Computing · Year 3

Active learning ideas

Sharing and Evaluating Games

Active learning works for sharing and evaluating games because students must test, justify, and refine their work in real time. When pupils play each other’s games and discuss their experiences, they develop critical digital literacy skills that go beyond simply building a project.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS2: Computing - Digital Literacy
• KS2: Computing - Information Technology

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Gallery Walk
• 45 min · Small Groups

Gallery Walk: Game Playtesting

Display student games on classroom computers or tablets. Groups rotate every 5 minutes to play a game, recording one strength, one challenge, and a suggestion on feedback sheets. After rotations, students review notes from all players on their own game.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a peer's game based on user feedback.

Facilitation Tip

In Gallery Walk, rotate groups every 5 minutes so students experience multiple games and perspectives.

What to look for

Students play a partner's game for 5 minutes. Provide them with a simple checklist: 1. What did you like most about the game? 2. What was confusing or difficult? 3. Suggest one change to make it better. Students then discuss their checklist with the game creator.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Create
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 02

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 30 min · Pairs

Feedback Pairs: Design Justification

Partners play each other's game for 4 minutes then switch: the designer explains choices while the player shares observations. Each pair agrees on two key improvements. Pairs report one insight to the class.

Justify the design choices made in your own game.

Facilitation Tip

For Feedback Pairs, provide sentence starters on feedback sheets to guide constructive comments.

What to look for

After sharing, ask students: 'Think about the feedback you received. Which piece of feedback was most helpful and why? How will you use this feedback to change your game?' Record student responses or have them write down their answer.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 03

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 35 min · Small Groups

Reflection Carousel: Improvement Planning

Post feedback sheets around the room. Students visit three sheets, adding their own game parallels or tips. Back at stations, they prioritise changes and sketch quick prototypes.

Predict how you would improve your game based on the feedback received.

Facilitation Tip

During Reflection Carousel, ask students to write down one improvement idea before moving to the next poster to ensure accountability.

What to look for

Ask students to hold up fingers to indicate how confident they feel about explaining one of their game's design choices (1=not confident, 5=very confident). Then, ask them to write down one specific design choice they made and why they made it.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 04

• Inside-Outside Circle
• 25 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Debrief: Feedback Trends

Project anonymised feedback quotes. Class votes on common themes like 'confusing start screen' and brainstorms solutions. Each student updates their game log with one action.

Evaluate the effectiveness of a peer's game based on user feedback.

Facilitation Tip

In Whole Class Debrief, record feedback trends on the board to highlight patterns across all games.

What to look for

Students play a partner's game for 5 minutes. Provide them with a simple checklist: 1. What did you like most about the game? 2. What was confusing or difficult? 3. Suggest one change to make it better. Students then discuss their checklist with the game creator.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model how to give feedback that is specific, kind, and helpful by demonstrating on a sample game. Avoid letting students dismiss feedback by saying, ‘I just like it.’ Instead, guide them to focus on usability and clarity. Research shows that structured peer feedback increases both learning outcomes and student confidence in evaluating digital products.

Successful learning looks like students giving specific, actionable feedback to peers and using that feedback to improve their designs. They should confidently explain their choices and plan concrete next steps for their games.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Gallery Walk, watch for students who say, ‘I like your game’ without explaining why or suggesting changes.

  During Gallery Walk, hand students feedback sheets with three prompts: ‘What worked well?’, ‘What was confusing?’, and ‘Suggest one change.’ Circulate and remind students to fill all sections with specific details.

• During Feedback Pairs, watch for students who accept all feedback without questioning or justifying their own design choices.

  During Feedback Pairs, provide a template for students to record one piece of feedback they agree with and one they disagree with, explaining their reasoning in a sentence.

• During Reflection Carousel, watch for students who write vague improvement plans like ‘make it better’ without clear steps.

  During Reflection Carousel, give each student a sticky note to write a single, specific improvement (e.g., ‘add a start screen with instructions’) and stick it on their game poster before sharing with the class.

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Methods used in this brief

• Gallery Walk
• Inside-Outside Circle