Clic The Technology

Posts Tagged ‘Educational Game’

The goal of an educational game is to teach a specific body of knowledge.

You must have a clear idea of what this knowledge is from the start. You cannot create a  game first and then tack on some educational value at the end. This usually means working  with a subject matter expert and adhering to the following guidelines:
* Have a clear goal. “By the time the player is done, he will know this.”
*  state frameworks, the documents published by state governments that contain the objectives for a given curriculum.
* Target age is important. Children develop rapidly and move quickly from one  stage to another. For example, older kids like the element of mystery in a game,  whereas younger kids need to feel safe.
* Interactivity, important in every genre, is even more vital in children’s games. Every time the player does something, he wants to see something happen on the screen.
* Keep the interface simple. Don’t clutter up the screen or give the player too many  options at once. Make buttons large and easy to click. Young players might not yet have the motor skills to maneuver the cursor to a precise area on the screen.
* Engage the emotions, and wrap the educational content into goal-oriented behavior.
* Reward the player often, not necessarily with points but with responses that  encourage him to carry on. Deemphasize failure with encouraging words and a  hint to push him in the right directions.
* Don’t shy away from conflict. It is as engaging to kids as it is to adults (witness  Saturday morning cartoons). Do steer away from violence, however. It will never  be accepted in a children’s game.