Search

Previous research and experiences have indicated the potential that games have in educational settings. One of the possible uses of games in education is as game-based assessments (GBA), using game tasks to generate evidence about skills and content knowledge that can be valuable. There are different approaches in the literature to implement the assessment machinery of these GBA, all of them having strengths and drawbacks. In this article, we propose using multivariate Elo-based learner modeling, as we believe it has a strong potential in the context of GBA for three aims: first, to simultaneously measure students competence across several knowledge components in a game; second, to predict task performance; and finally, to estimate task difficulty within the game. To do so, we present our GBA Shadowspect, which is focused on solving geometry puzzles, and we depict our implementation using data collected from several high schools across the USA. We obtain high-performing results (AUC of 0.87) and demonstrate that the model enables analysis of how each student's competency evolves after each puzzle attempt. Moreover, the model provides accurate estimations of each task's difficulty, enabling iterative improvement of the game design. This study highlights the potential that multivariate Elo-based learner modeling has within the context of GBA, sharing lessons learned, and encouraging future researchers in the field to consider this algorithm to build their assessment machinery.

While school educators are increasingly interested in adopting maker pedagogy, many schools struggle to integrate making with their existing core curriculum because of the difficulty in assessing the learning that occurs in maker classrooms. To address this issue, we collaborated with educators on design-based research focused on assessment in maker classrooms. We investigated assessment approaches that support the process of making. This paper reports on four design principles of assessment in school-based making that emerged from a literature review and the collaborative development process with educators. We discuss the challenges and opportunities for assessment in maker classrooms, as well as strategies to seamlessly embed assessment within a classroom's culture, norms, and activities.

Game-based assessment (GBA), a specific application of games for learning, has been recognized as an alternative form of assessment. While there is a substantive body of literature that supports the educational benefits of GBA, limited work investigates the validity and generalizability of such systems. In this paper, we describe applications of learning analytics methods to provide evidence for psychometric qualities of a digital GBA called Shadowspect, particularly to what extent Shadowspect is a robust assessment tool for middle school students' spatial reasoning skills. Our findings indicate that Shadowspect is a valid assessment for spatial reasoning skills, and it has comparable precision for both male and female students. In addition, students' enjoyment of the game is positively related to their overall competency as measured by the game regardless of the level of their existing spatial reasoning skills.

Purpose: When using embedded, student-centered assessment tools for maker education, understanding the characteristics of a body of evidence can help teachers guide the assessment process. This study aims to examine assessment artifacts from a makerspace program and present a set of qualities that emerged, which researchers and maker educators can use to evaluate the quality of evidence before interpreting it and making claims about student learning. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the interpretive analysis approach to identify salient qualities in a body of evidence of maker learning. Data sources included student assessment artifacts, researchers' analytic memos, notes on the coding and analysis process, background stories and field observations. Findings: The study found that the assessment artifacts generated by students aligned with the maker-related target skills. A set of qualities was produced that can be used to describe the strength of a body of evidence and help determine whether it is appropriate to be used in the meaning making phase. Practical implications: The qualities identified in this study can be directly incorporated into the embedded assessment toolkit to provide feedback on the strength of evidence for learning in makerspaces. Originality/value: Assessment methods for maker education are nascent, and ways to describe the quality of a student-generated body of evidence have not yet been established. This study applies existing knowledge of embedded assessment and reflective practice toward the creation of a new way of assessing skills that are difficult to measure.

Purpose: As maker-centered learning grows rapidly in school environments, there is an urgent need for new forms of assessment. The purpose of this paper is to report on the development and implementation of tools to support embedded assessment of maker competencies within school-based maker programs and describes alternative assessment approaches to rubrics and portfolios. Design/methodology/approach: This study used a design-based research (DBR) method, with researchers collaborating with US middle school teachers to iteratively design a set of tools that support implementation of embedded assessment. Based on teacher and student interviews, classroom observations, journal notes and post-implementation interviews, the authors report on the final phase of DBR, highlighting how teachers can implement embedded assessment in maker classrooms as well as the challenges that teachers face with assessment. Findings: This study showed that embedded assessment can be implemented in a variety of ways, and that flexible and adaptable assessment tools can play a crucial role in supporting teachers in this process. Additionally, though teachers expressed a strong desire for student involvement in the assessment process, we observed minimal student agency during implementation. Further study is needed to investigate how establishing classroom culture and norms around assessment may enable students to fully participate in assessment processes. Originality/value: Due to the dynamic and collaborative nature of maker-centered learning, teachers may find it difficult to provide on-the-fly feedback. By employing an embedded assessment approach, this study explored a new form of assessment that is flexible and adaptable, allowing teachers to formally plan ahead while also adjusting in the moment.

