Games can be divided into two categories, ordinary conventional games and simulation games. Ordinary conventional games include numerous traditional games and many new variations designed for children, with necessary modification to suit the adult neo-literates.

Simulation games present an issue or problem and suggest its solution through role play by the neo-literates. They are a means of involving learners directly in an activity that requires little or no preparation of materials. In this guidebook, "others" refers to all materials, mediums and activities for neo-literate education other than printed book materials, printed non-book materials, electronic media materials and games.

(8) Games

1. Conventional games

Characteristics

Involving the element of play games provide enjoyable an opportunity for learning almost unconsciously, and are a very effective means of stimulating interest in participating learners.

Conventional games involve excitement and competition in pursuit of a goal, creating interest and spurring on participants. Otherwise uninteresting and difficult topics can be enjoyably worked out in a game environment.

However, as games have a tendency to represent things and issues in simplified forms, particularly difficult or controversial themes cannot be effectively dealt with.

Some conventional games are:

 

- card games
- jigsaw puzzles
-"future" games
- games of finance (e.g. "Monopoly")
- goaled games such as Sugoroku (Parcheesi), Snakes and Ladders, etc.

Fig. Conventional games

In this chapter, production methods of

Sugoroku (Japanese game used for educational purposes also) and other games based on the game Parcheesi developed in India thousands of years ago are explained as an example of printed conventional games.

A. Sugoroku Game

A Sugoroku game is played on a board, with moves decided by the throw of dice. A single game can be played by five or more players. This game involves excitement and competition in pursuit of a goal among the players.

How to Play Sugoroku Game

 

1) Line up at "Start"

2) Each person rolls a dice and moves his stone as many blocks as shown on the dice.

3) Each person should read aloud the sentence of the block before the next player rolls the dice.

4) The goal can be entered only when the exact number appears on the dice. if the exact number needed does not come up, the player should move back the number of blocks shown on the dice.

5) The player who enters the "Goal" first is the winner.

Fig. ''Building up a Happy Community', (Sugoroku game) produced under AJP

Practical Process of Developing Sugoroku Game

1. Topic Selection

Select a topic which can be developed step by step. There are no limitations as to what can be treated as a topic. Appropriate topics present: attaining an objective

 

- development
- problem-solving

Sugoroku game should involve progression from one space or block to the next and include the concept of being sent back to previous spaces, with the reasons for progression and regression clearly represented in the spaces themselves.

2. Content Arrangement

 

(1) Decide upon the "goal" to be achieved in the game, and the process and route (about 20 to 30 blocks) to be followed in reaching the " goal. "

(2) Devise criteria for faster/shorter routes to "goal," as well as for penalty set-backs.

(3) Arrange the steps or blocks in an order producing a most enjoyable and stimulating game progression.

Balance the distribution of:

 

- normal block-by-block situations
- "bonus" situations where a number of blocks are skipped
-"penalty" situations where the player is sent back a number of blocks

3. Script Preparation

Write text for each block. Use short, clear expressions that stimulate desire in reaching the goal quickly.

4. Illustrations

Make illustrations for each block.

Clearly present intended meaning for each block through its illustration.

 

- With 20 to 30 blocks in the game, avoid excessive complexity in any one block.
- Be sure to make evident what the goal represents.

Blocks allowing players to skip spaces for rapid progress toward the goal can be in bright colours, with blocks involving penalty set-backs in darker colours.

Script preparation and illustration should proceed together.

5. Arrangement and Editing

(1) Ensure that progression in the game and order of the blocks is logical, and that the game can be thoroughly enjoyed by players. Play the game a number of times to investigate its effectiveness.

 

a) Organize the game so that the winning player can reach the goal in about 10 minutes.

b) Place some large skips ahead and setback behind (even to the "start" when serious difficulty appears) so that the learners can be well aware of the advantage of achieving the "goal" and its obstacle.

6. Preparing for Field-Testing

(1) Prepare an instructor's manual.

Explain clearly the method of play in the manual.

(2) Make a copy of the game in its full size. Use dice.

If dice are not available, they can be made using heavy paper or card stock.

