Final Game Play Reflection Questions

How did your gameplay contribute to your overall perspective on games/sims and learning?

America's Army was a source of frustration. I learned nothing about the Army. But I learned something from the frustration (see below.) ToonTalk made good use of puzzles, and that helped me to understand the importance of providing tools or techniques, and opportunities for mastering their use.

What did you learn in your gameplay that most effects how you might approach teaching/learning differently in the future?

In both of my games, I was frustrated when I did something right, without knowing how I did it. I think the same frustration extends to the classroom. In a math class, for example, a student may guess the right answer, and be relieved to no longer be the subject of scorn from his teacher or ridicule from his peers, but at the same time be frustrated because he doesn't know what he did right. I would use questioning and reflection to attempt to prevent that.

Baby steps. Here are one or two tools or techniques. Use them to solve these problems. OK, now let's move on to the next.... But don't make it too easy, or else it will be boring.

What do you think are the strengths and weaknesses of your game?

In both cases, the lack of help was the biggest weakness.

In the case of "ToonTalk", the biggest strength was its use of puzzles -- an idea which I incorporated into my simulation.

To talk about strengths for America's Army would be to imply that I enjoyed the game. I did not. The only aspect of the game I enjoyed was target shooting.

Name two elements of your game that, if improved, would make for a much better game (in terms of engagement or learning or challenge or other)

One element only: Help.