{"id":56,"date":"2008-06-04T10:16:05","date_gmt":"2008-06-04T15:16:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.law.harvard.edu\/games\/2008\/06\/04\/g4c2008-assessing-games-for-change\/"},"modified":"2013-09-26T08:44:40","modified_gmt":"2013-09-26T13:44:40","slug":"g4c2008-assessing-games-for-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/archive.blogs.harvard.edu\/games\/2008\/06\/04\/g4c2008-assessing-games-for-change\/","title":{"rendered":"G4C2008: assessing games for change"},"content":{"rendered":"

One the most important exchanges in this session was a challenge from Eric Zimmerman during Q&A as to whether foregrounding assessment hampers the cultural expression of the project. “How would you assess Maus<\/em>?” Several in the audience applaused.<\/p>\n

Shelly Pasnik (EDC): If assessment is about what we know, we need to be more sophisticated about describing what we know.<\/p>\n

Karin Hillhouse (Ashoka) gave the example of Wired and the potential for changing hearts and minds. If Wired had been tested and focus-grouped it would never had been on the air.
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\nFran C. Blumberg (Fordham) gave a very focused presentation on nuts and bolts of evaluation for games. Will playing games induce attitude change? Inducing such change is very difficult — especially if message is inconsistent with long-ingrained values\/attitudes (Eagly & Chaiken, 1993, Petty & Cacioppo, 1986). Interest do go up from the games (Gee, Squire)… but what are they actually learning<\/em> — this is still in investigation.<\/p>\n

What can be measured: 3×3 grid:
\nStage: before \/ during \/ after
\nEffect: Motivation to elaborate content of desired social change \/ knowledge acquisition, comprehension \/ attitude change<\/p>\n

DURING
\nMotivation: Enjoyment promotes greater attention to social message
\nKnowledge: Narrative facilitates comprehension; multi-player game promotes communication about the content<\/p>\n

AFTER (Transfer)
\nMotivation: Enjoyment promotes repeated play. Enjoyment prompts greater thinking about the game between play. Enjoyment prompts talking about social messages with others.
\nKnowledge: Immersive nature of game enhances likelihood of transfer to real world.<\/p>\n

VEHICLES FOR ASSESSMENT<\/p>\n