Serious games evaluation methodology
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Videnovik, Maja
Madevska Bogdanova, Ana
Abstract
Using games is a new and a powerful way of learning in the classrooms, where students are active
participants in the learning process. Educational games empower students’ knowledge and skills, as
well as educational value of the teaching process. There are plenty of serious games that can be used
in education, but most of them simply do not hold interest among students. Thus, the students do not
really accept them as games, which creates opposite effect than expected. There are other factors
that influence the successful game's integration in the classroom - teachers’ digital competences,
technical (pre)requirements for the game, educational value of the game.
This paper presents a methodological tool based on an evaluation framework for integration of digital
games into education (MEDGE). The evaluation framework uses different data gathering techniques
such as: surveys, exams, observation, reflection, in order to obtain data. This methodological tool is
simplified version of an evaluation framework, developed to act as a subjective, but efficient tool for
teachers in order to make initial evaluation of the potential introduction of certain educational game in
the classroom.
The tool establishes step by step methodology for evaluation of educational games. It starts with
determining the technical requirements of a game, accordance to students' age and teachers' digital
competences needed to play it in the classroom. If these conditions are met, the game evaluation
continues by determining game's ease of use, its educational value, students' quality of experience,
game’s alignment with educational goals and teacher subjective preferences toward using the game in
the classroom.
The proposed methodology was tested by more than 62 teachers from Croatia, Macedonia, Norway,
Estonia, Germany and Poland. The teachers were asked to evaluate at least two educational games
using this methodological tool. One of those games was Kahoot, a popular game within the teachers’
community. Kahoot is a quiz based game that can be used for initial, formative and summative
assessment of students’ knowledge using individual or collaborative team work mode. The other game
was selected by teachers based on their needs and experiences.
Using a survey with five-point Likert scale, information concerning teachers’ attitudes towards
usefulness of the methodology, its complexity, applicability in the classroom, and usefulness for
evaluation of a game were obtained. The participants had the opportunity to give comments and
express their opinion concerning the proposed methodological tool. The paper is consisted of detailed
description of the developed methodological approach, together with the use cases and results of the
survey on usage of the methodological evaluation tool.
participants in the learning process. Educational games empower students’ knowledge and skills, as
well as educational value of the teaching process. There are plenty of serious games that can be used
in education, but most of them simply do not hold interest among students. Thus, the students do not
really accept them as games, which creates opposite effect than expected. There are other factors
that influence the successful game's integration in the classroom - teachers’ digital competences,
technical (pre)requirements for the game, educational value of the game.
This paper presents a methodological tool based on an evaluation framework for integration of digital
games into education (MEDGE). The evaluation framework uses different data gathering techniques
such as: surveys, exams, observation, reflection, in order to obtain data. This methodological tool is
simplified version of an evaluation framework, developed to act as a subjective, but efficient tool for
teachers in order to make initial evaluation of the potential introduction of certain educational game in
the classroom.
The tool establishes step by step methodology for evaluation of educational games. It starts with
determining the technical requirements of a game, accordance to students' age and teachers' digital
competences needed to play it in the classroom. If these conditions are met, the game evaluation
continues by determining game's ease of use, its educational value, students' quality of experience,
game’s alignment with educational goals and teacher subjective preferences toward using the game in
the classroom.
The proposed methodology was tested by more than 62 teachers from Croatia, Macedonia, Norway,
Estonia, Germany and Poland. The teachers were asked to evaluate at least two educational games
using this methodological tool. One of those games was Kahoot, a popular game within the teachers’
community. Kahoot is a quiz based game that can be used for initial, formative and summative
assessment of students’ knowledge using individual or collaborative team work mode. The other game
was selected by teachers based on their needs and experiences.
Using a survey with five-point Likert scale, information concerning teachers’ attitudes towards
usefulness of the methodology, its complexity, applicability in the classroom, and usefulness for
evaluation of a game were obtained. The participants had the opportunity to give comments and
express their opinion concerning the proposed methodological tool. The paper is consisted of detailed
description of the developed methodological approach, together with the use cases and results of the
survey on usage of the methodological evaluation tool.
Subjects
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