Skill Tree – Advanced Designing Games for Learning (ISLT 9486)

🎮 Advanced Skill Tree Overview

This page tracks my badge progress and earned competencies for ISLT 9486: Advanced Designing Games for Learning (Spring 2026), taught by Dr. Danielle Oprean.

Building on the foundational skill tree developed during Designing Games for Learning, this advanced branch focuses on applied game design, client-based problem solving, iterative prototyping, and playtesting within real-world learning contexts.

Badges earned in this course represent demonstrated skills, reflections, and design milestones achieved throughout the semester.

The original skill tree and badges earned during Designing Games for Learning can be found here:
https://josephsabo-gamedesign.blogspot.com/p/skill-tree-badges-attributes.html

Skills earned during that questline serve as prerequisites and background knowledge for the advanced badges tracked on this page.

🏅 Badge: Trailblazer (Advanced Quest Entry)

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 0
Description:
The Trailblazer badge represents the completion of Level 0 of the Advanced WSSG Academy. This badge marks the beginning of my advanced design journey and emphasizes the importance of preparation as a core design skill. Earning this badge reflects my readiness to move forward with more complex game design work and a deeper awareness of how preparation supports effective learning-focused game development.

Evidence:

• 
  

• Completion of Level 0 onboarding and setup activities

• Level 0 blog post introducing the Advanced Designing Games for Learning questline
  

🏅 Badge 1: Simulationist

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 1
Course: ISLT 9486 – Advanced Designing Games for Learning

Badge Description:
The Simulationist badge represents my ability to distinguish between games, simulation games, and simulations, while also understanding where key design principles overlap and diverge across these forms of interactive media. Earning this badge reflects my growing capacity to analyze how learning goals, realism, player agency, and mechanics shape an experience’s classification and design intent.

Evidence:

• Level 1 blog post: Circuits & Electricity analysis

• Comparative classification of Wired, Circuit Warz, and Crack the Circuit

🏅 Badge 2: Aficionado

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 2
Course: ISLT 9486 – Advanced Designing Games for Learning

Badge Description:
The Aficionado badge represents the ability to connect learning content with subject-matter knowledge and existing gamified experiences. Earning this badge reflects my engagement in market research and content exploration prior to beginning the design process. Rather than designing in isolation, this badge acknowledges the importance of understanding what has already been attempted within a topic area and how content has previously been translated into interactive experiences.

Evidence:

• Level 2 blog post: Exploring the Existing Landscape

• Research and documentation of 3–4 existing games/simulations

• Analysis of patterns, gaps, and design implications within the topic area
  

🏅 Badge 3: Advocator

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 3
Course: ISLT 9486 – Advanced Designing Games for Learning

Badge Description:
The Advocator badge reflects the ability to design with the learner in mind by synthesizing clear learner personas and advocating for their needs throughout the design process. This badge emphasizes that games for learning should be intentionally tailored to specific audiences rather than designed generically. Earning this badge demonstrates my ability to consider learner characteristics, goals, and constraints when shaping design decisions.

Evidence:

• Development and synthesis of learner personas

• Application of learner-focused thinking in design planning

• Level 3 course activities focused on audience analysis and advocacy
  

🏅 Badge 4: Journeyperson

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 4
Course: ISLT 9486 – Advanced Designing Games for Learning

Badge Description:
The Journeyperson badge represents the successful application of the iterative design process through the development of a functional game or simulation prototype. Earning this badge reflects my ability to move beyond planning and analysis into active design, iteration, and refinement. This includes collaborating within a design team, testing ideas, and adapting based on feedback to improve the overall experience.

Evidence:

• Development of the Judgement Day prototype
• Application of iterative design (design → test → refine)
• Collaboration and contribution within the design team
• Supporting design documentation and project work from Level 4

🏅 Badge 5: Playtester

Status: ✅ Earned
Associated Level(s): Level 5
Course: ISLT 9486 – Advanced Designing Games for Learning

Badge Description:
The Playtester badge represents the ability to evaluate a game design through structured playtesting and feedback. Earning this badge reflects my willingness to test a prototype with others, gather meaningful feedback, and use that input to improve the overall design. This process emphasizes the importance of iteration, critique, and asking the right questions to refine both gameplay and learning outcomes.

Evidence:

• Playtesting sessions conducted with peers or users
• Collection and analysis of feedback on the Judgement Day prototype
• Iterative improvements based on playtesting results
• Reflection on strengths, weaknesses, and areas for refinement