Learning games have great potential to become an integral part of new classrooms of the future. One of the key reported benefits is the capacity to keep students deeply engaged during their learning process. Therefore, it is necessary to develop models that can measure quantitatively how learners are engaging with learning games to inform game designers and educators, and to find ways to maximize learner engagement. In this article, we present our proposal to multidimensionally measure engagement in a learning game over four dimensions: general activity, social, exploration, and quests. We apply metrics from these dimensions to data from The Radix Endeavor, an inquiry-based online game for STEM learning that has been tested in K-12 classrooms as part of a pilot study across numerous schools. Based on these dimensions, we apply clustering and report four different engagement profiles that we define as "integrally engaged," "lone achiever," "social explorer," and "nonengaged." We also use three variables (account type, class grade, and gender) to perform a cross-sectional analysis finding interesting, statistically significant differences in engagement. For example, in-school students and accounts registered to males engaged socially much more than out-of-school learners or accounts registered to females, and that older students have better performance metrics than younger ones.

Interactive simulations allow preservice teachers to connect education theory and pedagogy in scaffolded environments. We created digital simulations with scenarios from in-person simulations and used them to prepare novice teachers for conversations with parents. Using a design-based approach we implemented the simulations in an education class, gathered data through surveys and observations, and incorporated feedback into subsequent designs. Novice teachers perceived the simulation as authentic and practiced maintaining composure and articulating pedagogical approaches. Recordings of novice teachers' responses produced by the simulation enabled self-reflection and peer and instructor feedback. Results suggest that these digital simulations hold promise as low-cost, flexible tools for novice teachers to engage in targeted practice in a low-stakes setting.

Game-based assessment (GBA) is a specific use of educational games that employs game activities to elicit evidence for educationally valuable skills and knowledge. While this approach can provide individualized and diagnostic information about students, the design and development of assessment mechanics for a GBA is a nontrivial task. In this article, we describe the 10-step procedure that the design team of "Physics Playground" (formerly known as "Newton's Playground") has established by adapting evidence-centered design to address unique challenges of GBA. The scaling method used for Physics Playground was Bayesian networks; thus this article describes specific actions taken for the iterative process of constructing and revising Bayesian networks in the context of the game Physics Playground.

One of the key ideas of evidence-centered assessment design (ECD) is that task features can be deliberately manipulated to change the psychometric properties of items. ECD identifies a number of roles that task-feature variables can play, including determining the focus of evidence, guiding form creation, determining item difficulty and discrimination, characterizing proficiency, and producing task variants. Assessment developers can use these task features to manipulate the psychometric properties of both conventional assessment formats and complex tasks embedded in simulations and games. Simulations and games tasks present additional challenges: even defining what corresponds to an item can be difficult. Often task features are determined by game or simulation logic rather than psychometric design. Despite these difficulties, the roles for task features identified in ECD are useful for analyzing the psychometric properties of embedded assessments in simulations and games. This article compares a conventional test of mathematics-problem-solving ability using word problems to an assessment of conceptual physics, creativity, and conscientiousness embedded in the game "Newton's Playground," describing how the task roles play out in each setting and how they can be used to manipulate the evidence provided by an assessment.

Digital games are very popular in modern culture. The authors are examining ways to leverage these engaging environments to assess and support student competencies. The authors examine gameplay and learning using a physics game they developed called Newton's Playground. The sample consisted of 167 eighth- and ninth-grade students who played Newton's Playground for about 4 hr over the course of 1.5 weeks. Findings include significant pretest-posttest physics gains, and significant relations between in-game indicators and learning.

