There is a consensus that serious games have a significant potential as a tool for instruction. However, their effectiveness in terms of learning outcomes is still understudied mainly due to the complexity involved in assessing intangible measures. A systematic approach--based on established principles and guidelines--is necessary to enhance the design of serious games, and many studies lack a rigorous assessment. An important aspect in the evaluation of serious games, like other educational tools, is user performance assessment. This is an important area of exploration because serious games are intended to evaluate the learning progress as well as the outcomes. This also emphasizes the importance of providing appropriate feedback to the player. Moreover, performance assessment enables adaptivity and personalization to meet individual needs in various aspects, such as learning styles, information provision rates, feedback, and so forth. This paper first reviews related literature regarding the educational effectiveness of serious games. It then discusses how to assess the learning impact of serious games and methods for competence and skill assessment. Finally, it suggests two major directions for future research: characterization of the player's activity and better integration of assessment in games.

https://downloads.hindawi.com/journals/ahci/2013/136864.pdf

Assessment in and of serious games: an overview

https://slac.stanford.edu/pubs/slacpubs/12250/slac-pub-12499.pdf

Best Practices for Managing Organizational Diversity

The Library is Dead, Long Live the Library! The Practice of Academic Librarianship and the Digital Revolution

The wide application of digital technologies to scholarly communications has disrupted the model of academic library service that has been in place for the past century. Given the new Internet tools and the explosive growth of digital content available on the Web, it is now not entirely clear what an academic library should be. This article is an attempt to provide a strategy for academic libraries in what is left of the first quarter of the 21st century. There are five components of the model: 1) complete the migration from print to electronic collections; 2) retire legacy print collections; 3) redevelop library space; 4) reposition library and information tools, resources, and expertise; and 5) migrate the focus of collections from purchasing materials to curating content. Each of the components of the strategy and their interactions will be considered. It is hoped that the result will provide a useful roadmap for academic libraries and the campuses they serve.

/pdf/a-strategy-for-academic-libraries-in-the-first-quarter-of-5c4lcudgoy.pdf

A Strategy for Academic Libraries in the First Quarter of the 21st Century

Although the current generation of students may have never known life without the Internet, they are not necessarily “net savvy.” Exposed to huge quantities of information on the Web—in text, audio, image and video formats—sorting valid information from misinformation is a constant challenge. Beyond the quantity and variety of information, students are now creating information, not just consuming it. This white paper explores the challenges of functioning in an information-rich environment where students must blend skills in finding information, using technology, and thinking critically.

/pdf/ensuring-the-net-generation-is-net-savvy-l4btyhuxn6.pdf

Jerry D. Campbell

Papers

Changing a Cultural Icon: The Academic Library as a Virtual Destination.