering what games to use for teaching and learning through games-based learning.
Games-Based Learning
Games-based learning is part of applied games by using games for a specific purpose (in this case learning) to engage students by bridging the gap between cognition, knowledge development, and behavior change and the psychological rewards associated with game play.
This can be observed through numerous companies, organizations, and institutions using and applying games for teaching, learning and motivation. However, they are often adapted for this use without first understanding their full effects.
Instead, more contextualized instruction through games-based learning provides a means for authentic interaction and engagement with the game that overall serves the ultimate learning objectives and outcomes. Therefore, when considering the use of game-based learning; instructors must determine how the application of a particular game will enhance the cognitive outcomes of learners as well as how they may apply such knowledge.
This can be done more purposefully by selecting and adapting games with specific learning objectives and outcomes in mind; tracking player actions; and analyzing and assessing the outcomes of these players to determine the game’s effective performance. Though this may be more difficult to do with commercial games which have been adapted for games-based learning versus simulations which are often constructed from the ground up to create a more realistic and high-fidelity environment from which to learn from.
No matter which medium the instructor chooses, the application of games for education, teaching, and training improves learning outcomes, motivation, and engagement so long as they can be adequately tied to specific learning objectives and outcomes. This success is due to inclusion of cognitive and metacognitive strategies that students experience and develop through gameplay that more accurately links learning content to these outcomes.
Games-based learning offers a means and a medium from which learning content can be shaped, scaffolded, and designed with a specific purpose that can be both familiar and engaging for learners. Though, there are limitations to the adaptation of commercial games for teaching and learning. In some cases, games need to be created from the ground up for these educational purposes. These are called “serious games.”
Serious Games
Most people know applied games through gamification. Gamification has its uses; but many designers and educators turn towards serious games for a more comprehensive approach to applied games. That’s because serious games are games created from the ground up for a specific purpose other than entertainment. They are often used for teaching, training, learning, and development.
Serious games are useful for these purposes because they integrate game mechanics into facilitation of learning objectives and outcomes for players. Some of the best serious games meld these objectives and outcomes so well into game play, that they serve as an analog for real-life examples in applications of its content. One of the best applications is the serious game “SPENT” which recreates the day-to-day activities of those unfortunate enough to live paycheck to paycheck.
SPENT is a serious game that also serves the purpose of solving real-world problems through gameplay. Through the development of connected empathy between those in dire financial straits and those with the means to address and eventually solve these problems; we can better imagine the challenges of others that would otherwise be difficult to replicate.
However, to make these games engaging, impactful, and active, both designers and educators need to incorporate and connect pedagogical support between the core loop and mechanics of the game with specific learning objectives and outcomes. In addition, other factors need to be included in play, such as accessibility and mobility to best meet learners through the platforms and modalities that they play with most frequently.
Doing so helps blur the boundaries between the reality that the game presents, and the players real-life surroundings. Through this blurring, players enter a liminal state when they enter the magic circle of gameplay. This transition helps them imagine scenarios that they would not have otherwise encountered while simultaneously suspending their disbelief to be immersed in it. The result of which are insights that are not so easily replicated through other teaching methods, modalities, and mediums.
Therefore, serious games create opportunities for educators to significantly and positively impact the experience of the learner. For it is the curation of the learner and player experience which greatly impacts the orientation, engagement, and longevity of play.
Learner and Player Experience
Both learning and game play are based on experience. Experience is the medium from which learning, and knowledge creation happen. Therefore, the learner and player experience form a cornerstone of that learning. This means that focusing on a user-centered design improves learning experiences that are engaging and impactful.
This experience can be further reinforced with serious games as the familiarity of games makes the connection to learning content more seamless and impactful. This directly relates to how learners’ emotional response towards games influence how they approach and achieve learning outcomes.
Like other forms of learning content, games can be designed and adapted with individual attributes for player types, learner preferences, and other things in mind that aid in the experiential cycle of learning. This is often seen in the creation of meaningful choices through decision structures in serious games.
These choices are actively tied to learner engagement and active participation in engaging with and interacting with the game. This is most often seen in high-fidelity simulations that recreate scenarios and situations in which learners apply what they have learned in context to adapt to evolving scenarios.
Though both designers and educators need to be cautious about how they structure game goals and learning outcomes and objectives in these serious games. Ludodidactics indicates that game objectives may lead to different perceived goals than stated learning objectives. This can often be mitigated through goal substitution which involves using game objectives to achieve learning objectives and outcomes.
Perhaps one of the most popular examples of goal substitution comes from the film Karate Kid where Daniel learns the basics of marital arts unknowingly by performing household chores. This focus on “wax-on-wax-off” emphasizes the structured physical movements of marital arts; but done so in a way that focuses on the kinesthetic movement rather than the outcome. This is a structure emulated in serious games that are often designed to somewhat obscure the learning objectives behind active feedback and gameplay loops.
Overall, the motivational power of learning games focuses squarely on learners’ curiosity, agency, and ability to play at the top of their abilities. The result of which, is the development of flow state for learners in which they become totally engrossed in the game and play.
However, this is only possible when careful decisions have been made to structure, develop, and design these elements in serious games which focus on learning objectives and outcomes; but do so in a way that is engaging, challenging, and hopefully fun. A process that focuses on structuring the game through the design process.
