balta@fdi.ucm.es

Baltasar Fernandez-ManjonAngel del Blanco, Javier Torrente,

Angel Serrano, Ivan Martinez-Ortiz

Deploying and Debugging Educational Games Using e-

Learning Standards

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Introduction

Games are effective tools for teaching-learning

New trends in the serious games research trying to take more advantage of their potential: New game mechanics Learning analytics with games Apply e-Learning standards in games ….

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Introduction

Why use games following e-Learning standards?

(well know) Improved reusability and interoperability

to protect the investment made in high

cost educational contents

Exploit the game’s educative features by an active communication between games and

LMSStudent’s tracking

Assessment

Adaptation

Change lesson flow

……

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Learning Object paradigm

The Learning Object paradigm opened a broad range of opportunities Distribution Sharing Reuse and interoperability

Different standards deal with different interrelated aspects of LO model: Packaging and delivery Tagging VLE-to-content communication Content sequencing

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Current e-learning standards  

      Tracking  

Tagging Packaging Delivery Protocol Data Model  Sequencing

SCORM

IMS SS           X

IEEE COMMUNICATION& DATA MODEL(1484.11 family)

      X X  

    IMS CP   X        

IMS CC   IEEE LOM(1484.12 family)

X          

    IMS BLTI     X      

IMS LD   X       X

IMS SSP         X  

IMS LIS         X   

 [

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Problems

So… let’s do it!!

It’s technical complex process… Create XML documents to add metadata and content

structure Add specific XSD and DTD files Package together Execute games in web environments There are not a wide accepted standard that cover all the

features

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Problems

… and even more when the content will send/receive data Follow the selected communication channel Implement the API in the game Know the standard data model Study how the sent data can modify the lesson flow

Besides, there are not a standard that deals with the game integration in particular

So teachers and educators with limited technical background can not participate….

… so tools that ease the process are needed allowing to introduce experts in that matter

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eAdventure

Educational game authoring platform Point-and-click games Educators oriented

Specific educational features Assessment

Adaptation

Exportation as LO

One game – multiple different LMS

Easing the educators participation exporting games as LO Hiding technical details Export the same game in different formats with mininum changes Debug the data interchange

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Standards supported in eAdventure

Games as LO in eAdventure: IMS CP SCORM v1.2 and 2004 AGREGA (Spanish repository) LAMS (IMS-CP with special communication and data model files)

The educator only has to… Fill the meta data in a specific editor (only a reduced

version of those fields related with games) For games with active communication:

SCORM: select the part of the data modelLAMS: write it

Select the standard in the exportation wizard…… and eAdventure will prepare all the needed files, fill the XML,

and prepare the engine to communicate with the LMS

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Debbuging games with <e-Adventure>

Debug interface: Debug the game behaviour Test the communication protocol with LMS

Two modes: Online and offline

Give full control over communication protocol Sniff and log all events

Attribute-value pairs exchanged and the function used Manual API calls Show assessment report in a pop-up

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Online mode

Check if the game properly communicates with a back-end LMS Reduce the creation-test cycle

Explore how the standard actually works Reduce the learning curve

Explore how the game outputs impact the sequence flow

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Offline mode

Test the games with communication without needing to deploy the game in a real LMS Even shorten more the creation-test cycle…

API provider Developed in Javascript Same functionality as provided by SCORM 1.2 and 2004

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Case study

Course to teach basic concepts of Windows 7 Created in Moodle 1.9.5 Using eAdventure game packaged as SCORM 2004

The game assess the player behavior Short multiple-choice exam (5 right answer to be passed) These data is sent to LMS

SCORM interaction for each answer eAdventure assessment report

Also, general information is send Completion status Success status Score

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Case Study

The course was used to train professionals in e-Learning How SCORM actually works How SCORM module in Moodle 1.9.5 How the information that the game produces can be retrieved

from the LMS What are the more appropriate fields in the SCORM data model for

tracking students' interaction in games

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Conclusions

New GBL research lines Connect games and LMS and make the most of the data

exchanged

e-Learning standards in games Not obvious Work in progress… (ADL, Rusticci TinCan, etc…)

How eAdventure tries to face it Reduce the technical barriers Ease the standard understanding (high level UI) Provide tools for debugging the communication

Analyze and understand game packages developed by other authors

The debugger will be available soon in the next eAdventure release!!

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Questions

?Open Code of e-Adventure at

www.sourceforge.net

More info http://e-adventure.e-ucm.eshttp://www.e-ucm.es

Youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/

eAdventureUCM