Gaming/Virtual Environments

This interactive poster session brings together 11 projects using a range of digital computer technologies to improve science and math learning, including simulations, games, and other cyberlearning tools and environments. In addition to increasing communication and collaboration among these researchers, a key goal of this session is to discuss the diversity of research questions that each project (and the community as a whole) is engaged in, the research methodologies used, and the coupling between the research questions and the selected methodologies.

Participants are invited to play online games embedded in a data-analysis environment, analyzing their game data to improve their strategy. The structure follows an abbreviated version of classroom activities that presenters are now field testing. Product release is scheduled to begin in fall 2012. (Participants should bring a laptop computer that can connect with conference wifi.) With each game-based activity, subsequent discussion focuses on different issues about which presenters would like feedback.

This panel presentation showcases various NSF DR K–12 projects (Data Games, Evidence Game, MathSnacks, PhET, and TESLA) and the role of the classroom teacher in these project-related online, game-, and simulation-based learning environments. The session presenters highlight the envisioned role teachers play when implementing each game or simulation project. Presenters also discuss how the vision of the teacher’s role has evolved during the life of some of the projects.

The session brings together seven DR K–12 projects focused on game-based STEM learning and assessments of science content and inquiry. The panel provides an overview of what they know about how learning takes place in games and how each of these projects is crafting assessments in virtual and game-based environments. They focus on strategies for leveraging popular game mechanics with research from the learning sciences, psychology, science education, and computer science to support and assess players as they develop robust understandings of core scientific concepts and practices.

GAMING ARCADE

Wednesday 3:45 – 4:30 PM in Washington A & B

Participating Projects

Project:: Expanding PhET Interactive Science Simulations to Grades 4-8: A Research-based Approach

Presenter: Kathy Perkins, University of Colorado, Boulder