After looking into how the Music genome and Musicovery projects were build, i think it is a good idea to start a ranking throughout the standards. A first approach is to build a rubric map for playtesters to evaluate not only in under what standard tag does a game they are playing fall into but also how much is it connected to that standard (through ranking). A good resource for rubrics can be found here: http://www.exemplars.com/resources/rubrics/prim_science_rubric.html
online taxonomy projects
I did some research around taxonomy projects today and here are my notes :
1) Music Genome project: A given song is represented by a vector containing approximately 150 genes. Each gene corresponds to a characteristic of the music, for example, gender of lead vocalist, level of distortion on the electric guitar, type of background vocals, etc. The system depends on a sufficient number of genes to render useful results. Each gene is assigned a number between 1 and 5, and fractional values are allowed but are limited to half integers. Given the vector of one or more songs, a list of other similar songs is constructed using a distance function. To create a song’s genome, it is analyzed by a musician in a process that takes 20 to 30 minutes per song. Ten percent of songs are analyzed by more than one technician to ensure conformity with the standards, i.e., reliability.
In addition to the above, Pandora features some cool user interface tools
If you scroll over the song that is playing you can contribute to the rating by choosing if you like the song or if you don’t like it so it doesn’t play again. Under the “Guide Us” option you’ll get these directions:
o Why is this song playing?
o I really like this song-play more like it
o I don’t like this song, it’s not what this section should play.
o I want to add more kinds of music to this station
o I’m tired of this station; let’s create a new one.
2) Musicovery
http://www.musicovery.com/
For each music track stored inside the Musicovery music library there are 30 descriptors with around 10 values each; values are ordered and then projected for each track on a 2D matrix, using the appropriate descriptors and a complete hierarchy for them. This generates a map of dynamic graphics that represents objects related by similarity or proximity attributes. This in turn enables navigation by proximity in a multi-dimension space (not pseudo 3D) and it does not require to externalize or verbalize the attributes on which each object is referenced.
Additionally, despite the crowded color scheme, Musicovery has a nice interface, much alike the taxonomy interface that we are trying to create. Here is a much explanatory post that takes a user through the interface: http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2006/11/21/custom_streaming_web_radio_plays.html
Curriculum Standards Tags
Math
Interpret information| identify the problem | generate strategies | connect to literature| connect to everyday situations| ‘and’ ‘or’ ‘not’ | model problems | charts | counterexamples | trial and error| process of elimination| strategy| conjectures| claims| patterns | numbers| properties | order of operations| factors | multiples addition and subtraction | percent | relationships | powers and roots| data statistics | probability| collecting data | analyzing | distribution |combinations| permutations| probability| logic| if/then statements| sets| algebra| expressions| equations| ratio and proportion | inequalities | graphing on the coordinate plane | geometry | angles and triangles | polygons and polyhedrons | symmetry and transformations | perimeter | area | volume | circles | measurement | length and distance | area volume| size and scale| mass and weight| time|
Science
Patterns | trends |sequence of events | cause and effect | classify objects | manipulate | structure and function | student generated taxonomy | position on a map | latitude, longitude | predict | generate| interpret| recognize| analyze| density | liquids | regular shaped solids | irregular shaped solids| simple and complex machines | energy | mechanical | kinetic | potential| transformation| conservation | force| simple and complex machines | friction | matter and energy | weather patterns| particle motion | phase changes | diversity | chains| unicellular and multi-cellular| flow | role | recycling | ecosystems vs interdependence | natural cycles | human impact| adaptation | growth | variation | elevation
Technology
Engineering design| technical solutions| general or social interest | research| collaboration| develop| plan| construct models| solution| test| design specifications| evaluate results| defections | machines | improve performance | manipulate components | growing systems | tools | material | resources | properties, costs, availability, and environmental impact | hand tools | adaptive| design criteria| choice| assemble | computer system | Internet | monitor | control | external events and/or systems| dimensions| prototype| open- and closed-loop | electrical, electronic, mechanical, and pneumatic systems | subsystems| system elements| inputs, processes, outputs| sensing information | processing | electronic kit | open loop systems| sensors | controllers| history and evolution of technology| shift in society| Information technology| retrieve| communicate information| text, pictures, and sound| Impacts of Technology| desired, undesired, expected, or unexpected outputs of a technological system| disposal | safety issues| Project management| profit| high quality| leadership| group activity| structure| work plan| time schedule| budget
EnglishLanguageArts
