An investigation of learning game design : scoring activity-goal alignment

Abstract

This research aims to improve the practice of designing video games with a purpose beyond entertainment, especially learning games. This thesis extends Shelton’s theory of activity-goal alignment, which relates a player’s activity and the designer’s intended learning goal in any learning game. By developing two tools that score activity-goal alignment, this thesis argues that activity-goal alignment is an important, prevailing position in the learning game design literature that can be made clearer in practice.