Design Structuring
Much of how players and learners interact with a serious game is through its various user interfaces and components. Therefore, usability is a major factor in how players will learn how to play, engage, and eventually complete a game.
However, design alone doesn’t always affect the player experience. Rather, the cosmetic, aesthetic, and thematic elements of the game also play a role in influencing learning outcomes of players. Such connections between the theme of the game and the associated mechanics, make games that much more immersive for players.
However, designers must not ignore the functional aspects of game play. Once players know what they can do and how they can do it, they need to be able to selectively pursue goals and determine what kind of progress they are making towards it. Therefore, serious games designers should dedicate a critical amount of time to integrating learning content tied to game mechanics and how those mechanics provide an active form of feedback to the learner.
The most successful serious games involve a more significant connection between the core repetitive actions that players will take in the game throughout their play and how those actions affect what they learn. Designing games with a careless connection between both, can lead to a negative experience for the user. Both as a learning experience as well as a playful one.
One way that designers can overcome these hurdles are through iterative testing. This can most often be accomplished through the development of a minimum viable product (MVP) or a game prototype. Then testing that prototype with players and learners to determine how they interact and engage with it.
The MVP should include at least the core loop for the game as well as its connection to specific learning objectives and outcomes. Testing should determine the structural integrity of the game’s core loop as a formal element as well as if the activities of players serve the overall learning objectives and outcomes. Results of these tests should identify the various characteristics of the serious game that work (or do not work) for learners. Those characteristics should then be systematically enhanced or removed from the game.
This process can be applied for all kinds of serious games and applied games and includes simulations, gamification, and playful applications of learning. Though, certain types of games often yield better results from learners. Those have included non-competitive or cooperative games as well as scenario-based games.
The choice of applied game is usually in the hands of the educator. However, a critical determination of what kind of game is eventually used is often determined by how individuals’ ultimate learning is assessed.
Assessing Learning Outcomes and Game Goals
Most educators need to assess the learning of their students at the conclusion of a session, course, class or program. Games-based learning is no exception, especially if it serves as a replacement for traditional course content. However, the steps necessary to assess the learning outcomes and game goals are complicated with the use of applied games.
This complication comes from the need to asses learners individually based on affective and cognitive dimensions. This means, that learners must often be assessed through the intellectual side of learning and their overall growth and development as well as the affective side including changes in interests, attitudes, values, behaviors.
Assessment can be used in many formats in games-based learning. For serious games, this often includes in-game progress, observational data, and measurement of real time changes in affective behavior. However, these may not always be useful or applicable for all educators. That’s why it’s also critical to measure and assess whether more prevalent behavior changes, or habit changes persist after the conclusion of the game. The latter is more challenging to assess, and measure compared to the former, which can be observed from players throughout gameplay.
Perhaps one of the simplest ways to measure learning in alignment with game goals and objectives, is to make them one in the same. This is why quiz games are some of the most popular formats for gamification and applied games. The knowledge retention and mastery of the quiz questions go hand in hand with the objective of the game which is to answer as correct questions as possible.
Though, this does not apply to all games. Simulations on the other hand rely on high fidelity recreations of actual scenarios that learners may encounter outside of the game. Mastery and assessment are made here based on what learners have done in the situation, and how they resolved the scenario in line with excepted learning outcomes and objectives.
Perhaps one of the most difficult learning objectives and outcomes to measure are those that are not directly connected between a game mechanic or core loop to a learning objective or outcome. These should not be included in the game, but exceptions can be made for adapting commercially available games for teaching and learning. This is most often observed in games-based learning where these games are applied to educational settings; but are often paired with a briefing; overview; and debriefing by the educator and the instructor to ensure that the gaming experience relates to the overall goals and outcomes of the course.
Overall, assessment is often at the discretion of the educator to assign, evaluate, and ultimately judge the tasks, skills, and development of individuals as they achieve specific learning objectives and outcomes. Such is the case with addressing learning outcomes for specific disciplines as the approaches and strategies for teaching require different strategies that are often tailored for each course or student.
Therefore, effective assessment of applied games is less about following a specific strategy, and is more about best aligning learning objectives and outcomes with the ultimate play of the game. If learning is the transformation of experience into knowledge, then the creation of that experience is more often in the hands of the instructor and the designer themselves.
Takeaways
This article explored the different aspects of combining and connecting learning objectives and outcomes with game goals. Both learning objectives and outcomes were explored and defined and how they influenced the player and learner experience.
This was discussed in relation to games-based learning and how games can be adapted and applied for teaching and learning. This was compared to serious games as a form of games that are designed from the ground up for purposes other than entertainment.
Both aspects of games-based learning and serious games influence how learners will consume, engage, and play the game. Thus, the learner experience is what is catered to when adapting or designing games for teaching and learning that are tied directly to learning objectives and outcomes.
This process was covered in the discussion of “design structuring” and includes strategies for incorporating learning objectives and outcomes that are connected to game goals and challenges. The result of which was a format in which learners and players’ achievement are measured in relation to stated learning objectives and outcomes.
This article compared game goals to learning outcomes in both games-based learning and serious game design. To learn more about gamification, check out the free course on Gamification Explained.
Dave Eng, EdD
Principal
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Cite this Article
Eng, D. (2024, August 20). Game Goals vs. Learning Outcomes. Retrieved MONTH DATE, YEAR, from https://www.universityxp.com/blog/2024/8/20/game-goals-vs-learning-outcomes
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