Case Study: Get in the Game! The Cisco Binary Game
By Jerry Bush
Tips on creating a successful learning game.
Can you learn from a video game? Can a learning game really be fun? With the advent of what many call the Gamer Generation, these questions merit careful consideration. All good games (video or otherwise) have an element of learning, and with newer, more complex video and computer games, the learning is quite extensive. While most popular video games today may not prepare you for the skills needed to succeed in the real business world, that time may not be far off. In its first few years of building learning games, Cisco® has had some exciting results, the best of which coming from its Cisco Binary Game. Currently, the game had been accessed by more than 180,000 players in over 125 countries. Not bad for a game whose sole purpose is to teach the binary system!
Game on! The advent of the learning game
Organizations interested in finding new and better ways to teach in the 21st century are beginning to take a serious look at games. In his book, What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy, James Gee, a professor at University of Wisconsin, suggests that the video game industry actually unveils better ways to teach. Principles such as self-pacing, built-in remediation, assessment, and motivation are used masterfully in many of the most popular video games.
Many in education, government, and business organizations recognize that game developers know how to grab and keep the attention of players while building skills and knowledge—so they are beginning to give games a try. For example, the game Re-Mission from HopeLabs teaches young cancer patients about the disease. Armed with this knowledge, player-patients have been found to be more rigorous about treatment and report symptoms early (see "Not Just Child’s Play", U.S. News and World Report, August 5, 2006). Recently, researchers found that doctors who spent at least three hours a week playing particular video games made nearly 37 percent fewer mistakes in laparoscopic surgery and performed the task 27 percent faster than their counterparts who did not play video games (see "Surgeons Who Play Video Games Err Less," Associated Press, April 7, 2004). Apparently, the hand-eye coordination developed in certain video games acts as a preparatory tune-up for the skills needed in performing the surgeries.
Cisco always seeks better ways to provide training. Faced with a growing global demand to develop networking skills for its employees, partners, and customers, Cisco began introducing learning games in 2004 to complement its industry-leading certifications programs, such as like CCIE, CCNP, and CCNA. The Cisco Certifications program has helped people around the world achieve certifications after they have learned its technology through the Cisco Networking Academy, Cisco Authorized Learning Partners, or Cisco Press self study offerings. In support of this effort, Cisco also has created websites that support those seeking Cisco certifications. For example, Cisco’s CCNA Prep Center (
http://forums.cisco.com/eforum/servlet/PrepCenter?page=main) helps visitors prepare for the CCNA certification. The CCNA Prep Center provides learners with e-learning, simulations, videos, and now learning games. In a recent survey, players of the Cisco Binary Game were asked if it helped them achieve a certification. Two-thirds of those certified stated it helped them to pass the certification exam. Those who had not taken the exam said it helped them significantly in their studies. Ninety-eight percent requested additional games for other topics.
Ready to play? Where to start
Development of a learning game should be approached much in the same way as a traditional classroom course, e-learning module, or other educational product. Cisco begins with the ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate) Instructional Design model.
The analysis phase begins with a survey of the target audience, including students that are preparing to take a Cisco certification examination. From this survey, Cisco identifies an opportunity to improve how the binary number system is taught. It is important that learners develop the skill of converting decimal and binary numbers because binary numbers (or Base 2) are used in most digital electronics, computers, and networking equipment like routers.
The learning game development tripod
Having extracted a specific learning goal from the analysis, the next step is to design and develop the game itself. This is where the process differs from that of traditional learning product development. Cisco has identified three important types of experts necessary to create an effective learning game, which it refers to as the learning game development tripod.
The tripod consists of
- Educational specialist who helps design effective learning pathways and products
- Subject matter expert(s) who provide a thorough understanding of topic to be taught
- Game developer who creates successful scenarios for compelling games.
The first twoi parts of the tripod are commonly found in educational development. Sometimes an educational specialist and subject matter expert are one and the same; particularly, if the individual has taught the subject. A game developer, however, is new to the equation but critically important to the success of a learning game. Without an experienced game developer you may be able to make a game that teaches, but it may not be as engaging or much fun. Conversely, if the project is handed over to a game developer without the education specialist, you may end up with a game that is lots of fun but fails to achieve its teaching goals.
So what makes a good game developer? Quite simply: experience. Find developers that have built lots of games—preferably learning games. Key questions to ask potential developers:
What games have you developed? How many? Do you have samples?
Approach with caution if the developer has few or no games, or if they have only one type of game that has been reused for multiple purposes. Similarly, look elsewhere if their answer is "No, but we have read a lot about it and are very interested trying out this new medium." (Translation: We would like your company to pay us to learn about game development.)
What games do you play?
Is your developer a gamer? Really good game developers are passionate, and they play, develop, talk, read, and write about games. They probably belong to game organizations and participate in game conferences. Think twice about a game developer who doesn’t play games.
Could you describe your game design methodology?
