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Game On!Using Video Games to Teach STEM in the Classroom
Adrienne Evans Fernandez, Jamie Reaves Kirkley4 February 2012
AgendaIntroductions
Games as teaching toolsOverview of the fieldGetting support from stakeholders
AstroEngineer: Moon Rover (AEMR)Review games and learningOverview of AstroEngineer gameReview the AEMR Teacher’s GuideExplore a demo of the game
Who Are We…..WisdomTools, Inc. creates serious games and e-
learning solutions for education and trainingUse entertainment game approaches that engage
and teach; game mapped to objectives and standards
Focus on STEM-focused games that teach difficult concepts in science, technology, engineering and mathematicsAstroEngineer: Moon Rover (released Aug 2010)AeroEngineer: Race to Mars (TBR Aug 2012)NanoMech (TBR Fall 2012)
The Challenge of STEM (Science, Math, Engineering & Mathematics)
U.S. is not able to fill STEM-related job positions due to lack of STEM graduates
Many students lose interest in STEM-related courses at the middle and high school levels
Minority and female students are more likely to discontinue taking STEM related courses (National Center for Education Statistics, 2005)
Minorities are underrepresented in high-level science, technology, engineering and math occupations (Leslie, 1998)
Serious GamesSerious games (a subset of computer
educational games) seen as a way to engage students in STEM
Federation of American Scientists, Gates and MacArthur Foundations, Woodrow Wilson Institute, etc. etc.
White House office examining educational benefits of video games:http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/story/2012-01-26/edcuational-video-games-white-house/52908052/1
Advantages of Using Serious Games in STEM
Take students to space!!
Reach students on their own terms; research shows they play HOURS of video games at home each week
Playing games motivates students, and motivated students learn more
Build student interest, engagement & learning in STEM
Teach concepts not possible in real life (i.e., dangerous)
Support inquiry-based learning Combine with hands-on and other types of activities Use games as part of project and problem based learning
curricula
Serious Games & Learning Serious games can facilitate:
Building interest and learning STEM content/careers “Strategic thinking, problem solving, plan formulation and execution,
and adaptation to rapid change” (Federation of American Scientists, 2006)
Players are given opportunities for challenge, strategy and problem-solving (Lazzaro, 2004).
Well-designed games can support: Problem solving & decision making (Adams, 2006; Gee, 2003; Taradi,
Taradi, Radic & Pokrajac, 2005) Active learning (Winn, 2008) and creativity Complex systems thinking and literacies (Steinkuhler, 2008) Experiments, inventions, & learning by doing (Rickard & Oblinger,
2004) Team-based challenges/collaboration (Bourgonjon, 2008) Creativity (Jackson et al, 2011)
Serious Games & PBLGames more effective when embedded in
instructional program that includes feedback and debriefing (Hays, 2006)
Researchers have promoted the use of digital games within problem based learning environments (Annetta, Cook & Schultz, 2007; Kiili, 2005; Maxwell et al, 2004)
Natural ties between PBL and games (Annetta, Cook & Schultz, 2007; Kiili, 2005; Maxwell et al, 2004)
Both are learner centered Both provide authentic challenges to solve Both often require collaboration, negotiation, and problem
solving
Disadvantages of Games Implementation:
Technical support Learning and curriculum Integration Clarity of objectives/standards met
Monitoring learning and assessment Assessment and monitoring of student learning Debriefing and student report outs Achievement of learning outcomes
Buy in from admin, parents and IT
Using games in ways that do not support effective STEM learning: Game as reward only Game as entertainment only Babysitting tool Little or no facilitation of learning in classroom
Games As Teaching ToolsHistory of using games to support learning
Oregon Trail, SimCity, Math BlasterCurrent games and virtual worlds
River City, Wolfquest, Selene, Supercharged!, Whyville.net, WhyReef, Quest Atlantis, Eco MUVE, Electrical Endeavors
Similarities and differences between simulations, games & virtual worldsSims: First person, focus on realism/fidelity, algorithmic
formula with time and conditions as variablesGames: Provide rewards, entertainment, learn by failureVirtual Worlds: Persistent world, interactive community
Tips for Gaining Buy InTo get buy in from administrators and parents:
Write brief letter or newsletter article on the specific game and how it’s being used to support STEM learning in your classroom
Provide information on learning outcomes and provide images
To get buy in from IT:Provide information on technical requirementsHave a back up plan in case Internet goes down!
AstroEngineer: Moon Rover™
AstroEngineer: Moon Rover is an educational video game created to introduce middle school students to the engineering design process.
