Research process
From Gamewiki
These are the step by step instructions for teachers and community college students on how to conduct your class including the research. This plan assumes that you are teaching the one week Scalable Game Design module. The expected outcome is that all students will have finished at least one game (Frogger) and some may have moved on to make their own game or picked another game for the list of game designs.
Before the Scalable Game Design module
- 3 weeks before: Install the AgentSheets software on your school computers. Send email to Alexander Repenning to get a special ITEST key and email Vicki Bennett to confirm your start date. Make sure software runs, can open existing projects and allows students to build and save their own games.
- 2 weeks before: Have students sign consent forms. As you know it can take a long time to get forms back. You may want to remind them "if you want to play and make games you should not forget to get these forms signed by your parents." All of the consent and assent forms either will be collected during a site visit or returned with provided postage-paid envelopes to Vicki Bennett.
- As teacher you need to sign Teacher Consent Form.
- Parents of the students need to fill out the Parent Consent Form.
- Have middle school students complete the Student Assent Form.
- Optional: have the students sign the media consent form. We like to take pictures in the classroom but can only take pictures of students with signed media release forms. It is NOT necessary to sign this form to participate in the research.
- 1 week before: send us class roster. You will be contacted by a project member to provide a class list. We need this list to setup the accounts for the Scalable Game Design Arcade to collect the student games. The website will NOT reveal the names/identities of students.
- 1 week before or first day of class: administer Pre Questionnaire: Your students will have to fill out a questionnaire before they start the game design unit. Administer the questionnaire right before or as the first activity of the one week Scalable Game Design module. The questionnaire takes no more than 45 minutes. Important: you need to use the links to the survey sent to you by email.
After the Scalable Game Design module
- Collect Games: Have the students submit all their games. Remember, this can take a while. If they make additional games have them submit the games as optional games. The games need to be submitted the into the Scalable Game Design arcade. They students will to have log in.
- Administer Post Questionnaire: Your students will have to fill out a second questionnaire after they engage in game design to assess potential changes. Important: you need to use the links to the survey sent to you by email
Testing the Questionnaires
The actual links to tests have been sent to teachers through email but you can test out these questionnaires to see if you can access and use the tests. Please try this before you administer the actual test.