Research| locate information| understanding| collect and interpret data| use multiple sources| steps| overview| content| text features| organizational formats| identify missing. Unclear. Irrelevant information| fact and opinion| compare and contrast| prior knowledge or experience| critical analysis| evaluation |main idea| supporting details| distinguish| define| classify| interpret| facts| ideas| structure| content| vocabulary| condense| combine |categorize| confirm| predict| revise| draw conclusions| of explicit and implied information| genres| read| simile, metaphor, and personification| create meaning| reading| author| meaning| narrator| characters, plot, setting, and theme| point of view| symbolism, metaphor and simile, alliteration, personification, flashback, and foreshadowing| feelings,| repetition, rhythm, and rhyming patterns| poetry| cultural traditions| types of language| established and personal criteria| analyze| evaluate| conflicting information| support ideas| cultural and ethnic values| decoding strategies| syllable patterns| decoding by analogy| word structure| semantic cues| accuracy| recognition| high-frequency| content vocabulary| word meaning| prefixes| synonyms, antonyms| audience| edit| listening| speaking| feedback | writing| spelling| handwriting| composition|
SocialStudies
Eastern Hemisphere| history| time| turning point| event| periods| countries| continents| different cultures| POV| Neolithic revolution river civilizations| Mesopotamia| Egypt| China |Indus Valley| agriculture| world populations| technological innovations and effects on people, places | China, India, Greece, and Rome| Religions and other belief systems| Confucianism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam| networks of trade| Slavery| Middle Ages and Renaissance| long distance trade routes | linking| Africa, Asia, and Europe| literature| music| painting| sculpture| architecture| genocide Nazi| geography| grids| symbols |notations| maps| surface| globes| aerial | photographs| satellite-produced images| models| spatial organization| places| regions| physical settings| human systems| environment and society.| region| climatic conditions| land use| physical| political, economic, or cultural features| diversity| migration| overpopulation| widespread poverty| urbanization| effect| economy| goods and services shall| what, how and for whom| the economic, political, historic, global impacts of resource usage| health| population growth| diversity in living standards| scarcity| supply and demand| markets| opportunity costs| resources| productivity| economic growth| systems| interdependent network | patterns of consumer purchases| production and distribution| “mixed” economies| development| growth| free trade| common economic policy| interdependent| leadership| global economy| market economies| governments | settlement patterns| power| authority| governance| law| human rights| human needs| constitutions| political boundaries| totalitarian societies| United Nations| rights and responsibilities
NYC curriculum standards pdfs’
below are all the 6th grade standards for Math, Science, Technology, ELA and Social Studies, in a pdf format, cleaned and unified as to style and numbering. This will be the basis for developing a Rubric next week that will be used in the game taxonomy analysis.
maths-standards-for-sixth-grade
science-standards-for-sixth-grade
technology-standards-for-sixth-grade
Taxonomy Excel Model
here is the excel document that contains a model taxonomy for ten games related to math
search by game
Below are wireframes of the game taxonomy website depicting a step by step search pursued by a student. Firstly student Rowdy logs in his account. He has been assigned by his teacher to play ‘blokus’. thus he selects ‘blokus’ from the search by game bar. In the ‘blokus’ nest he can learn more about the game play under the information option. Then he can see documentation posted by students and teachers in flickr and vlogger as well being me and finally he can check the option similar games, in case he want to play more games that are like ‘blokus’..
search by subject
Below are wireframes of the game taxonomy website depicting a step by step search pursued by a teacher. Firstly teacher miss Sunshine logs in her account. From the options that appear in the first screen she selects search by subject. She selects maths and then from the nest of options that appear, she selects geometry. From there, she scrolls through the suggested games and selects the game ‘blokus’. In the ‘blokus’ nest she can learn more about the game, and find guidelines as to how this game can be used within the context of the gameschool, under the information option. Then she see documentation posted by students and teachers and finally she can check the option similar games.
information architecture concept diagrams for the taxonomy site
The following concept maps depict the last two iterations for the architecture of the taxonomy site.
We are moving forward with the first iteration as depicted below. Elements of the second iteration will be integrated in the being me engine.
pink: search by taxonomy standard | yellow: search by game
pink : teacher | yellow : student | blue : parent
Taxonomy Site – New User Scenarios and Site ScreenShots
Teacher 1: User Scenario – Teacher Miss Sunshine prepares for math class
Miss sunshine is preparing for her math class, which is tomorrow. She wants her students to understand and apply concepts of probability. As she has done before she will consult the taxonomy site of Game School to figure out what games will be helpful in teaching this topic. Miss sunshine logs in her account and selects search by curriculum standards.
She selects Math in the search engine.
From the eight options of the sixth grade math curriculum standards, that appear on her screen, she clicks on data statistics and probability.
And voila! two games pop up: Yahtzee and Yu gi Oh.
Under each game she observes that there is basic game info including number of players, play time and description. There are also five other categories including the core learning activity within the game, the social interaction generated among players, other curriculum standards that this game applies to, data sets that can be collected from this game, possible quests and shared comments from other teachers, as well as a link to the documentation channel were students that have already played the game have uploaded content.
After scrolling down these specifics, Miss Sunshine chooses to go with Yahtzee, as she thinks its going to be a good introduction for her class. As she saw from the basic game info and comments made from other teachers, this game would be perfect if she divided her students into small groups of five. Now all she has to do is prepare the rest of her lesson plan around the game, which she feels, is going to be very successful.
