Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project

/ Problem statement

General Statement It's completely normal or !ids to get bored during unentertaining classes" #ometimes$ teachers don't Investigation teach the !ids in their classroom in a un %ay" This gi&es a result o not understanding due to lac! o ocus$ %hich lin!s to boredom" I !ids don't understand %hat they are being taught$ then it's pretty much pointless to go to school and learn" Specific Statement This is rele&ant to me because I go to school and sometimes I get bored %hen a teacher only e'plains by tal!ing" I personally li!e it much more %hen they e'plain in an entertaining %ay" I tend to not ocus %hen a class is too boring actually" This is rele&ant to e&ery single student around the %orld because I(m sure they all ha&e the same problem as me$ %hich is that %hen a teacher tal!s too much$ they get bored" I(ll speci ically create an educational game or my little brother Ali so that he can learn ho% to spell )uic!ly and he(d be able to learn it more %hen he plays a game rather than listening to his teacher e'plaining" I decided to create my educational game speci ically about spelling because almost all my riends ha&e spelling mista!es so I(d li!e them and e&eryone around the %orld to spell %ell" #pelling is considered as a &ery important component no%adays because you can(t e'actly get a good job i your spelling is bad" I my spelling %as bad then I %ouldn(t get good job because my boss %ouldn(t understand any letter I gi&e him and he %ould get &ery annoyed" Design *rie I %ill design and create an educational game about English$ speci ically to do %ith spelling" The grade le&el or this game is going to be rom grade +-," The more the person gets an ans%er correct$ the harder the )uestions %ill get" I chose to do my educational game about this topic because I noticed that many and many people ha&e mista!es in spelling" To create the game$ I %ill use a program named lash" *ut be ore I use it$ I(ll need to learn ho% to use it"

Research - Analysis E'ample ./ / http///%%%"mathletics"me/ 0athletics is a great %ebsite to allo% !ids to practice mathematics in an entertaining %ay" There are di erent games or di erent grade le&els" 1or younger grades$ you play %ith addition and subtraction and this ma!es their math s!ills better" It is a &ery color ul %ebsite as blue is the main color" 1or each %ee!$ 0athletics puts the top .22 players in the %orld so students can eel good about themsel&es" Analysis/

Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project 0athletics allo%s young !ids to practice adding$ subtracting$ di&iding$ and multiplying by playing a un game named 0AT3# 4I5E %hich is competing %ith 6 people ma'imum and see %ho gets the highest score %hen the time ends" 0athletics is a &ery color ul %ebsite and that is a positi&e point because it %ould attract !ids to play on it %hereas i it %as boring and dull$ people %ould get bored and not %ant to play" It includes a scoreboard" This is &ery good because it lets younger !ids %ant to al%ays be at the top o the scoreboard so they(d al%ays %ant to play the most to be at the top" 0athletics includes bron7e$ sil&er and gold certi icates" 8ou ha&e to reach to a certain amount o number per %ee! to achie&e a bron7e certi icate$ i you ha&e a certain number o bron7e certi icates$ they e)ual a sil&er one" Around 9 sil&er certi icates are e)ual to a golden one and so on:

;hat I li!e about mathletics/ It helps students practice math in a un %ay" I %hile the student is ans%ering a )uestion and they didn't !no% ho% to sol&e it$ they can clic! on the )uestion mar!$ %hich is a button that e'plains the lesson" ;hen students %or! hard and play on mathletics a lot$ they get re%arded" There is more than one language used so people around the %orld can play the game" ;hat I disli!e about mathletics/ 8ou ha&e to sign up to be able to participate" To sign up$ you ha&e to be either rom a school or you ha&e to pay" 3o% mathletics can be impro&ed/ The mathletics o%ners can ma!e it ree to join and open to e&erybody in the %orld so people %ho can(t a ord to pay can still be able to impro&e their math s!ills" The creators should lea&e it open to all people %ith no signing re)uirements as some people do not eel com ortable %ith gi&ing personal in ormation and others just %ant to play it or a day or t%o$ not a ull year so it %ould be better i players don(t ha&e to sign up" Tools used to create mathletics/ 1lash Internet/ There must be internet to e&en access the %ebsite and all those tools any%ay" ;ebsite/ 0athletics itsel is a %ebsite Graphics ;ord processor #preadsheet

