Researchers from the iRead project have created the following resources as a helpful guide for choosing games for the classroom.
Our Reading Game Analysis Framework can be used by teachers to evaluate the quality of reading apps and guide design and the feedback types within learning games for children more generally. There is a particular focus on feedback design as it is recognised as a key pedagogical dimension of games, particularly in early learning, but there has been little research on how commercial reading games embody existing feedback theories.
Reading Game Analysis Framework
This tool encourages users to first identify which reading skill the app is focusing on (e.g. phonics, decoding, fluency, comprehension) and reflect on three defined categories.
- “Teaching concepts” involves asking questions about whether games introduce skills prior to gameplay and whether support for gameplay is included.
- “Where am I going?” involves analysing whether apps make learning objectives specific and success criteria clear.
- “How am I doing?” encourages users to reflect on whether feedback is “outcome-based” (eg a score) or “elaborative” (eg a hint).
