CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Kristi Bowling & Lynn Lauterbach

MedMyst: An Adventure Game that Engages Students in MedMyst: An Adventure Game that Engages Students in Microbiology and the Scientific MethodMicrobiology and the Scientific Method

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Web adventures are free educational online gamesWeb adventures are free educational online games

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Begins with learning objectives

Engaging storyline- MYSTERY

Characters that provide feedback

Guided inquiry

Games are embedded

What is a Web Adventure?What is a Web Adventure?

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Infect-O-Rama (Frogger)

Plasmodia Invasion

Germ Blaster (Galaga) Mosquito Massacre

Embedded GamesEmbedded Games

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Educational online games are engaging and effective:

Web adventures (The Reconstructors, MedMyst, N-SQUAD) increase science content knowledge

Enjoyment and satisfaction are positively related with knowledge gain

Games embody well-established principles and models of learning (like situated cognition, anchored instruction, self-motivation, and feedback)

Do Web Adventures Teach?Do Web Adventures Teach?

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Align with Science /Health StandardsAlign with Science /Health Standards

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Pew Internet & American Life Project Teen & Parents Gaming and Civics Survey, November 2007- February 2008

Teens like to play video games 97% of teens ages 12-17 in the USA play video games (99% boys, 94% girls)

Today’s students are poised to take advantage of educational games.

Online games are a fixture of youth culture.

Why teach with games?Why teach with games?

http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/report

http://fas.org/gamesummit

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Recent StudiesRecent Studies Life Sciences EducationLife Sciences Education Microbiology EducationMicrobiology Education

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst – MedMyst – funded by SEPA & NIAIDfunded by SEPA & NIAID

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Webadventures.rice.eduWebadventures.rice.edu

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Medmyst.rice.eduMedmyst.rice.edu

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst OriginalMedMyst Original

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 1– Orientation at ORBMedMyst Mission 1– Orientation at ORB

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 1– MedMyst Mission 1– Koch’s Postulates of Germ TheoryKoch’s Postulates of Germ Theory

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 2– MedMyst Mission 2– Cholera Case-Control Study Cholera Case-Control Study

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 2– Peril in ProkaryonMedMyst Mission 2– Peril in Prokaryon

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 2– MedMyst Mission 2– Cholera Case-Control Study Cholera Case-Control Study

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 3– MedMyst Mission 3– Make a Smallpox Vaccine Make a Smallpox Vaccine

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 3– Nemesis in NeuropolisMedMyst Mission 3– Nemesis in Neuropolis

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 3– MedMyst Mission 3– Make a Smallpox Vaccine Make a Smallpox Vaccine

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 4– MedMyst Mission 4– History of MalariaHistory of Malaria

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 4– Malady in MabuufoMedMyst Mission 4– Malady in Mabuufo

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 4– MedMyst Mission 4– History of MalariaHistory of Malaria

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 5– MedMyst Mission 5– Investigating a Zoonotic ThreatInvestigating a Zoonotic Threat

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 5– Zero Hour ZoonosisMedMyst Mission 5– Zero Hour Zoonosis

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 5– MedMyst Mission 5– Investigating a Zoonotic ThreatInvestigating a Zoonotic Threat

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Medmyst.rice.eduMedmyst.rice.edu

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst ReloadedMedMyst Reloaded

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

NEW: MedMyst Mission 6NEW: MedMyst Mission 6

•Three training activities, each Three training activities, each 30-40 minutes30-40 minutes

•Inspire careers in health and Inspire careers in health and sciencescience

•Train players for MedMyst Train players for MedMyst mission 7mission 7

•Reinforce the scientific methodReinforce the scientific method

•Reinforce science process skillsReinforce science process skills

Epidemiologist Microbiologist

Veterinarian

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

MedMyst Mission 6-MedMyst Mission 6- Control and Experimental Samples Control and Experimental Samples

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

• How do the web adventure games fit into my curriculum?

• How can I make this work in my classroom?

• Are students motivated by these games?

• Do students learn –Content? Process Skills? Higher Level Thinking?

Key QuestionsKey Questions

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Teacher Suggested EnhancementsTeacher Suggested Enhancements

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Classroom ActivitiesClassroom Activities

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Tips from a TeacherTips from a Teacher

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

Cool LinksCool Links

http://webadventures.rice.edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

http://webadventures.rice.edu

I just really wanted to give you a shout about your web site because it is really cool, and it helped me understand what we are learning in science class.

MedMyst is so cool!!! I wish you could do something like this for my school’s next Science unit or come to think about it , how about one for every school subject. You guys make learning about pathogens fun!!

You guys need more missions because I have finished them all 5 times and I am only 11, so you need more missions!!!

Extremely rewarding, outstanding! VERY VERY educational.

I just wanted to let you know that my 8th grade students are really getting into your games. These games help them play at their own pace, are at a reading level that is easy for them to follow, and the students are having fun learning at the same time.

Student CommentsStudent Comments

Teacher CommentsTeacher Comments

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING

http://webadventures.rice.eduhttp://webadventures.rice.edu