Designing and implementing learning initiatives isn't complete without assessing their effectiveness, right?
Similarly, understanding how your learners performed and what they took away from the program is crucial for gauging its impact.
Traditional methods often miss the mark when it comes to keeping learners engaged and making assessments feel relevant to real-world scenarios, making Game-Based Assessments (GBAs) a more blended assessment that has engaging elements of gamification.
GBAs are not just about adding a fun twist to assessments; it’s about how these tools can truly enhance the value of your learning strategy. This means assessments are not only more engaging but also more accurate in measuring actual competencies.
What Are Game-Based Assessments?
Game-based assessments are innovative tools for evaluating employees' skills and knowledge through interactive learning games and engaging game-like experiences. These assessments, classified as 'serious games,' leverage game-based learning to create dynamic, interactive environments that not only engage but also provide deeper insights into real-world competencies and problem-solving skills.
This method makes the assessment process more enjoyable and provides a deeper understanding of an employee's abilities in real-world situations.
For example, a game might simulate a customer service situation where the employee needs to resolve a conflict. How they handle the situation within the game can reveal their communication skills, decision-making process, and ability to work under pressure.
The Setup of Game-Based Assessments
1. Alignment with Business Strategy
This ensures that the assessments measure the necessary skills and competencies and support strategic objectives such as digital transformation or leadership development.
2. Capability Assessment
This involves identifying critical competencies needed for various roles and mapping these against the employees' existing skills. Advanced GBA tools can then be used to pinpoint specific areas for development, providing targeted insights that guide personalized learning journeys and interventions.
3. Integration with Existing Learning Management Systems
This integration allows for the smooth transfer of data, tracking of progress, and coordination of learning activities. Additionally, it supports the creation of cohesive learning experiences by combining GBA results with other learning modules and resources.
4. Designing Effective Learning Journeys
Effective GBAs should be part of a well-designed learning journey that includes pre-assessment preparations, continuous feedback loops, and post-assessment follow-ups.
5. Educational Technology and Tools
This includes using platforms that support various programming languages. These e-learning tools facilitate the development of complex, interactive, and engaging educational games that can accurately measure a wide range of skills and behaviors.
6. Scalability and Flexibility
This includes the ability to quickly update content, add new modules, and customize assessments based on specific job roles or business requirements. Ensuring that the system is modular and easy to manage will help in maintaining its long-term viability.
How Do Game-Based Assessments Add Value to Learning?
1. They Make It Easy to Recall Information
The use of storytelling, visuals, and interactive tasks makes the learning experience memorable. When learners are actively involved in the learning process through games, they are more likely to recall the information later, as opposed to passive learning methods.
2. They Influence Cognitive Ability and Engagement
GBAs challenge learners to think critically and solve problems within the game, which enhances their cognitive abilities. The dynamic nature of gamification in education keeps learners actively engaged, as they must constantly make decisions, react to scenarios, and solve puzzles.
3. They Present Information Differently
Traditional assessments rely on rote memorization, while GBAs use interactive game formats to apply and solve the learned material. After being introduced to a topic, learners must apply their knowledge to solve problems presented in a game format.
4. They Reduce Biases and Provide Standardized Evaluations
GBAs are designed to provide standardized and objective evaluations. The game mechanics ensure that every learner is assessed based on the same criteria, reducing the potential for bias and ensuring fairness in the evaluation process.
5. They Offer Instant Feedback for Continuous Improvement
As learners interact with the game, they receive immediate responses to their actions, letting them know whether they are on the right track.
Common Approaches to Game-Based Assessments
1. Some L&D programs use popular video games to assess skills. For example, a game that requires strategic thinking like Civilization VI can be used to evaluate planning and decision-making abilities.
2. Custom-made game-based assessments for skill development focus on aspects like problem-solving, teamwork, or leadership by embedding tailored challenges into the gameplay. Organizations build these games to align precisely with their training goals, ensuring the development of specific skills critical for their teams, such as effective decision-making in high-pressure situations or seamless collaboration across departments.
3. Gamifying traditional tests involves adding game elements to standard assessments, such as points, badges, and leaderboards. This makes the tests more engaging and motivates learners to perform better. For example, adding 'lives' to a multiple-choice quiz allows learners to make a few mistakes before facing a penalty, encouraging them to think carefully and stay engaged.
4. Virtual Reality assessments can create immersive environments where learners can be assessed in realistic scenarios. For example, a VR simulation might be used to test how well a manager handles a high-pressure situation in the workplace.
Example of game-based learning assessments
In a sales training module, learners interact with a game that simulates various customer scenarios. Each game level presents a unique situation, such as handling complaints, making a sale, or explaining product features.
Instead of traditional MCQs, learners face interactive scenarios where they must choose actions that impact the outcome, like responding to a customer complaint or closing a sale.
Depending on the choices they make, the scenario unfolds differently, leading to various outcomes, such as successfully resolving the issue, escalating the problem, or even losing the customer.
Each decision influences the final result, providing immediate feedback on the effectiveness of their approach and reinforcing practical skills in a dynamic, engaging way.
What Makes GBAs Different From Gamification?
Feature | Game-Based Assessment (GBA) | Gamification |
Purpose | Measure learning outcomes and skills through gameplay. | Make tasks more engaging by adding game-like elements |
Design and Development | Create or adapt games specifically for assessing skills. | Add game mechanics to enhance learning content. |
Learning Objectives | Goals are achieved through applying knowledge to solve in-game challenges. | Goals are met by earning rewards within the module |
Engagement Level | High engagement due to its immersive and interactive nature. | Varies based on the integration of game elements. |
Motivation | Combines intrinsic motivation from gameplay challenges with extrinsic rewards like scores or levels. | Uses extrinsic rewards like points, badges, or leaderboards to motivate learners, sometimes paired with intrinsic enjoyment of the task. |
Feedback | Provides immediate, contextual feedback during gameplay, helping learners understand their performance in real-time and guiding them through the learning process. | Offers feedback through game-like elements such as points, badges, or scores, often summarizing overall performance rather than offering step-by-step guidance. |
The Types of Game-Based Assessments
1. Cognitive Games
These games are designed to test cognitive abilities such as memory, attention, problem-solving, and decision-making. They help identify strengths and areas for development in employees' cognitive skills.
