Designing an Interactive Learning Event
An Interactive Learning Event (ILE) can be a game, gamification effort or event a simulation. It is a learning intervention that you create that engages the learner. Technology is not needed, only carefully crafted design affordances.
The first step in the development process is to determine what you want the outcome to be. Is it an affective change, learning, awareness or a behavioral change? What will be different as the result of a successfully developed ILE intervention? These questions need to be answered so there is a clear path toward developing outcomes other than just “entertainment” or because “it’s cool.”
Once you have adequately answered those questions, get a group together and brainstorm ideas with subject matter experts, programming team members, artists, game designers and instructional designers. Include everyone to discover what can be done and to most effective integrate the serious outcomes into the ILE design process.
The brainstorming process should result in the integration of the right amount of content and process knowledge integrated into the ILE along with identification of the possible flow of the prototype, the “teachable” moments in the ILE and an understanding of what is technically possible from a programming perspective.
This includes developing a rough storyline or flow for the ILE and considering any point or reward systems. It also includes identifying activities that most effectively convey your “learning” message.
During this step, you want to determine the type of content that will be taught during the process and the type of interactivity that will be involved in the ILE. Do players compete against one another or against the computer or is it cooperative? Is it a turn-based? Or does a character move from place to place? What is the content you want to convey and how are you going to convey it? Is the message getting lost in the game play? Can the player get through the game and miss the message or intent? How do we get the player to reflect or act upon our message?
This step helps to identify what types of structures mechanics and other elements are required.
One result of the brainstorming process and alignment of concepts to be taught with activities is the creation of a Design Document outlining the design of the ILE, assumptions upon which the ILE is based, and the specific activities which will be used to convey the content. This is not a 200 page specifications document; it is a high level piece to give everyone a general understanding of the ILE that is to be developed.
Think of this more of a concept document.
At this point, it is a good idea to create a paper mock up of the ILE and play it. The mock up doesn’t need to be elaborate it just needs to convey the concepts of the ILE as accurately as possible. If the paper mock up is boring or not fun to play, any electronic version of the ILE you want to create is not going to fun or the classroom version won’t be fun.
With easy-to-use software for prototyping, this step is really tempting to skip. Don’t. There is nothing as telling as trying to play a paper-based version of an ILE. The insights gained into the design and instructional assumptions will be invaluable in making your final version better.
Once feedback is obtained, the feedback should be incorporated into the necessary documents and storyboards to track the necessary requirements. From this point, start development. Get the team together and create the first level of the ILE functionality.
Then have a meeting with stakeholders to see the result, make any changes and then develop another small section of the ILE.
Daily meetings are important throughout this process because development can have lots of obstacles and complications and everyone needs to work together. At specific points, play test to see how the new features workout from both a playability perspective but also from the message perspective. Are people getting the learning, social message or advocacy of the ILE you are developing, if not, you need to refine the play and interactions to ensure the message is conveyed. When in doubt, test the ILE with representatives of your target audience to see how it is tracking with them. Modify as necessary.
Once you have what you think is a success, begin the programming or creation of the ILE to implement.