Objective. To investigate the systemic and ocular factors that affect the response to intensive aflibercept treatment in diabetic macular edema (DME) in a real-world setting. Methods. This retrospective cohort study evaluated 30 eyes of 23 patients with DME who underwent intensive intravitreal aflibercept injections (five monthly loading doses). Treatment response was assessed by central retinal thickness (CRT) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) at each monthly visit. The patients were categorized as good (<300 μm) and suboptimal (≥300 μm) responders based on CRT after the loading phase. Baseline systemic and ocular factors associated with treatment response were investigated. Results. The mean CRT and BCVA significantly improved after five loading injections (486.87 ± 95.46 to 334.90 ± 69.47 μm and 0.51 ± 0.30 to 0.35 ± 0.25 LogMAR, respectively, all p < 0.05). During 12 months of follow-up, 16 eyes (53.33%) maintained CRT without additional treatment. Eyes with diabetes mellitus (DM) for ≥15 years, estimated glomerular filtration rate eGFR < 80 mL/min/1.73 m2, serum creatinine ≥ 0.95 mg/dL and potassium ≥ 4.7 mmol/L, and presence of epiretinal membrane (ERM) were more likely to have a suboptimal response to the treatment. Conclusions. Five monthly loading doses of intravitreal aflibercept injection provided significant anatomical and visual improvements in patients with DME. Patients with longer DM duration, lower eGFR, higher serum creatinine or potassium levels, or ERM were predisposed to a suboptimal treatment response. Individual response to intensive aflibercept treatment for DME can be predicted by these systemic and ocular risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between video gameplay, video game genre preference, personality, and GPA was investigated in an online correlational study with university students. In addition to administering self-report measures of GPA and personality, we asked three different questions regarding styles of video gameplay. The first asked the average time spent playing video games per week (habitual players), the second asked the total time spent playing favorite video games (selective players), and the third asked the number of different video games played in a year (diverse players). Students who were medium in selective player style (spent 11-50 h) had significantly higher GPAs than students low on selective player style (spent 0-10 h). Students high on habitual playing style (7 or more hours a week) showed significantly lower levels of Conscientiousness compared to students low on habitual playing style (0-1 h a week). Students who were high on the diverse style (i.e., 7 or more games played a year) showed significantly higher Openness scores than students low on the diverse style (0-3 games a year). Finally, several notable relations were found between video game genre preference, GPA, and personality. Results are discussed in terms of the positive implications of video gameplay on academic performance. (Contains 5 tables.)

We report a case of intraocular involvement in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma masquerading as Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. A 48-year-old woman presented with blurred vision in both eyes, fever, and hearing disturbance and underwent a complete ophthalmologic and systemic evaluation. Ophthalmologic examination showed bilateral exudative retinal detachment and signs of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease. However, considering her generalized symptoms, systemic evaluation was performed before administering systemic steroid pulse therapy. In a systemic investigation, the patient was diagnosed with intraocular involvement in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. After systemic chemotherapy, her bilateral visual acuity improved to 20/25 and the bilateral serous retinal detachment resolved. In cases with prominent systemic symptoms, comprehensive systemic evaluation should be performed to rule out severe systemic conditions, such as malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) shows great diversity between genotypes and phenotypes, and it is important to identify the causative genes. This study aimed to analyze the molecular profiles, associated ocular characteristics, and progression of RP in Korean patients. Methods. All the genetic variants in patients with RP, identified using targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a panel of 88 RP-related genes between November 2018 and November 2019, were retrospectively reviewed. All the patients underwent comprehensive ophthalmological evaluations, and their clinical and family histories were recorded. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) deterioration and photoreceptor disruption progression rates were determined based on the major causative mutational genes using nonlinear mixed models, and the differences among them were investigated using the interaction effect. Results. Among the 144 probands, 82 variants in 24 causative genes were identified in 77 families (53.5%). Most of the RP cases were associated with autosomal recessive variants (N = 64 (44.4%)), followed by autosomal dominant (N = 10 (6.9%)) and X-linked variants (N = 3 (2.1%)). The four most frequently affected genes were EYS (N = 15 (10.4%)), USH2A (N = 12 (8.3%)), PDE6B (N = 9 (6.3%)), and RP1 (N = 8 (5.6%)). Epiretinal membranes and cystoid macular edema were frequently noted in the patients with USH2A (75.0%) and PDE6B (50.0%) variants, respectively. During the follow-up period, the BCVA and photoreceptor disruption changes were significantly different among the patients carrying the four common causative genes (P = 0.014 and 0.034, resp.). Patients with PDE6B variants showed faster BCVA changes (0.2 LogMAR/10 years), and those with USH2A variants showed the fastest ellipsoid zone disruptions (−170.4 µm/year). Conclusion. In conclusion, our genetic analysis using targeted NGS provides information about the prevalence of RP-associated mutations in Korean patients. Delineating clinical characteristics according to genetic variations may help clinicians identify subtype features and predict the clinical course of RP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To report the anatomical and functional outcomes of Argus II retinal prosthesis implantation in Korean patients. Methods: We included 5 consecutive patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP) who underwent Argus II retinal prosthesis implantation and were followed for at least 12 months. The transcorneal electrical evoked response was utilized for patient selection. We used intraoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) for optimal placement of the array and provided specialized vision rehabilitation training. A morphological evaluation using SD-OCT and a functional evaluation using computer-based visual function tests, a letter-reading ability test, and the Functional Low-Vision Observer Rated Assessment (FLORA) were conducted. Results: Postoperatively, the array was completely apposed to the retinal surface in all eyes, except for one eye which had a preexisting macular concavity. Fibrosis-like tissues of ≥50-μm thickness developed at the interface in 2 eyes. All of the patients showed improvement in computer-based visual function tests and could read ETDRS letters at a distance of 50 cm. Three patients could read Korean words. FLORA was improved in all patients, mainly in tasks of visual mobility, daily activities, and social interactions. Conclusions: Along with good anatomical outcomes and specialized rehabilitation practices, recipients of the Argus II implant showed profound improvements in functional vision and mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To compare the functional and anatomical outcomes of central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) according to the presence of glaucoma before the onset of CRVO, and to assess whether pre‐existing glaucoma affects the prognosis of CRVO in terms of development and conversion to ischaemic CRVO. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with treatment‐naïve CRVO were enrolled between December 2009 and February 2019. The patients were classified into two groups according to the presence of pre‐existing primary open‐angle glaucoma at CRVO diagnosis. We reviewed medical records regarding basic demographics, ocular characteristics and treatments. The effects of pre‐existing glaucoma on the occurrence of ischaemic CRVO were also investigated using Cox proportional hazard models. Results: Of 166 eyes from 166 patients, 26 (15.7%) had pre‐existing glaucoma. The pre‐existing glaucoma group revealed significantly older (69.4 ± 13.3 versus 56.5 ± 15.9) and lower BCVA at baseline (1.06 ± 0.75 versus 0.64 ± 0.58, logMAR) and final visits (1.56 ± 1.35 versus 0.64 ± 0.48, logMAR) (all p < 0.05) than non‐glaucomatous group. In terms of perfusion status of CRVO, the glaucoma group showed higher incidence of ischaemic CRVO (30.8% versus 5.3%, p = 0.052) at initial and last visits as well as more disorganization of retinal inner layers (DRIL) at 3 months (76.0% versus 49.6%, p = 0.015). Pre‐existing glaucoma (hazard ratio (HR) = 2.141, p = 0.014), lower vision at baseline (HR = 2.071, p = 0.001) and DRIL at 3 months (HR = 2.905, p = 0.011) were significant risk factors for the occurrence of ischaemic CRVO. Conclusion: In patients with CRVO, pre‐existing glaucoma was associated with poorer visual and anatomical outcomes, and played as a significant risk factor for the development and conversion to ischaemic CRVO with lower vision and presence of DRIL at early phase of CRVO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EVIDENCE, an automated