There is increasing interest in using examination of behaviors during videogame play as measurements of human knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics. Such a shift reflects a growing... Show More

There is increasing interest in using examination of behaviors during videogame play as measurements of human knowledge, skills, abilities, and other characteristics. Such a shift reflects a growing dissatisfaction with traditional assessment methods, like surveys, tests, and interviews. Game-based assessment addresses this dissatisfaction in three ways. First, test-taking motivation is likely to increase due to the motivating nature of well-designed games. Second, scores may be less contaminated in high-stakes contexts if games are perceived as less threatening than cognitive tests. Third, the validity of measurement may increase because gameplay is a behavioral outcome, whereas other approaches require respondents to engage in accurate self-reflection. Fortunately, the cost of game development has decreased to the point where it is now feasible for individual researchers to develop their own videogames or modify existing videogames in order to test these concepts. Rigorous experimental designs, large sample sizes, a multifaceted approach to validation, and in-depth statistical analyses are recommended, so that the assessment game literature meets the same standards as the validation literature at large, with the long-term goal of replacing many traditional assessments with game-based variations of equal psychometric strength. One day, perhaps “assessment” will be synonymous with “fun.”

Measurement of General Mental Ability (GMA) using computer mediated simulations (CMS) may provide a new method of assessment. CMS used for assessments of GMA may be strongly affected by a... Show More

Measurement of General Mental Ability (GMA) using computer mediated simulations (CMS) may provide a new method of assessment. CMS used for assessments of GMA may be strongly affected by a participant's prior experience, and the predictive utility of CMS for assessment of GMA is largely unexplored. In this experiment, an existing computer video game was modified to function as an assessment of Fluid Intelligence (Gf) while controlling for participants' prior experience with CMS. Results indicated a positive relationship between tests of Fluid Intelligence (Gf) and game performance (r = .44 - 46), a weaker relationship between game performance and Crystallized Intelligence (Gc) (r = .27), no significant relationship to g, and no significant moderating effect for participants' prior experience upon any of these relationships. Based on these findings, CMS appear to hold promise as a new assessment tool for factors of GMA.

Selective sustained attention, or the ability to allocate perceptual and mental resources to a single object or event, is an important cognitive ability widely assumed to be required for learning.... Show More

Selective sustained attention, or the ability to allocate perceptual and mental resources to a single object or event, is an important cognitive ability widely assumed to be required for learning. Assessing young children's selective sustained attention is challenging due to the limited number of sensitive and developmentally appropriate performance-based measures. Furthermore, administration of existing assessments is difficult, as children's engagement with such tasks wanes quickly. One potential solution is to provide assessments within an engaging environment, such as a video game. This paper reports the design and psychometric validation of a video game (Monster Mischief) designed to assess selective sustained attention in preschool children. In a randomized controlled trial, the authors demonstrate that Monster Mischief is significantly correlated with an existing measure of selective sustained attention (rs = 0.52), and more motivating for young children as almost 3 times more children preferred Monster Mischief to the existing measure.

Two embodied gears games were created. Better learners should use fewer gear switches to reflect their knowledge. Twenty–three 7th graders, playing as dyads, used gestures to manipulate virtual... Show More

Two embodied gears games were created. Better learners should use fewer gear switches to reflect their knowledge. Twenty–three 7th graders, playing as dyads, used gestures to manipulate virtual gears. The Kinect sensor tracked arm-spinning movements and switched gear diameters. Knowledge tests were administered. Statistically significant knowledge gains were seen. For Game 1 (gear spun one direction), switching significantly predicted only pretest knowledge. For Game 2 (gear spun two directions) switching was also negatively correlated with both tests. For game 2, those who used fewer switches during gameplay understood the construct better scoring higher on both tests. Dyadic analyses revealed the winner used significantly fewer switches. In-process data can provide a window onto knowledge as it is being encoded. However, games should stay within the learner's ZPD, because if the game is too easy (Game 1), meaningful data may be difficult to gather. The use of in ludo data from games with high sensitivity may attenuate the need for repetitive traditional, post-intervention tests.

Stealth assessment provides an innovative way to assess and ultimately support knowledge, skills, and other personal attributes within learning and gaming environments without disrupting students'... Show More

Stealth assessment provides an innovative way to assess and ultimately support knowledge, skills, and other personal attributes within learning and gaming environments without disrupting students' flow. In this paper, the authors briefly discuss two challenges they encountered during the development of stealth assessments in two past projects (i.e., utility issues related to log files and validation issues related to in-game measures). They also present successful examples of designing and testing stealth assessments and describe the steps they are taking to apply the lessons they have learned to the ongoing development of a stealth assessment for problem solving skills. The authors conclude with suggestions for future research.