Teacher 2: User Scenario – Teacher Miss Sunshine wants to help student Cloudy
Miss sunshine is concerned about one of her students, called Cloudy. During the past weeks she has observed that Cloudy is having a hard time applying problem solving strategies related to numbers and patterns. Today she wants to assign him with some extra homework that would help him better understand these topics. As she always does, she goes to the taxonomy on the Game taxonomy website to figure out what games would be best for Cloudy. She searches by curriculum standards in Maths and under the Numbers node, a long list comes up.
Now what would she choose? She remembers that Cloudy likes grid puzzles. Aha! She will choose Sudoku as his extra homework today. Seeing the documentation made by other teachers on the site, made her feel more confident about her choice.
Teacher 3: User scenario – Teacher Miss Sunshine wants to check her students’ homework
Last week, miss Sunshine assigned her students to play Yugioh and to upload in the documentation channel of the taxonomy site, screenshots from the game play. She wants to check if they have uploaded their homework before tomorrow’s class. Miss Sunshine logs in her taxonomy site account and selects search by game in the front screen.
She selects Yugioh and from the three standard nodes that are connected to Yugioh, she selects the Math option. From there she selects the documentation channel were she can see pictures, text and videos uploaded by her students. Almost all of her students have uploaded pictures and text. Moreover two of her students Cloudy and Rowdy have made a video with instructions on how to play the game. Excellent! Miss Sunshine is very pleased with her class.
Student 1: User Scenario – Student Rowdy is doing his homework
Miss Sunshine has assigned her Math class homework to play Yugioh for next week. Rowdy is really excited and can’t wait to do his homework. As soon as he reaches home, he goes to the game taxonomy site and logs into his account.
After logging in, he finds Yugioh in the search engine and clicks on it.
From the Yugioh node he selects the Math option.
He first wants to know where he can play the game. So from the 3 nodes that appear, he selects basic info.
He reads a description and then clicks on the web link to play the online version. After about 1/2 an hour he finds that the game is too complex and he is not quite getting it so he goes back to the taxonomy and clicks the second node which is documentation. Here he reads comments from other students and sees pictures of the gameplay. Aha! now he understands. So he goes back and plays the game. Part of the homework is to capture a particular screenshot of a certain point in the game and upload it. So after capturing the screen shot, Rowdy goes back to the taxonomy and clicks on documentation. Here he uploads his image and since he enjoyed the game so much he wants to know what similar games exist. Clicking on the 3rd node in the taxonomy gives him that list. So many games! Perhaps he can call his friend Cloudy and play one of those games!
Parent 1: User Scenario – User scenario Rowdy’s parent
Rowdy’s father just had a meeting with Mrs Sunshine, Rowdy’s math’s teacher. Mrs sunshine commented on Rowdy’s remarkable progress the past three weeks and his interest in probability concepts. She has suggested that Rowdy plays more games that fall into that category. As he has done before, Rowdy’s father goes to the taxonomy on the Game school website to figure out what games would be best for Cloudy.
In the front screen he selects to search by curriculum standards in Maths and under the Statistics and Probability node, appears a list of games. Excellent! now he can choose a game for him and Rowdy to play in the weekend.
Teacher (Search by class) – new
New Screen shots for student scenario
User scenarios for taxonomy
User Scenario – Teacher Miss Sunshine prepares for math class
Miss Sunshine is preparing for her math class which is tomorrow. She wants her students to understand and apply concepts of probability. As she has done before she will consult the taxonomy site of Game School to figure out what games will be helpful in teaching this topic. Miss Sunshine logs in her account and selects the Math tag on the site. From the eight options of the sixth grade math curriculum standards, that appear on her screen, she clicks on data statistics and probability. And voila! Two games pop up: Yahtzee and Yu gi Oh. Under each game she observes that there is basic game info including number of players, play time and description. There are also five other categories including the core learning activity within the game, the social interaction generated among players, other curriculum standards that this game applies to, data sets that can be collected from this game, possible quests and shared comments from other teachers, as well as documentation from students that have played the game. After scrolling down these specifics, Miss Sunshine chooses to go with Yahtzee, as she thinks its going to be a good introduction for her class. As she saw from the basic game info and comments made from other teachers, this game would be perfect if she divided her students into small groups of five. Now all she has to do is prepare the rest of her lesson plan around the game which she feels is going to be very successful.
User Scenario – Teacher Miss Sunshine wants to help student Cloudy
Miss Sunshine is concerned about one of her students, called Cloudy. During the past weeks she has observed that Cloudy is having a hard time applying problem solving strategies related to numbers and patterns. Today she wants to assign him with some extra homework that would help him better understand these topics. As she always does, she goes to the taxonomy on the Game school website to figure out what games would be best for Cloudy. She searches under the Numbers tag in Maths and a long list comes up. Now what would she choose.? Miss sunshine thinks that Cloudy has other homework to do and so she will pick a game based on the play time. She also remembers that Cloudy likes grid puzzles. Aha! She will choose Sudoku as his extra homework today. Seeing the documentation made by other students on the site, made her feel more confident about her choice.
game bucket: game taxonomy project 