GATER: Game-based Assessment for Training and Empirical Research

Researchers who study skill acquisition require synthetic task environments (STEs) that accurately simulate task components that leverage cognitive skills. Multiplayer games hold great promise for use as lightweight STEs; however, to be useful for research, games must be enhanced with technologies that enable controlled manipulation of simulation conditions and principled development of performance measures. To meet these needs, we will develop and test the Game-based Assessment for Training and Empirical Research (GATER) toolkit, a set of supporting technologies that enable the use of a game-based STE for skill acquisition and decay research. GATER will utilize formal models of competencies, learning objectives, and measures to configure extensible tools for developing scenarios and performance measures. In Phase I, we will define models, design a scenario and measures, conduct a pilot study, and demonstrate proof-of-concept through the modification of existing software and development of a system architecture. This will position us for Phase II, in which we will fully implement GATER and integrate it with a game-based STE. The resulting system will be of immediate use to training researchers, who can use GATER for empirical studies, as well as operational instructors, who can use GATER for game-based training and evaluation.