This document discusses deploying and debugging educational games using e-learning standards. It explains how using standards improves reusability and interoperability. The eAdventure platform helps educators create games, add metadata for learning object standards, and debug communication with learning management systems. Educators can test games' standard compliance without a real LMS using eAdventure's offline debugging mode.
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Deploying and Debugging Educational Games Using e-Learning Standards
1. Deploying and Debugging
Educational Games Using e-
Learning Standards
Baltasar Fernandez-Manjon
Angel del Blanco, Javier
Torrente, Angel Serrano, Ivan
Martinez-Ortiz
balta@fdi.ucm.es
2. Introduction
Games are effective tools for teaching-learning
New trends in the serious games research trying to take more
advantage of their potential:
New game mechanics
Learning analytics with games
Apply e-Learning standards in games
….
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3. Introduction
Why use games following e-Learning standards?
(well know) Improved reusability and interoperability
to protect the investment made in high
cost educational contents
Exploit the game’s educative features by an active
communication between games and LMS
Student’s tracking
Assessment
Adaptation
Change lesson flow
……
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4. Learning Object paradigm
The Learning Object paradigm opened a broad range of
opportunities
Distribution
Sharing
Reuse and interoperability
Different standards deal with different interrelated aspects of
LO model:
Packaging and delivery
Tagging
VLE-to-content communication
Content sequencing
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5. [
Current e-learning standards
Tracking
Tagging Packaging Delivery Protocol Data Model Sequencing
IMS SS X
IEEE
SCORM COMMUNICATION X X
& DATA MODEL
(1484.11 family)
IMS CP X
IEEE LOM
IMS CC X
(1484.12 family)
IMS BLTI X
IMS LD X X
IMS SSP X
IMS LIS X
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6. Problems
So… let’s do it!!
It’s technical complex process…
Create XML documents to add metadata and content
structure
Add specific XSD and DTD files
Package together
Execute games in web environments
There are not a wide accepted standard that cover all the
features
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7. Problems
… and even more when the content will
send/receive data
Follow the selected communication channel
Implement the API in the game
Know the standard data model
Study how the sent data can modify the lesson flow
Besides, there are not a standard that deals with the game
integration in particular
So teachers and educators with limited technical background can
not participate….
…so tools that ease the process are needed
allowing to introduce experts in that matter
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8. eAdventure
Educational game authoring platform
Point-and-click games
Educators oriented
Specific educational features
Assessment
Adaptation
Exportation as LO
One game – multiple different LMS
Easing the educators participation exporting games as LO
Hiding technical details
Export the same game in different formats with mininum
changes
Debug the data interchange
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9. Standards supported in eAdventure
Games as LO in eAdventure:
IMS CP
SCORM v1.2 and 2004
AGREGA (Spanish repository)
LAMS (IMS-CP with special communication and data model files)
The educator only has to…
Fill the meta data in a specific editor (only a reduced
version of those fields related with games)
For games with active communication:
SCORM: select the part of the data model
LAMS: write it
Select the standard in the exportation wizard…
… and eAdventure will prepare all the needed files, fill the
XML, and prepare the engine to communicate with the LMS
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10. Debbuging games with <e-Adventure>
Debug interface:
Debug the game behaviour
Test the communication protocol with LMS
Two modes:
Online and offline
Give full control over communication protocol
Sniff and log all events
Attribute-value pairs exchanged and the function used
Manual API calls
Show assessment report in a pop-up
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11. Online mode
Check if the game properly communicates with a back-end
LMS
Reduce the creation-test cycle
Explore how the standard actually works
Reduce the learning curve
Explore how the game outputs impact the sequence flow
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12. Offline mode
Test the games with communication without needing to
deploy the game in a real LMS
Even shorten more the creation-test cycle…
API provider
Developed in Javascript
Same functionality as provided by SCORM 1.2 and 2004
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13. Case study
Course to teach basic concepts of Windows 7
Created in Moodle 1.9.5
Using eAdventure game packaged as SCORM 2004
The game assess the player behavior
Short multiple-choice exam (5 right answer to be passed)
These data is sent to LMS
SCORM interaction for each answer
eAdventure assessment report
Also, general information is send
Completion status
Success status
Score
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14. Case Study
The course was used to train professionals in e-Learning
How SCORM actually works
How SCORM module in Moodle 1.9.5
How the information that the game produces can be retrieved
from the LMS
What are the more appropriate fields in the SCORM data model
for tracking students' interaction in games
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15. Conclusions
New GBL research lines
Connect games and LMS and make the most of the data
exchanged
e-Learning standards in games
Not obvious
Work in progress… (ADL, Rusticci TinCan, etc…)
How eAdventure tries to face it
Reduce the technical barriers
Ease the standard understanding (high level UI)
Provide tools for debugging the communication
Analyze and understand game packages developed by other authors
The debugger will be available soon in the next eAdventure
release!!
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16. Questions
Open Code of e-Adventure at
www.sourceforge.net
More info
http://e-adventure.e-ucm.es
http://www.e-ucm.es
Youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/eAdventureUCM
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