Lessons learned from focus groups with fellow chemistry teachers and former students...
After conferring with three of my close colleagues who also teach Honors Chemistry, it became clear that serious changes are needed to make my Baby Chemist Bonanza web based mobile app more like a game and less like a quiz. At the time of our meeting, the only form of the program that existed was a nuts and bolts version of the ion memory tool, but their insight was crucial in designing the feel of the next edition of the game. All present agreed that the basic premise of the game was valuable, especially since they’ve also seen the struggles that I’ve observed in my classes with students forgetting basic but essential ion formulas and naming vocabulary. They also liked the way my game’s content mimicked the types of false choices present on assessments.
There were many options tossed around about how to make the user’s experience more game-like. The most important lesson I learned from speaking with them was how impossible it is going to be to please everyone. There’s a reason why so many different kinds of games exist, and why users often feel passionate about their game-playing experience. Suggestions that were loved by some were met with gasps of dread by others. Here’s a short list of ideas we generated to incorporate into the game play design for the next edition:
Maybe I need to make more than one version of this game?
My student focus group consisted of former students who realize the importance these ions hold in chemistry class, compared to my current students who have just begun starting to use them with any degree of fluency. They were also helpful in thinking about the next iteration of my game. The consensus was that the more practice students experience, the better and faster they can master these key formulas and names. Some supported just giving more recall style practice tests, but the majority thought a mobile game was a better idea because it could be played anywhere and anytime the student wanted to engage with it. All thought that if I had offered it to them during their chemistry class they would have used it and appreciated it. I realize now though that my sample was definitely skewed, as it consisted of highly motivated kids who continued on into AP chemistry. For future student consultations, I will try and track down some less successful former students, even though they’ll be tougher to find.
There were many options tossed around about how to make the user’s experience more game-like. The most important lesson I learned from speaking with them was how impossible it is going to be to please everyone. There’s a reason why so many different kinds of games exist, and why users often feel passionate about their game-playing experience. Suggestions that were loved by some were met with gasps of dread by others. Here’s a short list of ideas we generated to incorporate into the game play design for the next edition:
- Puzzle theme…answer five questions in a row correctly & a new puzzle piece appears; eventually the pieces assemble into a cool science image.
- Maze quest…players travel through a maze, facing ion naming choices at every turn.
- Memes… answer ten questions correctly & a funny meme of current Lane Tech faculty pops up as a reward.
- Riddles… answer ten questions correctly & a cool riddle pops up as a reward.
- Competitive scoring…students may post scores online to encourage friendly and voluntary competition.
- HYBRIDS… combinations of ideas above.
Maybe I need to make more than one version of this game?
My student focus group consisted of former students who realize the importance these ions hold in chemistry class, compared to my current students who have just begun starting to use them with any degree of fluency. They were also helpful in thinking about the next iteration of my game. The consensus was that the more practice students experience, the better and faster they can master these key formulas and names. Some supported just giving more recall style practice tests, but the majority thought a mobile game was a better idea because it could be played anywhere and anytime the student wanted to engage with it. All thought that if I had offered it to them during their chemistry class they would have used it and appreciated it. I realize now though that my sample was definitely skewed, as it consisted of highly motivated kids who continued on into AP chemistry. For future student consultations, I will try and track down some less successful former students, even though they’ll be tougher to find.