6398: Design and Evaluation of Educational Software
Midterm Paper Assignment
Due: | October 26th, 1998 |
Length: | Approximately 10 to 20 pages |
Format: | Double-spaced, 12-pt font |
For group projects, each team member must submit his/her own paper.
You may share illustrations and screen shots with your team-mates.
In your paper, your job is to convince me that you know how to
design educational software. You need to document your design process:
what were you trying to achieve?
What did you learn through the design process?
You will be evaluated on the
theoretical grounding, thoroughness, and honesty of your analysis.
Do not be afraid to find fault with your software.
A "where we went wrong" paper can be an "A" as easily as a "what we have
successfully accomplished" paper.
In your paper, please discuss:
- What sort of learning were you trying to promote with your design?
- In what pedagogical tradition is your design grounded?
Cite readings from this course and from 6397.
- Was your design inspired by/reacting to any other educational software
you've seen?
- What did you learn through the design process? Did you modify your
original plans? If so, in what ways and why?
- If your project was done by a team or group, please include a chart
outlining what parts each person did.
- Test your software informally with at least two friends or colleagues.
What did they think of it? Based on their comments, how would you change
your software?
- Are you happy with how your software actually turned out? In what ways
yes and in what ways no? In what ways is this different from your
original design plans?
- If you had more time, what would you change about the software?
What things are most important to change?
- Did you encounter any interface design problems?
- If you could now start over again, what would you do differently?