Teaching Scientific Inquiry with a Serious Game
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Transcript of Teaching Scientific Inquiry with a Serious Game
Teaching Scientific Inquiry with a Serious Game
Carol Forsyth, University of MemphisKeith Millis, Northern Illinois University
Art Graesser, University of MemphisDiane Halpern, Claremont McKenna College
The Problem…
People need to learn how to critically evaluate descriptions of research . . .
Th
CorrelationalDesign
Causal statement
. . . and claims made by advertisers and the media
A solution…
• Important concepts among psychology, sociology, biology and chemistry:
• Developing Research Ideas• The Independent and Dependent Variables• Experimental Control• The Sample & Experimenter• Drawing conclusion• (21 concepts altogether)
Teaches Scientific Inquiry Skills
An epic story …
Love interests Political
intrigue
Surprises RevengeSuspense
AliensUncertainty SpiesSaving
the world “Green” theme
Mystery Double-agents
Secret messages
HumorTwists
and turnsDefectors
Aliens are publishing flawed research. . .
and the Federal Bureau of Science (FBS) want you to help them find out
why. . .
The story is told through
Animated agents
Emails, texts, news updates
Videos
Module 1: Interactive Text
Student reads an eBook “The Fuath’s Big Book of Science”
Provides requisite knowledge for later modules
Student takes test after each chapter or may test out of reading the chapter
Module 2: Case Studies Students apply
information from the interactive text
Evaluate flawed “published” research
Learn to identify flaws
Various game-like attributes
Module 3: Interrogation Students seek out whether
research contains flaws
Research cases are abbreviated (e.g., abstracts, headlines, ads)
Learn to ask relevant questions about research
Learn to discriminate flawed from good research
Example contentPsychology
Does using cell phones hurt driving?Is a new cure for autism effective?
BiologyDo chemical and organic pesticides differ on food quality?Does milk consumption increase bone density?
ChemistryDoes a new product for winter roads prevent water from freezing?Does different concentrations of bromine and cyclohexane affect chemical reaction speeds?
FormatsArticles, advertisements, blogs, letters to editors
Internal Assessments
Multiple choice testsTutorial dialogsCase evaluations
3 Types of “trialogs” – matching prior knowledge with dialog moves
Human player
Tutors
Vicarious: when player shows low knowledge
3 Types of “trialogs” – matching prior knowledge with dialog moves
Human player
Standard: when player shows intermediate knowledge
Tutors
3 Types of “trialogs” – matching prior knowledge with dialog moves
Human player
Tutors
Teaching: when player shows high knowledge
• Glass (fellow student): Let’s just go over the importance of these things one more time. Why do we need to have operational definitions? (question)
• Laura (human student): so that they can be reliably measured and used by other researchers• Glass: OK. (neutral feedback)• Dr. Quinn: (FBS Teacher): Um, can you add to that? (pump)• Laura: it is important to create operational definitions because they
provide a basis for measuring variables and so that they can be reliably measured and used by other researchers in other studies.
• Glass: That is not clear to me. I thought operational definitions had something to do with telling others about your study. What could that be? (Hint)
• Laura: how to measure a variable.• Glass: I still don't understand. Wow, it seems like operational definitions have
something to do with being able to reliably do something. What is that something? (prompt)
• Laura: measure a variable• Dr. Quinn: Okay. Reliably recognize variables (neutral feedback, prompt completion)• Glass: I'm remembering something about how operational definitions make it so
that a variable means the same thing to all researchers. That means that when other researchers use the same variable, it is what? (prompt)
• Laura: reliable• Dr. Quinn: Great! It is reliable (positive feedback, prompt completion)• Glass: Yeah, I understand. Operational definitions are important to consider
because they allow a particular variable to be reliably recognized, measured, and understood by all researchers. (summary)
Example Teaching Trialog
eLearning principles implemented in
Operation ARIES!
• Active learning• Immediate feedback• Dialog interactivity• Multimedia effects• Distributed practice• Transfer
Knowledge gained by students from each college
Summary
• Geared toward High school seniors, students in Research methods courses, and Introductory Psychology, Biology and Chemistry courses
• All interested adults• Takes 7-15 hours to complete• “Lite” version is planned• Available through Pearson
Education starting in 2012
Keith Millis, Ph.D.Northern Illinois University, Cognitive psychologist, language comprehension
Diane F. Halpern, Ph.D.Claremont McKenna College, past president of the American Psychological Association. Internationally known for work on teaching critical thinking
Art Graesser, Ph.D.Co-director of the Institute for Intelligent Systems at the University of Memphis, expert in discourse technologies, widely published
Lead Developers
For more information: