Too Much Testing?

Lesson Content

• Lesson Plan Template:

  CTE Lesson Plan

• CTE Course Info and Benchmark Notes

  
  

  Program Title (as applicable):

  Coding Fundamentals

  Course Title:

  Coding Fundamentals

  Course Number:

  9009200

  Career Cluster:

  Information Technology

  CIP Number:

  0511020109

  Course Type:

  EXPL - Middle School Programs

  CTE Standard(s) or benchmarks

  CTE-IT.68.9009200.5.1 Use listening, speaking, telecommunication and nonverbal skills and strategies to communicate effectively.

  CTE-IT.68.9009200.5.3 Collaborate with individuals and teams to complete tasks and solve information technology problems.

  CTE-IT.68.9009200.6.3 Use iterative development and debugging to explore the problem domain.

  Integrated benchmarks: ELA or Other:

  ELA.7&8.C.4.1 Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple reliable and valid sources and generating additional questions for further research.

  ELA.6.C.4.1 Conduct research to answer a question, drawing on multiple reliable and valid sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

  ELA.6.C.5.2 Use digital tools to produce writing.

  ELA.7.C.5.2 Use digital tools to produce and share writing.

  ELA.8.C.5.2 Use a variety of digital tools to collaborate with others to produce writing.

• Unit Outline

  
  

  This lesson is designed to be used with the case study, “Too Much Testing?” See CPALMS resource ID#215693.

• Career Connection

  
  

  This lesson will emphasize the process of playtesting when creating game programs, which is essential in programming, while also providing support in the following soft skills: planning, managing conflict, active listening, oral communication, organizing information, feedback, and collaboration.

• Learning Objectives

  
  

  Students will be able to:

  • collaborate with classmates to create a testing plan.
  • identify constraints impacting a scenario.
  • use various skills and strategies to communicate with their classmates.
  • use digital tools to create a visual version of their strategic plan.

• Prior Knowledge

  
  

  Students should be familiar with/able to:

  • the basic game design process.
  • understand that it is often necessary to debug games and programs.
  • recognize that, in most game design groups, decisions are collaborative, not individual.
  • understand that constraints are limiting factors.

• Guiding Questions

  
  

  How do we obtain and incorporate feedback to make our programs/games better?

  What constraints (limiting factors) do game designers face when creating games?

• Procedure

  
  
  1. To introduce the lesson, review the steps of the game design process with the class. Students should already be somewhat familiar with the process from previous lessons.
  • Game Design Process – Brainstorming, planning, storyboarding/game design document, programming/coding, testing the prototype (which produces feedback used for debugging/revision)-this part can go on for multiple iterations of the game, launching/releasing.
  1. Distribute a copy of the case study, Too Much Testing, (CPALMS Resource ID #215693) to each student.
  2. Instruct students to mark the case study as they read with any questions or anything that catches their attention, including underlining any words they do not recognize.
  3. Have students read the case study.
  4. Review the case study and any vocabulary that students have struggled with before moving to the next portion of the lesson.
  5. Teacher leads class in a discussion using the questions below.
  • • What are some constraints that are affecting Nathan’s and Jacob’s company?
    • How can these constraints affect game design and game releases?
    • What can happen when a game is not well tested before release?
    • Which of the partners do you agree with regarding the playtesting of the game? Why?
    • What are some problems with Jacob’s plan?
    • What are some problems with Nathan’s plan?
    • How can these partners come to a compromise?
    • What do you think they should do?
  1. After students have reached their conclusion, present to them the outcome (see “Special Materials” section). This can simply be read aloud to the students by the teacher or a student volunteer.
  2. Present students with the task to develop a strategic testing plan for Nathan and Jacob’s company.
  3. Divide students into groups of 2 to 4 for this phase of the activity.
  4. Student groups are to research good testing procedures using their computer/device (when they search – remind students that Reddit and AI are not reliable sources for information) and create their plan using the Game Testing Plan document (see “Special Materials” section). Students should be answering the following questions with their research:
  • • How many playtesters are needed to provide valid results?
    • Who (demographics like age, education, etc) should be in the playtest group?
    • What should the testing environment be like? (light, devices, etc.)
    • Are there any things that the testers should/should not do while testing?
    • What specific information should game designers ask their playtesters? It is not very helpful for them to just say a game is “good” or “bad!”

  5. Teacher should circulate to help students with their research and to help refocus if needed.

  6. Have students share their plans using a gallery walk in which students walk around to view each other’s plans on the computer or written on chart paper or some other means.

  7. (Optional) Using what students have created, create a class plan that could be used to test any game.

  8. Hand out the Reflection – Too Much Testing (or provide a digital version) (see “Special Materials” section). Remind students that reflection is a vital part of the learning process and that the reflection will only be viewed by the teacher.

• Teacher Notes

  
  
  • The case study discussion/debate portion should take about 30 minutes with the introductory discussion. Take care to call on random students so that everyone has a voice/input.
  • The research and creation of the Strategic Testing Plan should take about one class period, but that could be flexible if needed.
  • For the plan development, groups of 2-3 are recommended.
  • Each group should have a copy of the Game Testing Plan document. Students will be working to create the plan on this sheet.
  • Teacher should circulate to help students with their research and to help refocus if needed.
  • Teacher could choose to have students write out their plan on chart paper or on a google slide/PowerPoint for easier sharing during the gallery walk.
  • Each student should have a copy of the Reflection – Too Much Testing (or this could be provided digitally).

• Optional

  
  

  Students could possibly even apply the plan to reviewing an already-published game – just to check how it works.

  As a further extension/future lesson, sample feedback can be given to students to address and plan for necessary revisions if needed.