1. Game Design as a
Pedagogy
Jennifer Groff
Director of Learning & Program Development

4. Game Design Tool Kit

5. Learning By Design

6. Learning By Design
• Design as a means to learn a topic deeply

7. Learning By Design
• Design as a means to learn a topic deeply
• Apply those understandings to new
creative concepts

8. Rationale & Benefits

9. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design

10. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful

11. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful
• Leverage interest in and knowledge of games and
technology

12. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful
• Leverage interest in and knowledge of games and
technology
• Foster creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills

13. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful
• Leverage interest in and knowledge of games and
technology
• Foster creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Encourage student-teacher communication and
collaboration

14. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful
• Leverage interest in and knowledge of games and
technology
• Foster creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Encourage student-teacher communication and
collaboration
• Help teachers become design coaches, mentors, & experts

15. Rationale & Benefits
• Inspire/motivate teachers and students through design
• Provide opportunities to make learning relevant, purposeful
• Leverage interest in and knowledge of games and
technology
• Foster creative problem-solving and critical thinking skills
• Encourage student-teacher communication and
collaboration
• Help teachers become design coaches, mentors, & experts
• Create opportunities to develop presentation skills

16. The Tool Kit: process

17. The Tool Kit: process
• EXPLORE

18. The Tool Kit: process
• EXPLORE
• DISCOVER

19. The Tool Kit: process
• EXPLORE
• DISCOVER
• CREATE

20. The Tool Kit: process
• EXPLORE
• DISCOVER
• CREATE
• SHARE

22. EXPLORE

23. EXPLORE
What process or procedures are important
to grasping this topic?

24. EXPLORE
What process or procedures are important
to grasping this topic?
Where does the fun emerge in the topic?

25. EXPLORE
What process or procedures are important
to grasping this topic?
Where does the fun emerge in the topic?
What is playful about the topic?

26. DISCOVER

27. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?

28. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...

29. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?

30. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?
To advance a level, a player must...

31. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?
To advance a level, a player must...
What are the levels and challenges of the game?

32. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?
To advance a level, a player must...
What are the levels and challenges of the game?
Stages of play include...

33. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?
To advance a level, a player must...
What are the levels and challenges of the game?
Stages of play include...
What are the rules of the game?

34. DISCOVER
What is the main goal of the game?
To win, a player must...
What are the sub-goals of the game?
To advance a level, a player must...
What are the levels and challenges of the game?
Stages of play include...
What are the rules of the game?
Global and level-specific requirements include...

35. What do students produce?

36. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document

37. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals

38. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges

39. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting

40. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting
- Interface and Navigation Summary

41. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting
- Interface and Navigation Summary
- Look and Feel Description / Samples

42. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting
- Interface and Navigation Summary
- Look and Feel Description / Samples
• Paper Prototype

43. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting
- Interface and Navigation Summary
- Look and Feel Description / Samples
• Paper Prototype
• Play Test Evaluation Summary

44. What do students produce?
• Learning Game Design Concept Document
- Working Title / Brief Description / Learning Goals
- Game Story / Game Structure / Challenges
- Player Experience Summary / Scoring / Reporting
- Interface and Navigation Summary
- Look and Feel Description / Samples
• Paper Prototype
• Play Test Evaluation Summary
• Final Design Document / Pitch Presentation

45. Join & Download

46. Join & Download
www.learninggamesnetwork.org

47. Join & Download
www.learninggamesnetwork.org
/projects/game-design-tool-kit

48. Thank you!
Jennifer Groff
Director of Learning & Program Development
jen@learninggamesnetwork.org