Not all games graduates are created equal.. Sharing best practice - practical advice for games educators

When ‘Booty’ isn’t enough

Sharing best practice Workshop overview Part 1 Steven Yau (EA) Experiences of games education and getting into the games industry. Gregor White (The University of Abertay Dundee) 'you can lead a horse to water... ' Jon Purdy (The University of Hull) Herding Cats… Organising and assessing student group work. John Sear Industrially focused group projects “Applied Game Development”

Part 1

Steven Yau (EA)

Experiences of games education and getting into the games industry.

Gregor White (The University of Abertay Dundee)

'you can lead a horse to water... '

Jon Purdy (The University of Hull)

Herding Cats… Organising and assessing student group work.

John Sear

Industrially focused group projects “Applied Game Development”

Part 2 Sharing Best Practice. Split into three groups to discuss areas of best practice. Report and Review. Each group to present one or two novel ideas for the audience to take away and try. Sharing best practice Workshop overview

Part 2

Sharing Best Practice.

Split into three groups to discuss areas of best practice.

Report and Review.

Each group to present one or two novel ideas for the audience to take away and try.

Herding Cats… Organising and assessing student group projects. Why bother? “ Students’ portfolios should contain the outcomes from a team-based project to develop a computer game, demonstrating the ability to work in a team.” Skillset accreditation document

Organising and assessing student group projects.

Why bother?

“ Students’ portfolios should contain the outcomes from a team-based project to develop a computer game, demonstrating the ability to work in a team.”

Skillset accreditation document

Organising and assessing student group projects. The Problems (quotes from students) The game we were making was too big.. One of the group did nothing.. Two of the group were really bad programmers, the code they did had to be rewritten, but they still got the same mark as the rest of us. I didn’t want to work in a group so I did it on my own.

The Problems (quotes from students)

The game we were making was too big..

One of the group did nothing..

Two of the group were really bad programmers, the code they did had to be rewritten, but they still got the same mark as the rest of us.

I didn’t want to work in a group so I did it on my own.

Organising and assessing student group projects. The Problems (Problems caused by specifications) “form a group of between 1 and 6 to complete this coursework” “design and build a game of your choice” “ there is no formal class contact for this module – the game you produce must be demonstrated to the group at the end of term”

The Problems (Problems caused by specifications)

“form a group of between 1 and 6 to complete this coursework”

“design and build a game of your choice”

“ there is no formal class contact for this module – the game you produce must be demonstrated to the group at the end of term”

Organising and assessing student group projects. Golden rules for successful group game project. Seven years MSc experience. Three years final year BSc. Split into Group Selection Group Management Assessment

Golden rules for successful group game project.

Seven years MSc experience.

Three years final year BSc.

Split into

Group Selection

Group Management

Assessment

Group Selection Rule 1. Never let students select their own groups Rule 2. Select groups on ability – don’t mix ability. Rule 3. Allow as little freedom in the product as possible. Provide tech students with a design document. Provide Design students with a very tight specification

Rule 1.

Never let students select their own groups

Rule 2.

Select groups on ability – don’t mix ability.

Rule 3.

Allow as little freedom in the product as possible.

Provide tech students with a design document.

Provide Design students with a very tight specification

Group Management Rule 1 Set major milestones Get groups to define their weekly and final deliverables. Rule 2 Monitor progress Weekly presentations and progress reports Play the role of an external publisher Rule 3 Mix groups and sack group members if required

Rule 1

Set major milestones

Get groups to define their weekly and final deliverables.

Rule 2

Monitor progress

Weekly presentations and progress reports

Play the role of an external publisher

Rule 3

Mix groups and sack group members if required

Assessment Rule 1 Use self assessment Get groups to assess their product against their own planned deliverable – get them to give a mark. Rule 2 Use group to group peer assessment Get each group to assess each others work – rankings are good. Rule 3 Use self and peer assessment within the group. Get each group member to assess their own performance within the group. Get each member to assess all the other group members. Use individual interviews for this – don’t accept “we all did the same”.

Rule 1

Use self assessment

Get groups to assess their product against their own planned deliverable – get them to give a mark.

Rule 2

Use group to group peer assessment

Get each group to assess each others work – rankings are good.

Rule 3

Use self and peer assessment within the group.

Get each group member to assess their own performance within the group.

Get each member to assess all the other group members.

Use individual interviews for this – don’t accept “we all did the same”.

Herding Cats… Conclusions At the start of the project: Give the students as little freedom as possible At the end of the project: Allow the students as much input into the assessment as possible.

Conclusions

At the start of the project:

Give the students as little freedom as possible

At the end of the project:

Allow the students as much input into the assessment as possible.