5 Ways Teachers Can Evaluate Educational Games →
Here’s one:
4. Pick a Game Mechanic
What’s the difference between a learning mechanic and a game mechanic? It’s important to the know the difference. Professional game designers have a lexicon for gaming elements that’s incredibly robust. They look at a learning mechanic of, for example, selecting the correct objects from a pool to match a target and come up with dozens of games built around that action. The games might include timers and a goal of clearing a board. Or they might involve collecting as many matches as possible while avoiding unwanted objects. We chose a clear-the-board game mechanic as the central focus.