Example
A memory game that requires sales employees to remember and recall details from customer interactions to improve attention to detail and problem-solving in real-time situations.
2. Behavioural Games
These games assess behaviours such as communication, teamwork, leadership, and conflict resolution. They provide insights into how employees interact in group settings and handle interpersonal challenges.
Example
A simulation game where employees manage the launch of a new product. They must allocate resources, set timelines, and collaborate with marketing, design, and sales teams to address challenges like last-minute design changes or supply chain disruptions. .
3. Emotional Intelligence Games
These games measure a person’s ability to recognize and manage emotions, empathize with others, and regulate their own emotions. They are crucial for roles that require high emotional intelligence, such as leadership and customer service.
Example
Managing a team member who is upset about not receiving a promotion. Participants choose how to respond from options like acknowledging the team member's feelings, discussing their performance, or deflecting the conversation.
4. Situational Judgment Games
These games test decision-making abilities in realistic scenarios. They assess how employees respond to workplace challenges and make decisions under pressure.
Example
A simulation where employees face a series of challenges, such as conflicting project deadlines and team disagreements. They must navigate these issues by managing their emotions, collaborating with team members, and finding solutions to keep the project on track.
5. Simulation Games
These games simulate real-life situations to assess practical skills and responses to various challenges. They provide a safe environment for employees to practice and improve their skills.
Example
A business management simulation where employees run a virtual company, making strategic decisions on resource allocation, project management, and team leadership to enhance their practical business skills.
The Best Practices For Designing Game-Based Assessments
Best Practice 1: Align Assessments with Learning Objectives
Game-based assessments should be directly linked to the training’s learning objectives. This ensures assessments are meaningful and relevant. This guarantees that assessments reflect intended learning outcomes and provide valuable insights into learner progress.
Example: For a leadership program emphasizing ‘effective delegation,’ design a game where participants manage a virtual team with varying skill levels and must decide which tasks to delegate to whom. Scoring is based on how well their decisions reflect effective delegation principles, directly assessing their application of the learned skills.
Tools/Resources: Game design software, and simulation tools like Articulate 360 and CenarioVR.
Best Practice 2: Utilize Diverse Assessment Types
Incorporating various assessment methods within game-based assessments helps address various learning styles. It engages learners through different modalities and offers a comprehensive evaluation of their skills.
Example: A financial services firm might use adaptive quizzes to test knowledge of regulatory changes, skill-based challenges for financial analysis, and simulations to replicate real-time decision-making scenarios.
Tools/Resources: Adaptive learning platforms, and simulation software like Kahoot and Adobe Captivate.
Best Practice 3: Tailor Game Mechanics to Learner Preferences
Adapting game mechanics to match the preferences and experience levels of the learner audience. This enhances engagement and effectiveness by aligning game features with learner motivations.
Example: A leadership training program could use strategic simulations to challenge senior managers while implementing leaderboards and competitive elements for newer employees to boost engagement.
Tools/Resources: Game-based assessment tools, and learner analytics platforms like GamEffective and Qstream.
Measuring Game-Based Assessments
1. Scores: Assess Learning Outcomes
Scores show how well learners did in the game-based assessment, reflecting their understanding and application of the content.
How: Use the game's analytics to track scores and ensure they match the learning goals. For example, if the aim is to test problem-solving skills, scores should indicate how well learners tackle challenges.
2. Completion Rates: Measure Engagement and Commitment
Completion rates refer to the percentage of participants who finish the game-based assessment compared to those who started it.
How: Monitor completion rates using data from the game platform. Look for patterns such as a significant drop-off at certain stages of the game.
3. Time Spent: Gauge Engagement and Difficulty
Time spent measures how long participants take to complete the assessment.
How: Record session durations with tracking tools. Longer times might mean the assessment is challenging or engaging, while shorter times could suggest it's too easy or that learners are disengaged.
4. Number of Attempts: Evaluate Persistence and Difficulty
The number of times a participant retries the assessment to achieve a desired outcome.
How: Track retries through game analytics. Frequent retries or high failure rates can show if the assessment strategies are too tough or if learners need more support.
5. Feedback: Understand Learner Experience
Feedback from participants provides qualitative insights into their experience with the game-based assessment.
How: Collect feedback through built-in feedback forms, post-assessment surveys, or direct comments. Ask learners specific questions about their experience, challenges faced, and perceived value of the assessment.
6. Observations: Assess Real-Time Interaction
Observations involve watching participants interact with the assessment in real-time.
How: Observe participants during the assessment or through recorded sessions. Take notes on their behaviour, reactions, and problem-solving strategies.
Conclusion
Did you know that 75% of employees prefer learning programs that have interactive elements over traditional learning methods? This underscores the effectiveness of incorporating game-based assessments into your L&D strategy.
Fun Fact: The concept of using games for adaptive learning dates back to ancient Greece, where educational games were used to teach philosophy and rhetoric. It’s fascinating to see how this ancient practice has evolved into a modern tool for enhancing workplace learning and development!
This shows that if something has been around for ages and is continuing to make an impact, there might be a reason for it right? (P.S. It’s because GBAs do add a tremendous value to learning!)
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