variant prioritization system, has been developed to facilitate whole exome sequencing analyses. This study investigated the diagnostic yield of EVIDENCE in patients with suspected genetic disorders. DNA from 330 probands (age range, 0‐68 years) with suspected genetic disorders were subjected to whole exome sequencing. Candidate variants were identified by EVIDENCE and confirmed by testing family members and/or clinical reassessments. EVIDENCE reported a total 228 variants in 200 (60.6%) of the 330 probands. The average number of organs involved per patient was 4.5 ± 5.0. After clinical reassessment and/or family member testing, 167 variants were identified in 141 probands (42.7%), including 105 novel variants. These variants were confirmed as being responsible for 121 genetic disorders. A total of 103 (61.7%) of the 167 variants in 95 patients were classified as pathogenic or probably to be pathogenic before, and 161 (96.4%) variants in 137 patients (41.5%) after, clinical assessment and/or family member testing. Factor associated with a variant being regarded as causative includes similar symptom scores of a gene variant to the phenotype of the patient. This new, automated variant interpretation system facilitated the diagnosis of various genetic diseases with a 42.7% diagnostic yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To identify the clinical characteristics and risk factors for secondary choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC). Methods. In this retrospective study, we included a total of 108 eyes in 106 CSC patients. Group A was defined as patients initially diagnosed with CSC who developed secondary CNV, and group B was defined as patients who did not develop secondary CNV. Clinical and demographic characteristics, optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings at CSC diagnosis and OCT angiography (OCTA) at the time of secondary CNV diagnosis, were compared between the groups. Results. Thirty-one eyes had CNV (group A) and 77 eyes did not (group B). The mean age of group A was higher than that of group B (52.28 ± 6.87 vs. 46.78 ± 9.45 years; P < 0.001). Although there was no difference in pigment epithelial detachment (PED) height, group A had larger PED width than group B at CSC diagnosis. The foveal and parafoveal choriocapillary flow densities were significantly lower in group A than group B (P = 0.027 and P < 0.001 , respectively). Conclusion. We identified that older age, wider PED width at diagnosis, and recurrent episodes of CSC were independent risk factors for development of secondary CNV. Therefore, patients with these risk factors should be monitored to allow early detection and prompt treatment of secondary CNV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to correlate the visual function and structural characteristics of the retina and choroid in advanced retinitis pigmentosa (RP) patients. A cross-sectional, retrospective review was conducted of medical records of 149 RP patients who reported visual field constriction on a central 30-2 Humphrey visual field chart. Using spectral domain-optical coherence tomography, central foveal thickness (CFT), ellipsoid zone (EZ) length, macular volume (MV), and submacular choroidal thickness (SMChT) were measured. A control cohort (68 eyes of 68 patients) was included for comparing the macular structure. Quantitative correlations between visual function indices [visual field index (VFI) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA)] and structural indices (CFT, EZ length, and SMChT) were evaluated. Mean age was 46.3 ± 15.5 years; mean illness duration was 60.7 ± 60.0 months. SMChT was thinner than that in normal controls. Per Pearson's correlation, BCVA and VFI exhibited a progressive worsening related to age and disease duration. In multivariate linear regression, BCVA and VFI were significantly correlated with CFT, EZ length, and MV at the central 1-mm area. Among RP patients with visual field constriction within 30°, VFI and BCVA closely correlate with the degree of retinal structural change, including the CFT, EZ length, and MV. SMChT uniformly decreased in this study population and exhibited no significant correlation with BCVA or VFI degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between the duration of myopic choroidal neovascularization (CNV) and treatment outcome after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injections. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of treatment-naïve myopic CNV patients who were treated with anti-VEGF and followed for at least 24 months to identify factors predicting final outcome and recurrence. Results: Among 106 eyes, a shorter duration of CNV was a significant predictor of a better final bestcorrected visual acuity, even after controlling for other factors (p = 0.042). When divided into 3 groups according to CNV duration before treatment (<2, 2-8, and 8-24 weeks), the recurrence rate (19, 25, and 52%, respectively; p = 0.006) and number of injections (3.5, 4.0, and 5.5, respectively; p = 0.021) were significantly lower in eyes with a shorter duration of CNV. Conclusions: Early anti-VEGF treatment of myopic CNV decreased the recurrence rate and number of injections and improved visual outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the 1-year results of 25-gauge microincision vitrectomy surgery (MIVS25) combined with intraoperative dexamethasone (DEX) implant for persistent diabetic macular edema (DME). Methods: This study enrolled patients who had a history of DME for ⩾ 12 months and underwent MIVS25 and DEX implant injection. Best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central retinal thickness (CRT) were assessed postoperatively. Results: Eighteen eyes were included in the analysis. Preoperatively, logMAR BCVA was 0.90 and CRT was 594 μm on average. CRT decreased until the 3-month follow-up visit and tended to increase at 6 months, but stabilized at 12 months with additional treatments in five eyes at 5 months postoperatively. Statistically significant improvement in BCVA was noted 1 month after treatment and at each subsequent follow-up visit (p < 0.001). Conclusion: MIVS25 combined with DEX implant injection might be utilized as an effective and safe alternative treatment for intractable DME. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents commentaries from authors on several research related to evidence-centered assessment design (ECD). Kristen E. DiCerbo shows the importance of game designer, learning designer. Aurora Graf notes that open-ended items are best method for measuring creativity. The comment of Keith A. Markus aims to codify traditional best practices or intended as alternative to traditional practices.