If religion or other customs prohibits the use of dice, devise another means of deciding on numbers to be followed in the progression of the game. For example, dice can be changed into pieces of papers numbering from 1 to 6, put into a glass or a can and shake.

7. Fleld-Testing

 

(1) Collect information concerning local conditions prior to testing.
(2) Understand living conditions of target neo-literates.
(3) Effective method of testing Sugoroku game.

a) Form a group of the appropriate size (4 or 5 persons) and have the players play the game.
b) Besides players, an instructor is in each group to lead and help the progression of the game.

Before beginning the game, ensure that a relaxed atmosphere exists for players.

It is effective to be prepared to award a simple prize to the winner, thereby enhancing the competitive nature of the game.

(4) Solicit players' responses by interview or questionnaire

 

e.g.
1. Did you enjoy playing this game?
2. Theme appropriate?
3. Content understandable?
4. Proceeding interesting and exciting?
5. Skipping ahead and setting back reasonable?

(5) Collate results of survey.

8. Revision to Draft Materials

 

(1) Analyze and interpret survey results.
(2) Collate opinions bearing on improvements.
(3) Request writer and illustrator to carry out the necessary revisions.

9. Completion (on to printing)

Sample of Evaluation Form for Game

1. Language

a) Vocabulary

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

b) Statement

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

2. Illustrations

a) Attractive

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

b) Informative

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

3. Content

a) Functionality

( ) very good
( ) good
( )fair

b) Understanding

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

4. Presentation

a) Simplicity

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

b) Interest

( ) very good
( ) good
( ) fair

Fig. Snakes and ladders

B. Card pick-up game

Among card games such as (1) card pick-up, (2) card matching, and (3) card suit games like poker, the "card pick-up" game seems to be greatly effective in educational application.

Features of Card Pick-up Game

 

a) This is an enjoyable game which can be repeatedly played without losing its appeal.

b) With one set of card, 3 to 10 or more persons can play.

c) Such game can feature proverbs, poems, question-and-answer (such as problem-and solution) alphabet, etc.

d) The card game should be produced in accordance with planning such as with other materials for neo-literates.

Proverb Card Game (as an example of card pick-up game)

 

a) This card pick-up game is made up of "text cards" and "picture cards."

b) Number of cards can be from 20 to 50. These should be an equal number of both text cards and picture cards.

c) A proverb is written or printed on each text card.

d) A picture illustrating the meaning of a corresponding proverb, as well as an appropriate word from that proverb's text card, is on the front of each picture card.

e) It is best that text and picture cards be of the same size. Approximately 10 cm by 7 cm is an appropriate size.

f) Heavy, strong paper is desirable for making cards.

Playing Procedure of Proverb Card Game

 

a) Picture cards are spread out on a table or the floor. If, for example, there are 30 text cards, then 30 picture cards will be used.

b) Leader or one of the players holds the text cards, and reads one of proverbs aloud.

c) Players then try to identify the picture card corresponding to the text (proverb) read aloud to them.

d) Player who first identifies the proper picture card picks it up.

e) After all text cards have been read aloud, the player who has identified and picked up the most picture cards is the winner.

2. Simulation game

A simulation is an abstraction or simplification of some real-life situation or process. In simulation, participants usually play a role that involves them in interactions with other people and/or with elements of the simulated environment. A business management simulation, for example, might put the participant into the role of production manager of an imaginary corporation, provide him or her with statistics about business conditions, and direct him or her to negotiate a new labour contract with the union bargaining team.

Simulations can vary greatly in the extent to which they fully reflect the realities of the situation they are intended to model. A simulation that incorporates too many details of a complex situation might be too complicated and time-consuming for the intended audience. On the other hand, if the model is over-simplified it may fail completely to communicate its intended point. A well-designed simulation game provides a faithful model of those elements that are most salient to the immediate objective, and informs the instructor and participants about elements that have been simplified, abbreviated, or eliminated completely.

A simulation game combines the attributes of simulation (role playing, a model of reality) with the attributes of a game (striving toward a goal, specific rules), It may be relatively high or low in the modeling of reality, and may or may not entail competition.