Classroom assessments needed to be rapidly modified at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as instruction transitioned from an in-person to virtual format. Yet, a significant obstacle among instructors during this time was developing online assessments that were useful, engaging, and accessible for students. We implemented a game design project in our introductory ecology course in spring 2020, in which students were required to develop a novel game based on ecology topics discussed in class. The learning objectives of this assignment asked students to (i) design a game for their peers based on an important ecological topic or concept from a specific unit or lesson in a creative manner; (ii) encourage critical thinking and discussion of ecological topics and concepts in the game; and (iii) judge their peers on the quality and enjoyment of their games. We found that while students developed various game formats and focused on different unit learning objectives, including nutrient cycling, climate change, and community dynamics, instructor and peer review indicated that the games created for this assignment were both conducive to learning and highly accessible. We suggest that a student-developed instructional games project is an effective way to engage students in an assessment that is enjoyable, collaborative, and requires creative application of the course content, in many possible biology courses and in-person and online learning environments.

中文翻译：

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从无聊的游戏到棋盘游戏：虚拟教室中的学生驱动游戏设计。

在COVID-19大流行开始之时，需要迅速修改课堂评估，因为教学已从面对面的形式转换为虚拟的形式。然而，在这段时间内，教师的一个重大障碍是开发对学生有用，引人入胜并且可访问的在线评估。我们在2020年春季的入门生态课程中实施了一个游戏设计项目，该项目要求学生根据课堂上讨论的生态主题开发一款新颖的游戏。这项作业的学习目标要求学生（i）根据特定单元或课程中的重要生态主题或概念，以创新的方式为同龄人设计游戏；（ii）鼓励对游戏中的生态主题和概念进行批判性思考和讨论；（iii）根据他们的游戏质量和游戏乐趣来评判他们的同龄人。我们发现，尽管学生开发了各种游戏格式并专注于不同的单元学习目标，包括营养循环，气候变化和社区动态，但指导教师和同伴审查表明，为此作业而创建的游戏既有益于学习又易于访问。我们建议，由学生开发的教学游戏项目是使学生参与愉快，协作且需要在许多可能的生物学课程以及面对面和在线学习环境中创造性地应用课程内容的评估的有效方式。社区动态，讲师和同行评议表明，为此任务而创建的游戏既有益于学习又易于访问。我们建议，由学生开发的教学游戏项目是使学生参与愉快，协作且需要在许多可能的生物学课程以及面对面和在线学习环境中创造性地应用课程内容的评估的有效方式。社区动态，讲师和同行评议表明，为此任务而创建的游戏既有益于学习又易于访问。我们建议，由学生开发的教学游戏项目是使学生参与愉快，协作且需要在许多可能的生物学课程以及面对面和在线学习环境中创造性地应用课程内容的评估的有效方式。