Feedback in Educational Computer Games

Providing students with accurate, intelligent, and motivating feedback is a critical aspect of all learning environments. It is also assumed to be a vital component of the learning process in computer games. In fact, playing a game has been described as a cycle of judgments, actions, and feedback. Several aspects of feedback that may influence the learning process of games have been suggested including: timing of the feedback, content of the feedback, control, and delivery of the feedback. Research on the functions and effects of feedback in games is, however, sparse and still fewer studies try to connect general research on feedback and assessment to feedback in games. This article explores the use of feedback in an educational game "Men and Animals" that was developed as part of a research project. The game builds on ethical dilemmas with no right answers. Two feedback systems were built into the game: Consequence-based feedback occurs when the system reacts to the user ' s responses or actions by changing the system path. The system thus adapts to the choices of the players. Consequences occur as a reaction on players' choices and are registered as number of people getting ill or cured, as levels of the "happiness scale" and as comments from virtual inhabitants to the appropriateness of the choice made. To get help in making a good decision, players can get help from a system of Information feedback which is easily retrieved as part of the game play. In addition, peer feedback was built into the game-play by having students play in pairs. After having played, students discussed the dilemmas in the classroom where more information was retrieved. The game builds on authentic ethical dilemmas with no obvious right answers. In all 120 students aged 16-17 played the game. A majority of the students were shown to benefit from the game which gave rise to a range of arguments for and against the use of animals. Playing the game led these students to discuss and thus initiated peer feedback regulating the learning process. Information feedback was, however, seldom used by the players. A minor group of students - experienced male game players - did not at all use the opportunity of discussion or of retrieving information. They played the game to get the most points and to win. The result indicates the need either to embed the feedback, reflection and guidance as an integral part of the play or/and to integrate teachers in the game play.