E'ample +/ 0ath 4ines / http///%%%"learninggames or!ids"com/math<games/addition/math-lines-.2"html This game is about math as it clearly states that" It is called 0ath 4ines" The idea is ta!en rom the game =>uma?$ %hich is a &ery amous game and I really enjoy it @this is %hy this game caught my eye"A The game is basically that there is something in the middle$ %hich shoots balls and there is a

Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project circle o balls surrounding it so you are the one %ho gets to pic! %here to shoot the ball" The objecti&e o the game is to shoot the ball and pair it up so they %ould e)ual number .2" It is a &ery color ul game as not all the balls are in the same color" Analysis/ 0ath 4ines is a &ery color ul %ebsite" This can be seen in the picture abo&e" Bolors are e'tremely important in a %ebsite so that the player doesn(t get bored" I the player gets bored$ the game %ould be pointless since the aim is to get engaged and learn" 0ath 4ines is an educational game based on the amous game named >C0A %here there are lots o balls around and you ha&e a creature holding one so you(re supposed to shoot the ball to%ards the same ball surrounding it" In this game$ you(re supposed to shoot the ball %ith a pair that %ould add up to .2" 4ots o people lo&e the game >C0A so it(s a good thing that the game is based on >C0A" ;hat I li!e about 0ath 4ines/ o o o The idea is ta!en rom one o my a&orite games named >C0A$ %hich is a un %ay to engage !ids to play the game" The game is ree %hich means that people %ho can(t a ord to pay can still be able to play" It(s &ery color ul and that(s important in order to not bore the players"

;hat I disli!e about 0ath 4ines/ o o Do instructions/ it doesn(t e'plain %hat you ha&e to do in the game so %hile you play$ you ha&e to clic! on the Euestion 0ar! %hich helps you ho% to do so" The game %as &ery di icult" 8ounger children %ould ind it hard to cope %ith"

3o% it can be impro&ed/ o o It %ould be a better game and it %ould be less con using i the instructions %ere e'plained be ore one played the game" It %ould be better i the game %as more simple$ it(s too di icult: A .6 year old ound it di icult$ a F year old %ould ind it impossible to play"

Tools used to create 0ath 4ines/ 1lash Internet/ The game can(t be accessed %ithout internet ;ebsite/ The game is a %ebsite Graphics ;ord processor #preadsheet

E'ample G/ #peedy #peller / http///%%%"learninggames or!ids"com/ eatured-games/typing<practice."html This is an online game about spelling" I clic!ed on it because I thought it %as a brilliant idea to produce the game about a subject %hich lots o people ma!e mista!es in" This is a color ul game as you can see" It ma!es people eel good about themsel&es because it has a scoreboard %hich %ill %ant !ids to be at the top so they(d try their best: Another &ery important point is that the game is ree and it doesn(t re)uire any sort o payment" This is important because !ids %ho could not a ord paying could still play" To be honest$ this game is %hat made me change my mind rom doing my o%n educational game about math to spelling" Analysis/

Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project Hn speedy speller$ there is a timer that times ho% long you too! to type the %ord and this is good because i you play another time$ you can compare the time ta!en to play and see i you ha&e impro&ed" It includes &ery clear instructions be ore the game is played and that(s important because the instructions ma!e e&erything much clearer and it ma!es the game simple and straight or%ard" It has a scoreboard$ %hich is e'cellent because players %ould %ant to remain at the top o the scoreboard so they %ould try their best: There is good bac!ground music$ %hich ma!es the game ali&e" This is necessary because %ithout the bac!ground music$ the game %ould be boring %hereas i there %ere bac!ground music$ the player %ould be engaged to the game and be entertained" ;hat I li!e about #peedy #peller/ o o o o o It times you ho% long you ta!e to type the %ord" The instructions are clearly labeled be ore you play the game" A &oice spea!s and tells you the %ords you should %rite" There is a bac!ground sound/music" It has a scoreboard %hich !eeps trac! o players results and in the same time$ it challenges players and ma!es them %ant to be at the top o the scoreboard"

