This document discusses the rationale and history of educational board games. It explains that board games are a familiar medium that facilitate face-to-face interaction and capable of a range of learning outcomes. The earliest known board game is Senet, which dates back to 3300 BCE in ancient Egypt. Board games are categorized as linear movement games, 2D pattern games, battlefield games, and combination games. Examples of different game structures that can align with educational content are provided, such as movement through space/time matching a race game structure or obstacles matching blockages in a race game path. The design process for educational board games is outlined.

1. Educational Board Game
Design
Part One
Rationale, History,
Types & Structures
1

2. Board Game
 Firsttaste of educational game design
 Technically simple
 Conceptually harder than it looks
 Deliverables: playable prototype and
design document

3. Why Board Games?
 Familiar medium
 Easily stored
 Self-contained
 Face to face interaction
 Capable of a range of learning outcomes
from simple factual recall to the
understanding of complex systems
 Great place to begin

4. History
 Senet
 3300BCE
 Found in tombs

5. Senet online
http://www.clemusart.com/kids/egypt/senet.html

6. Senet Online

7. Types of Board Games
 Linear Movement or
Race Games
 Pieces move along a
path (e.g. Monopoly,
Candy Land)
 2-D Pattern Games
 Object is to build
patterns of pieces (e.g.
Go, Othello, Scrabble)

8. Types of Board Games
 Battlefield
 Pieces attack other
pieces, removing them
from the board (e.g.,
Chess, Risk)
 Combination
 Games which combine
elements of the other 3
categories (e.g.
Backgammon)

9. http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/

10. {rpphecy
http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/?p=86

11. In Search of Elegance
 Elegance= congruity between the forms
of the game and structures within the
content, such as...
 Movement through space, time
 Shortcuts
 Obstacles
 Patterns of elements
 Prizes, trophies, treasures

12. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Movement through space or
time
 Getting a Masters degree
 Stages of digestion
 Evolution
 The process of impeachment
 Game: paths in a race game

13. Movement through Space & Time

15. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Shortcuts
 Marrying into money
 Mutation
 Scientific breakthrough
 Finding the “smoking gun”
 Game: jumping along or between paths
in a race game

17. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Obstacles
 Insufficient money or other resources
 Not enough votes
 Mountains or deserts to cross
 Lack of data
 Game:
blockage in paths in a race
game or the absence of a path

20. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Patterns of Elements as Goal
 Balanced meals
 Balanced life
 Electoral College votes
 Game:acquisition of cards or tokens in
particular combinations

21. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Elements with different levels
of power
 Superintendent vs Principal vs. teacher
 Large countries vs small
 Microsoft vs just about anyone else
 Game:
use of game pieces that can
move more flexibly or that can
overcome other pieces

22. Different Characters

23. Attributes

24. Location Effect

25. Changes in Health During Play

26. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Elements with different levels
of value
 Rare coins vs common ones
 Real estate in La Jolla vs. somewhere else
 Gold vs silver vs bronze medals
 Game:tokens or play money to allow
the acquisition of these elements or to
use as scorekeeping devices

27. Goals / Treasures

28. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Choices and Decisions
 Go on to college, or get a job?
 Attack the Nazis now, or wait?
 Buy Qualcomm or Apple stock?
 Game:branches in the path of a race
game, or strategies for deploying
pieces or tokens.

29. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Variations in Risk
 Buying futures options vs. stocks
 Running an attack ad against your opponent
 Quitting your job to start a small business
 Game:parallel paths with more penalty
squares on the shorter path, or chance
cards in different stacks depending on
risk.

31. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content: Changing Environment
 The stock market turns from bullish to bearish
 After the revolution, those closest to the king
are now most in danger
 Drastic climate change bodes ill for reptiles
 Game:changing the rules or structures
during the game.

32. Example Content+Game
Structures
 Content:Random or Uncontrolled
Events
 Weather
 Prices of raw materials
 Other people’s behavior
 Game: dice, spinners, or chance cards

33. Dice

34. Randomly Drawn Cards

36. Board Game Design Phases
 Do Front End Work
 Draft a Preliminary Design
 Produce Prototype
 Conduct Field Trials
 Revise as Needed
 Publish, Disseminate and/or Use

37. For Next Week

38. http://www.boardgameswithscott.com/

39. Cardboard Cognition
http://edweb.sdsu.edu/courses/edtec670/cardboard/CardboardCognition.html

40. Board Game Ideas
 Something you can use
 NO TRIVIAL PURSUIT
 Find a team
 Ideally, multiple play

42. Game Crafter

43. Educational Board Game
Design
Part One
Rationale, History,
Types & Structures
43