Using StudyMate to Create Online Games and Activities

StudyMate is a software program for creating ten Flash-based activities and games using a handful of basic templates. I've used StudyMate to create games and activities for the writing classes I teach at Leeward Community College. StudyMate's flash activities can be used with any web server or published directly to content-management systems like Blackboard, WebCT, ANGEL or Sakai. StudyMate activities are also accessible on mobile devices including the iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Android, BlackBerry, and Palm Pre.

One of the good things about StudyMate is the provision to import items from MS Word files and test banks. This helps to simplify the creation of interactive activities from existing content. A great thing about StudyMate is that knowledge of Flash programming or HTML is not required
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StudyMate Class provides learning opportunities through games, which present class information in the form of a crossword puzzle or a Jeopardy-like contest. For example, the challenge game, which is akin to Jeopardy, presents students with questions arranged by difficulty level, with higher point values for harder questions. The objective of the game is to achieve the best score and may be played competitively against another student.

What I've done is create StudyMate practice tests and the challenge game and make these available to students as preparation for tests and quizzes. For me and my students, access to these games and activities is via Laulima, a set of web based course management and resource tools for learning, instruction, and collaboration for the University of Hawaii system where I teach. These tools are based on the open source Sakai collaborative learning environment.

StudyMate also includes several categories of activities including flash cards intended for vocabulary or terminology review. It is even possible to include images and sound bytes for these. Also available are fill in the blank drills which requires students to type in answers to questions.

For those wanting to check out StudyMate, there is a free three-month pilot license which transitions to a feature-limited version when the expiration date is reached with no purchase. Pricing starts at $2,995 for institutions with enrollment below 2,000 students and increases according to student FTE enrollment size. Check to see if your institution has StudyMate.