Waunakee Community High School: Computer Science Classes - The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game - page 260

Overview
Following in the footsteps of Lee Sheldon, I have restructured my high school
computer science courses as a game (see Figure CH8.1). At the time of this
writing, the plan is still in its first year of implementation, so I am hesitant to
draw any conclusions as yet. That said, there are certain trends that are emerging
that I will include in this report.

Figure CH8.1
Aaron Pavao.

My original intent was to structure the courses as a game, with four-player
(student) teams. Players earn experience points for taking tests, completing
projects, contributing to the course wiki, and other tasks. Rather than use
Sheldon s direct level-to-grade system, I would use a set of levels that were each

worth an increasing amount of experience points, much the way any role-
playing game works. Each student

'

s grade would be based on his or her level.
Each progress or grade report would compare the level to a

'

“ perfect � level for

that grading period, with the level increasing with time. Single-

semester courses were to go up to Level 40, and full-year courses run to Level 80.

“ perfect �

In addition to computer science concepts, I teach the students to work together,
helping one another toward a common goal. During the first semester course,
students started in groups of three or four, then merged into groups of six to
eight, and finally worked as a single, organized team working on different parts
of a larger challenge toward a common goal.