Sandra A. RogersUniversity of South Alabama

TRACE EFFECTS: PROGRAM THEORY LOGIC MODEL

What is the program theory behind the Trace Effect video game?

Outline

1.Describe Trace Effects2.Discuss informal program

evaluation 3.Describe program theory

and share logic model

Program Description

•Trace Effects is a free, 3-D multimedia interactive video game that can be played from a DVD or online by an individual or as a group.•It has a complimentary mobile app called Trace Word Soup, which is a vocabulary game.•The game teaches American English and culture in the context of a student entering a university setting for the first time.

Program Objectives•Outreach program of the Office of English Language Programs and the American English resource center.

•Department of State’s (DOS) effort to provide English language skills to talented 13-20 year-olds from economically disadvantaged sectors of the world.

Program Theory Evaluation•The evaluation was conducted according to the pragmatic-use-evaluation-branch (Mertens & Wilson, 2012).

•The following key stakeholders participated in the study: script and material writers, Regional English Language officers, and educators.

Research Questions•What are 3 strengths of the game?•What is the instructional gaming theory used by Trace Effects?•What is the DOS’ belief about gaming as an instructional strategy?•Which educational psychology paradigm(s) is/are the game based on & why?

Research Questions continued…•Which language learning theories, models, and best practices is the game based on? •Which instructional strategies are used in the game design? •Which learning theories, models, or best practices are used to teach culture in the game?•How will one know if users improved their English language ability and/or learned about American culture by using the game?

Logic Modeling•The logic model lists the inputs (investments of effort, time, and money), outputs (activities and participation) & outcomes (short, medium, and long-term objectives).

•For example, a proximal outcome for students and teachers is to learn the gaming system, which is a type of e-literacy often included in multi-literacy skill discussions for 21st century learners & educators.

Program Theory

The program’s learning theory is based on the following learning paradigms: cognitivism, constructivism, the communicative approach to language acquisition, TESOL’s computer-assisted language learning Technology Standards Framework (2008), & gaming as an instructional strategy.

Program Theory continued…

Some external factors embedded in the program are derived from the DOS pillars: entrepreneurship, community activism, empowering women, science and innovation, environmental conservation, & conflict resolution.

Logic modeling is a way to provide a graphical representation to illustrate an organization’s effort & its relationship to the outcomes. See my Trace Effects logic model for more information.

You can view the game at this address: http://traceeffects.state.gov/

Questions?

Sandra A. RogersUniversity of South

Alabama

sandrarogers@southalabama.edu

Twitter @teacherrogers

References• American English. (2012). [Website]. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from http://americanenglish.state.gov/• Bikowski, D. (2012). TE teacher’s manual, Part 1: Gaming in education. Office of English Language Programs. Washington, D. C.: Department of State.• Enhancing program performance with logic models. (2003). University of Wisconsin-Extension Program Development. Retrieved from http://www.uwex.edu/ces/pdande/evaluation/evallogicmodel.html• Mertens, D. M., & Wilson, A. T. (2012). Program evaluation theory and practice: A comprehensive guide. New York, NY: Guilford.

References continued• Schwartz, K. (2012, December 12). The US State Department gets into the education game [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://blogs.kqed.org/mindshift/2012/12/the-u-s-state-department-gets-in-the-education-game/• Technology Standards Framework. (2008). TESOL International Association. Retrieved from http://www.tesol.org/docs/books/bk_technologystandards_framework_721.pdf• Trace Effects. 2012. [Website]. U.S. Department of State. Retrieved from http://traceeffects.state.gov/•Wallin, M. (2013, April 2). TE: The State Department’s English-teaching video game [Web log post]. Retrieved from http://americansecurityproject.org/blog/2013/trace-effects-the-state-departments-english-teaching-video