Teaching Teamwork Through Video Game Development: Tech2Learn

TL;DR

Ben discusses the process of creating educational video games for fifth grade students, highlighting the importance of feedback and improvement.

Transcript

Ben: Everybody who makes something really, really wonderful gets there through a process of making something that's really not that great to start with, and then slowly improving it, taking feedback, getting new ideas, in what I think is a process that's a little bit closer to the real world. >>The decisions that you need to make today are decisi... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Creating something wonderful often requires a process of starting with something not-so-great and continuously improving it.
• 👾 Understanding the needs and preferences of the target audience is crucial in educational game development.
• 👾 Processing software simplifies game development by providing a built-in graphics library and an easy development process.
• 👾 Involving students in various roles during game development encourages their active participation and ownership of the project.
• 👾 Feedback from the target audience, in this case, the fifth graders, is vital for improving the game and ensuring its engagement.
• 👾 Designing educational games involves aligning them with learning objectives and curriculum standards.
• 👾 Incorporating elements that interest the target audience, such as violence, can make the game more engaging.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the team gather feedback from the fifth grade students?

The team interviews the students and their teacher to understand their interests, learning objectives, and preferences, which helps in shaping the game accordingly.

Q: What roles do the students take on in the game development teams?

The students assume roles such as technical lead, art lead, and project manager. There is no designated designer role as everyone is involved in the design process.

Q: How does violence relate to the educational games?

The team incorporates violence elements based on the fifth graders' interest, where they have to answer questions to acquire cookies and use them to shoot monsters, making the game engaging and aligned with the audience's preferences.

Q: How does feedback from the fifth graders affect game development?

Feedback from the fifth graders helps shape the games by identifying areas that need improvement and inspiring the students to strive for better quality.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ben emphasizes the need for continuous improvement in the process of creating educational video games.

• The students immerse themselves in the fifth grade classroom environment to understand the needs and preferences of the target audience.

• The use of Processing software simplifies the game development process, allowing immediate visualization of the code.