Super Mario Bros. are actually fantastic teachers.

In case I didn’t give away my age in the title, I’m firmly a millennial. While Gen X may proclaim to be the “Oregon Trail Generation”, rest assured I too have died of dysentery a great many times. I’ve also died from Koopas, Goombas, boos, and other environmental hazards not seen in this realm. (For those like me who thought these were merely dimented turtles, walking mushrooms or simply “ghosts”, Nintendo's official website informs me that these lethal critters actually do have official names. The more ya know.)

Other than creative ways to throw a controller without damaging the game, the TV, or the controller itself, all those deaths offered a masterclass in effective assessment design. 

Before we get into unpacking the value of assessments and completely overuse the Mario Bros. analogy - because I definitely will - we need to establish some baseline vocabulary. 

Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) - A term coined by Psychologist Lev Vygotski - is the sweet spot when learning is neither too easy nor too difficult. If something is too easy, participants lose interest and will do literally anything else to find stimulation. If too hard, participants cannot see a path toward success and will similarly disengage. 

We’ll come back to that term later. For now, back to the golden age of 1990s video games.

Immediately on my quest to save Princess Peach I was gently bumped into by a Goomba. Dead. Thankfully I had 4 more lives to figure it all out. Round 2 I learned that Goombas were not my friend and I’d need to change tactics if I were going to get to Peach before sundown. This time, instead of walking into the Goomba, I learned to jump over the waddling mushroom. Voila! Still alive! 

Assessments tell us what we’re doing wrong (like running into a Goomba) and when we’re on the right track (like jumping over a Goomba). Thus, assessments play a critical role in educational experiences.

Delivering learning materials is not just about delivering the content, it’s about building in the appropriate benchmark assessments along the way so that both instructors and learners recognize when they need to change up their tactics.

So let’s talk assessments. 

Assessments fall into two categories: 

  1. Assessment FOR Learning

  2. Assessment OF learning 

Assessments FOR Learning

These are the assessments built in along the way that allow the learner to recognize their own progress. In childhood video games, assessment for learning would be the obstacles. These assessments taught players what to do. 

We learned to jump over and duck all varieties of killer creatures after our first assessment. This lesson stayed with us through each round and we got increasingly skilled at knowing exactly when and what combination of buttons to hit for maximum impact. 

But the assessments didn’t stay the same each round. 

As the levels got harder, the assessment also had to get harder. The same skill was applied, but with more complexity. With each round, The time between jumps and ducks got shorter and spiky, flaming, and paranormal things were all added to the mix. All of these were assessments for learning. 

The increasing complexity of the assessments is a great visualization for understanding ZPD. If Mario had to jump, duck, land on a hovering platform to carry him across a gap in the earth, land on a Koopa pick it up and throw it, jump over the flaming stick, duck under a flaming stick, dodge a boo, and fight Bowzer on the first level Princess Peach would still be locked in that castle. The game would have missed that sweet spot of not-too-hard-not-too-easy. In this way, video games are a great example of finding that sweet spot that keeps players engaged… sometimes too engaged. 

With each round, the zone for learning - the ZPD - changed. It had to. If we kept the degree of difficulty the same, players would eventually quit the game. The challenge has to change to keep interest. Similarly, the avenue to increasingly difficult skills - with assessments for learning - must be laid out by you, the facilitator.

In edu-speak we call this slow-rolling of killer obstacles  “scaffolding” - just like you see in construction sites. Certain skills have to build on certain skills. 

Of note, each person’s ZPD will be different, so you’ll need to gauge your audience accordingly. What is a reach for some, will be easy for others. Some may depend heavily on scaffolding, while others ignore it. Both are okay - the end goal is rescuing the princess. How we get there, at least at this point in analogy, is of little consequence.    

Assessment OF Learning

This type of assessment is for you, that facilitator. This is where you gauge how well, or to what degree, your audience acquired the information necessary. 

As it relates to the game, this one is simple: did you rescue Princess Peach or not?

If not: how close did you get? What were the obstacles that prevented you from reaching your mission? Would an expert showing you how to get through this level help you be successful?

  • As educational leaders in your organization, all of those follow-up questions are the secret to effective performance reviews and feedback.

If yes: Congratulations! You’ve demonstrated mastery over the subject matter. 

  • Now is when we review the ways in which an individual relied on scaffolding. If we evaluate the speed with which someone rescues Princess Peach as a critical factor, it may be time to move this individual to the next level. They’ve proven they understand the standard, they know how to do the task, and they execute skillfully. Having them replay the same game may lead to stagnation or frustration. The next level may mean it's time to consider a promotion. Their ZPD has changed, so must the challenges that motivate and stimulate an employee. 

A couple more notes on the genius of video games:

  1. Assessments for learning are relatively low stakes. 

    • In the case of Mario Bros, players had five chances to die before they actually died. This built-in system of retesting allows players to test theories on how to best navigate obstacles and develop new skills. Eventually, low-stakes assessments allow for innovation and an opportunity to fail-forward. Eventually, players learn they can use Koopas as their own personal weapons, hurling the shells at other dangers. 

  2. Assessments are benchmarked. 

    • The checkpoint / ‘save game’ feature on video games is the greatest invention in the history of video games. Putting the work aside, or closing the game at the end of the night, should not default to going all the way back to the beginning. Similarly, progress toward stated goals should not be erased to zero when players have already demonstrated mastery over certain skills. 

    • Similarly, once someone demonstrates mastery of a skill or disposition, it's not an effective use of anyone’s time to continually retest the same skills. At least not with the same stakes. Consider it a checkpoint and build.  A gentle reminder / touch point is great, but these should not be detrimental to the overall progression of learning. (Mario Bros may not be the best instance here. The obstacles will kill you the same degree of dead no matter what level you’re on.) 

  3. Assessments also reward! 

    • Catching that star was tricky the first time. Is it lethal like a Koopa? Maybe… or maybe IT WILL GIVE ME SUPER SPEED! Assessments can also unlock superpowers. Develop assessments that allow your audience to see where their new knowledge makes them faster, stronger, or in some instances, capable of spitting fireballs. Proof points that demonstrate efficiencies, higher reward, or improved ROI are critical to adult learning requirements. 

  4. Assessments serve as progress monitoring. 

    • When working toward the ultimate goal, assessments allow us to know how close/far we are from our intended objective. In games, levels are numbered and progress toward that final assessment of learning provides players with the ability to see how far they have to go to demonstrate mastery. It shouldn’t be a secret where you want your team to go. Assessments should support you in conveying “What good looks like”. 

In good assessment fashion, I leave you with an assessment of learning - 2 quick questions! Check your knowledge HERE

Happy Teaching! (But call me if you have questions.)

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