Good game developers use a proven game development methodology, just as good training developers do. Have them review their game design process, which should have several similarities to the training development process. Keep in mind, they probably won’t use the same terminology, but their methodology should be solid.
In short, to build a great game, find a developer who has built dozens of successful games, played hundreds and has been doing it for 10 or 20 years. According to Ben Sawyer, co-founder of the Serious Games Initiative and president of DigitalMill®, "Finding good game developers is a process of networking and discovery. For discovery I would focus on game development websites (examples are
www.gamasutra.com and www.quartertothree.com), as well as sites catering to the publishing of independently produce games."
Game conferences, such as the Serious Game Summit, or educational conferences that feature learning games, are a good place to meet game developers.
Get in the game! Matching the game to the topic
When considering a game, ask yourself "What skill am I teaching? Will playing this game improve that skill?"
One of the biggest mistakes is trying to use a game that does not match the topic or skill being taught. For years, classes have used word jumbles, hangman, and crossword puzzles to teach such diverse topics as history, archeology, mathematics, and physics.
In trying to develop a skill such as cryptography, then hangman is a good match because it teaches about the frequency of letters, and a word jumble is a great tactic for teaching the skill of identifying strings of letters. However, using this type of game to teach math or technical skills will fall short. If you are teaching arithmetic, a game that hones your ability to add or subtract is much more effective. And to teach battlefield logic, chess is you’re your best bet.
At a recent learning conference, one of the most flagrant examples of a game mismatch was the attempt teach basic keyboard commands, such as pressing Ctrl-C (to copy) and Ctrl-V (to paste), by instructing players to use the mouse to click and drag-and-drop the character on the correct answer. But what skill was the game really developing? Mouse skills! To build keyboard skills, a game should require the player to type the correct keyboard commands.
Here are examples of games and how effective they are for teaching the topics listed:
- Word Scramble
Good for study of the alphabet, letter patterns, or spelling diagonally
Poor for personnel evaluation, history, or 10-key
- Hangman/Wheel of Fortune
Good for spelling, phonics, cryptography
Poor for geometry, negotiation, machining
- Quiz Games: "Jeopardy," "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," and Trivia Games
Good for vocabulary, facts, definitions, practice, review
Poor for programming, typing, solving math equations.
When playing the Cisco Binary Game, learners are asked to convert binary and decimal numbers. They start slowly with small numbers, but the game quickly increases its pace and has players solving dozens of problems within minutes. Cisco has observed that players may solve as many as 50 problems in four to five minutes. As they progress through the game, players start to recognize patterns and develop strategies in order to increase their score and stay in the game. These same strategies are the very same cognitive skills identified in learning goals. Slower, more traditional learning requires far more time to achieve these skills. It is this rapid learning that has led many who have played the Binary Game to comment that the game is a much more effective way to learn.
An important consideration when selecting the type of game to use comes from Bloom's axonomy. If the goal is to teach a high-level skill such as application or comprehension, quiz games or drill-and-practice games are probably not a good match.
You’ve got game! What else do you need?
The implementation and evaluation of learning games have their own unique considerations. There are a number of overarching criteria to consider before embarking on the actual path of developing a learning game.
IT department. Involving IT early on in development is a good idea because there are special considerations, such as platform, game requirements, website creation, and maintenance. A great game may be doomed if it won’t work on the type of computers learners will use, if it violates security, requires too much bandwidth, or costs too much to maintain. IT should also be engaged for matters about support, distribution, and gathering data for assessment.
Support. Whether online or offline, a computer game is just like software. A good support plan is essential for those times when players need both technical support (This isn’t working!) and game support (How do I play? Where is my score?).
Derivative: platforms and versions. A good game will generate requests for multiple versions for different platforms. These may include versions for cell phones or PDAs, downloading, added or new content, demonstrations for tradeshows, versions for classroom use and tournament play, multi-user editions, or a marketing version for a consumer website (these are known as advergames).
Distribution. How will the game be distributed? Via a web download, online, on CD, in the classroom?
Marketing. How will the game be promoted? Consider options such as websites, email, banners, newsletters, contests, and so forth. Use assessment data to promote the game.
Assessment. Build metrics into the game to determine whether educational goals are being met, how many learners are playing, and who is playing (demographics). Consider online surveys. Use data, success metrics and feedback to promote the game and plan future improvements.
Thanks for playing our game!
Learning games may be a great solution to the rapidly growing need for more effective ways to teach, particularly online. Cisco has only scratched the surface of the potential that games have to teach, train, and improve human performance in a highly effective manner.
When developing games for your own organizational learning needs, keep in mind:
- start with a learning goal; What is it you want learners to be able to do?
- find an experienced game developer; don’t try to do it yourself
- match the game to the skill; as players get better at the game, they should get better at the desired performance
- think beyond the game; consider IT, support, derivatives, distribution, marketing, and assessment issues.
Games can be serious business, but remember to have FUN!