;hat I disli!e about #peedy #peller/ o o o ;hen you play the game again$ all the %ords are the same" The creator didn(t ta!e his time to include another range o %ords" The game gets boring a ter a %hile because the %ords are &ery easy" It should be challenging" There are no le&els" It(s a &ery short game:

3o% #peedy #peller can be impro&ed/ o o o It should ha&e le&els and the more the person plays$ the harder the le&el gets because in that %ay the player %ould actually impro&e instead o stay on their same le&el" In order to ma!e this a better game$ the creator should put harder %ords as the game proceeds" The creator should add more le&els in order to challenge older children and help them %ith their spelling because the list o %ords chosen is too easy or .G year olds"

Tools used to create #peedy #peller/ 1lash Internet/ Internet is a compulsory tool to create the %ebsite" ;ebsite/ The game is basically a %ebsite" Graphics ;ord processor #preadsheet Design speci ications .- 0y educational game must ha&e instructions on ho% to play" This is because i there %ere no instructions$ the player %ould %aste their time by playing G or 6 times on the same le&el instead o succeeding and mo&ing onto the other le&el" I %ill test this design speci ication by as!ing 9 players to play my game and see i they got con used or not" I G out o 9 people got con used$ then I ob&iously didn't ha&e instructions on ho% to play or my instructions %eren't clear enough" +- 0y educational game must ha&e + di erent le&els at least %ith .2 )uestions in each le&el at least" This is because i it didn't ha&e le&els/ .A the game %ould be &ery short +A it %on't be challenging since it's just one le&el" I %ill test this design speci ication by as!ing 9 people to play it" I they thin! it's not help ul @it didn't teach them anything/didn't re&ie%A then I probably did something %rong because this

Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project game is supposed to be helping them by ma!ing them better throughout the le&els" G- 0y educational game must include sound" This is because %ithout sound$ the game %ould be &ery boring %hich %ould result in not ocusing and that %ould pretty much ma!e my game pointless because they %ouldn(t learn anything" I %ill test this design speci ication by getting + people @because it doesn(t need much people to detect soundA" I chose + people just in case one o them has some !ind o hearing problem" I one o them said they can clearly hear the sound and I$ mysel can hear the sound then there de initely is sound" Although i non o the + people and mysel couldn(t hear the sound$ then ob&iously$ there is no sound and I did something %rong" 6- 0y educational game should include a timer or each spelling %ord" This is because it %ould ma!e the game much more challenging" I there %as no time limit$ it %ouldn(t be challenging$ %hich %ould be boring" A person could possibly stay hours or e&en cheat %hile playing the game and that %ouldn(t be help ul so in order to impro&e their spelling s!ills$ they need to be )uic!" I %ill test this speci ication by as!ing . person to play the game and i they said that the timer helped them become better at spelling then that mission is completed: 9- 0y educational game should be &ery color ul @more than + colors usedA" This is because i the game %as dull and barely had any colors then the person playing %ould eel sleepy and %ill not %ant to continue playing" I %ill test this speci ication by letting + !ids play it and i they proceeded into the ne't le&el %ith a good score @more than F/.2A )uestions correct then the game is color ul because it didn(t bore the !ids" I- 0y educational game should include a scoreboard %ith the top .9 people" This is because it is a great %ay to challenge people into impro&ing by playing more since they(d %ant to be at the top o the scoreboard" It is also a good idea because it %ill let people !eep trac! o their o%n scores" I %ill test this design speci ication by going on the game and chec!ing i there is a scoreboard" F- 0y educational game should ha&e a sections @Eg/ age or grade ranges be ore the game starts so the le&el o challenge depends on the age/grade" This is because i a I year old played and I included &ery hard %ords or .I year olds$ it %ouldn(t be a good game or learning" ;hereas i a I year old could actually tell the game that they(re I$ the game %ould be per ect or their le&el and in that %ay the game %ould actually be help ul since the game %ould be just right or the players age range" I %ill test this by getting a young child and an older child to play$ i they both ound it easy but challenging to play then the game is success ul %hereas i they both didn(t understand and ound the game too hard then the I didn(t include age/grade le&els" J- 0y educational game shouldn(t re)uire players to sign up *CT it should let them type their irst name or initials" This is because it %ould help the person !eep trac! o their scores and in order or the scoreboard to proceed$ names %ill need to be there to !no% %ho scored %hat" I %ill test this design speci ication by as!ing + people to play the game and I(ll as! them i the game as!ed them to enter their names" I they both say yes$ then there de initely is a stage in the game %here a name is as!ed" ,- 0y educational game should be simple" This is so younger !ids or people %ho are ne% to technology can be able to play %ithout ha&ing a hard time" I %ill test this speci ication by getting + younger children to play the game and i they mo&ed on to the ne't le&el %ith no di iculty @instruction-%ise$ not spelling-%iseA then I %ill !no% that the game is simple" .2- 0y educational game must not as! users or any sort o payment" This is so anyone$ in any social le&el$ could play it" I say this rom personal e'perience because %hen I see games %ith money$ the irst thing that crosses my mind is they only did the game or money and not or children(s education" I %ill test this by as!ing . person to play the game and I %ill as! them i the game as!ed or money or any !ind o payment$ i they said no then that means it doesn(t re)uire money" ..- 0y game should be open at all times" This is because i it %as only open in school hours then the !ids %on(t impro&e much but i they %ere able to play it on %ee!ends or %hen they got home rom school$ they can play as much as they %ant and impro&e as much as possible" I %ill test this speci ication by chec!ing mysel i I can play the game at home a ter school hours and on %ee!ends" .+- 0y educational game should be addicting" This is because i it %eren(t addicting then nobody

Raghad Al-Ansari Digital Technology Educational Game Project %ould continue playing it and their spelling %ouldn(t impro&e so my game %ould be pointless" I %ill test this by chec!ing the scoreboard$ i + out o 6 people had played at least t%ice then I !no% that my game is addicting" Testing Survey ." In %hat %ay did this educational game help you impro&e your spelling s!illsK +" ;hen you %anted to play the game$ did you ha&e to pay or include personal in ormation other than your irst nameK G" ;hile you %ere playing the game$ %as there a timer that %ould control ho% much time you had to spell each %ordK 6" ;as there more than . language on the game and %hy did you ind that a good ideaK 9" ;as the game straight or%ard and simpleK ;ere the instructions clearK Did you ha&e a hard time playing or %as it sel -e'planatoryK I" ;hen you %anted to play the game$ did it as! you to payK F" Did you ind the game addictingK 3o% do you !no% that you elt !ind o addicted to itK Checklist + or more le&els #coreboard Age ranges/grade le&el #ound/bac!ground music Instructions Hpen at all times

*ibliography

L0athletics"L Mathletics" D"p"$ n"d" ;eb" . Hct" +2.G" Mhttp///%%%"mathletics"me/N" L0ath 4ines"L Learning Games For Kids" D"p"$ n"d" ;eb" G Hct" +2.G" Mhttp///%%%"learninggames or!ids"com/math<games/addition/m ath-lines-.2"htmlN" LTyping Practice"L Learning Games For Kids" D"p"$ n"d" ;eb" G Hct" +2.G" Mhttp///%%%"learninggames or!ids"com/ eaturedgames/typing<practice."htmlN"
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