Developed in partnership with Project Lead the Way (PLTW), a non profit that provides middle and high engineering curriculum to schools in all 50 states
Project Lead the WayPLTW approached us in 2009 to
form a partnership.
Gateway to Technology: Middle school engineering curriculum
Wanted a product that required students to design solutions to a problem and reinforce the cyclic steps of the engineering design process.
You do NOT have to be affiliated with PLTW to use AstroEngineer: Moon Rover!
Engineering Design ProcessGame play focuses on use of the engineering
design process to :Analyze mission requirements and key design
criteria/constraints for an unmanned lunar roverDesign your rover to meet mission requirements
by choosing among various parts (e.g., body type, wheel type, power source, and sensors)
Test your rover by driving it on an authentic lunar surface and under realistic conditions
Redesign your rover until the mission is successful and then move on to the next mission
Background of Game Set 30 years in the future, the
player is aboard the Goliath, a manned lunar mobile base stationed near the Mare Humorum
Core challenge in the game is design, test, and redesign a lunar rover based on specific engineering design criteria and constraints.
Players design smaller rovers; confronted with authentic lunar terrain, hazards, and environmental conditions
Game DesignThe game itself consists of five sets of missions
(a tutorial, three regular missions, and a rescue mission)
Each mission is comprised of 4 to 5 legs, each with a different goal.SpeedDurabilityCollection of samples
Each leg will require a different configuration of parts in order to be successful!
AEMR Problem-Centered Curriculum Unit
Week long teaching unit with: Game Introduction and Overall Challenge (10 min)
How can the different design choices that you make impact your rover’s performance?
What factors influence the design choices that you make?
What strategies can you use to improve your rover design?
Game Play (25 min)Debriefing (15 min)
What was the core mission today?
What design criteria you were given?
What design constraints did you encounter?
How did you optimize your design?
Classroom Implementation
In a traditional 50 minute period students are expected to complete about 1 mission per day
On block schedules students can complete 2-3 missions per day.
Scientifically Authentic Authentic
Lunar Geography NASA Images Vocabulary Engineering process
Includes Earth and Space science objectives, including Characteristics of the Lunar environment Topographical characteristics and vocabulary
(regolith, rilles, mares, etc.) Specific locations and structures the game
visits (craters, rimae, etc.) Common elements and minerals found on the
moon
As close as we could get..Design Simplifications:
Rover Parts & Capabilities (middle school audience)
Speeds
Pushing the Envelope…!Presence of Ice on the
Moon?
Research FindingsResearch funded, in part, by NSF
Pre/post quasi-experimental study conducted with 341 middle school students (~equal number of males/females; racially diverse population)Females = 54.4% of sampleMales = 45.6% of sample
Students played for ~2 hours (113 minutes) over one week period, or 45.2% of overall class time; does not include game introduction and debriefing sessions
Research FindingsAnalysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted to
examine pre/post differences
Results indicated statistically significant differences in learning between the pre- and post-test (F [1, 681] = 475.135, p < .001, partial eta-squared = .411), with higher scores on the post-test
Both male and female students provided positive feedback on the game’s design, ease of use, and graphics
Supporting EducatorsAstroEngineer: Moon Rover™
includes curriculum supportTeacher GuideStudent GuideFAQsLesson plansEnrichment activities
The Teacher’s GuideAstroEngineer: Moon
Rover includes documents to help you and your students get the most out of the game
The guide includesBasic instructional and
narrative overviewLearning objectives
The Teacher’s GuideStandards Alignment
ITEEANSESNSTA
GlossaryGeneral Moon TermsEngineering Terms
Description of Parts
Extension OpportunitiesAdditional
activities that can extend the AstroEngineer: Moon Rover game out of the computer lab.Tires for the
MoonCost Analysis
Activities
Release of AEMRAstroEngineer was released in August 2010 to
over 6000 PTLW teachers and 60,000 students, as well as 2500 students in Indiana’s NASA IGNITE STEM program
AstroEngineer can now be purchased and downloaded from: http://space.wisdomtools.com
InstallationWhen you get your drive, insert it into your USB
port
Select which version you want to install (MAC or PC) and drag the file to your desktop. PLEASE NOTE: You cannot run it from the drive!
Double click to unzip (if needed), and have fun!
Questions?Contact us!
http://www.wisdomtools.com
Adrienne Evans FernandezLead Content and
Curriculum Game [email protected]
Jamie KirkleyChief Learning Officer,
Senior Instructional [email protected]