Margarita Milne

Introduction  

In this unit, I have to create an educational game using scratch. In using scratch, I need to use the techniques I learned from coding to make the educational game. In order to have a successful educational game, I made design specifications that can set goals to accomplish while creating the educational game. With the design specifications, I researched useful information that can help me create an effective educational game from the Investigate Stage in the Design Cycle. In the Design and Plan Stage, I need to plan and design ideas that can be used in an educational game. For example, the game could feature calculations, grammar, spelling, word problems, and many more. By planning out different ideas, I must connect them to the design specifications to indicate if the idea is successful or a failure. The designs for the educational game should have a description and labels to explain the designs clearly. To create the educational game, I need to make sure that it is appropriate and useful for students to practice their skills in a certain area of a subject. The educational game should also be interesting for students to play at many times. Then, I need to use a chart that can help in choosing the most appropriate design for the educational game project. During the Design and Plan Stage, I should make a justification on the best design chosen for the educational game relating it back to the design specifications. In this stage, I also should list the materials I need and a storyboard with the steps and their duration to show what I am going to do for the Create Stage. The Design and Plan Stage is very useful because without this stage, it would be very difficult to create a successful or an effective educational game.

DESIGN

Task 2: Designs

• sketches 5 different

• Think of the practicalities (what is possible) - check your investigation information

• Labels and full description (detailed)

Design #1

Math Calculation Game

In this game, I am going to let students answer math equations with different operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This game is very useful for students to practice their Math skills.

Design #2

For the Language game, I want to make it similar to memrise which teaches us new languages online by picking or writing the correct answer. The difficulty increases with each correct answer. Just like the Trivia Game, you can play with friends an d choose topics to learn from, such as Vocabulary and Grammar and Culture

Design #3

Grammar Game

This game will help students work on their grammar skills. Some questions in the game will have to include what word fits bets with a sentence. This game is educational because it helps students remember and be more accurate with their grammar skills. For this game, the goal is to click the correct word that best fits the sentence. If the student clicks the wrong word, the student does not earn a point until they get it correct to move on the next level

Task 3: Brainstorming

• Use the chart to decide which style of the project would be most appropriate

In the last design specification, I added that the game should have a level and score system because it challenges students to continue playing on a game with levels and a score system.

Task 4: Conclusion Best Design (500 words)

Explain (justify) your decision as a concluding paragraph. Full Description (Maybe a hybrid of different designs)

Conclusion:

After looking at the designs and the brainstorming chart I had to make a decision to choose between the Grammar game or the Math Calculation game. The reason why I wanted to choose them was because since they most likely are appropriate with the design specifications. From the two best designs I chose, I decided to use the Math Calculation game as my educational game. The reason why I chose this design is because this can help students with their accuracy in solving math with different operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication. I did not choose the Grammar game because some students might find it too easy for them to answer. The Math Calculation game shows a good message about the subject. It is appropriate for different audiences, and interesting for them to play. The Math Calculation game is also helpful for students to practice their Math skills outside of class, the game could also be created with scratch, and it has a level and score system. I also found some ways to create The Math Calculation game by using scratch. The Math Calculation game could also have good audio and picture quality based on the design specifications. The Math Calculation is educational for students to play because they can improve on their logic thinking, their memory skills, and also by remembering the equations that could be useful for them when they have worksheets or tests. Because we always use these basic topics in any math...you use it in algebra etc. My math teacher also said that as long as you remember you multiplication tables, how to add, and how to subtract it will make your life so much easier when you get to do algebra game. The Math Calculation game also helps students be more accurate and fluent when they keep playing the game. For my Math Calculation game, I decided to give multiplications operations to help students work on their skills to have greater knowledge in solving them. In my educational game, students need to select the correct answer that fits in the equation. There are three sprites... one that will dictate the question like 9 x 10 the other one will answer and the next one will catch up. I will use a Dinosaur, a penguin and a shark. The object of the game is to make sure you will not be eaten by the dinosaur. Every time you answer it correctly you are a step closer to not being eaten but if you don't answer it correctly you are a step to being eaten.  If their answer is wrong, they lose a point. If their answer is correct, they can earn points. If students continue to solve and play my educational game, they would go to higher levels of the game. In the Math Calculation game, I might make some adjustments along the way because I think that I could add more designs to make the game more interesting. For example, I think I could add characters to keep the audience more interested with the game. I could also change my background from my other plans to make the game have a better picture quality. I should also add audio in my educational game so that it would not bore the audience when they are playing my Math Calculation game. I will also include instructions for the audience to read before playing my educational game because they should have the idea of what my task is and the steps to playing my educational game. I could also get inspirations from the Internet to alter my educational game to have better effects. By having some few adjustments on my educational game, the students can be more cooperative and interested to play my educational game. Using the Design and Plan Stage helped me chose the Math Calculation game among the other games was useful because it guided which game agrees with the design specifications I made from the Investigate Stage. By following the Design Cycle, I think I could make a beneficial game for students to practice and play in the Math Calculation game.

PLAN

Task 5:

• List the equipment and materials you will need to make your chosen design/project

• Make a storyboard explaining what ‘steps’ you need to do to make your chosen design and remember to include other materials (images, mp3 and etc)

• Estimate how long each step will take to complete. 

Storyboard chart – Use landscape and add extra ‘steps’ as you need them.