Fun and Games through Collaborative Play

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Fun and Games through Collaborative Play Walt
Scacchi Institute for Software
Research and UCGameLab.net University of
California, Irvine
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Collaborative Science Learning Games (SLG) for
Informal Science Education

• Physical interaction quest game DinoQuest
  
• Life-size dinosaurs models (e.g. T-Rex,
  Argentinosaursus, Velociraptors)?
• Family-based problem-solving and collective
  learning in physical environment
• Game progress tracked via user-controlled IR
  transmitters that activate embedded sensor net
• Web-based SLG DinoQuest Online
  
• Addresses CA science education standards for K-6
  grades
• Interoperates with DinoQuest
• Designed for internationalization
• Developed by UCI GameLab

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Objective

• How best to develop and deploy networked computer
  game technology in ways that integrate
• social learning opportunities
• affordance theory
• scientific visualization methods
• science work practices
• playful fun
• to enable collaborative game-based learning
  that support informal science education in
  different disciplines.

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Affordance Theory

• Socio-technical affordances enable
  collaborative action and learning
• Gibson (1979), Cicourel (1990), Hutchins (1990)
  on socially distributed cognition via situated
  affordances
• Anderson, R. And Sharrock, W. (1992), Can
  Organisations Afford Knowledge?, Computer
  Supported Cooperative Work, 1(3), 143-616.
• Kreijns, K. and Kirschner, P.A. (2001). The
  Social Affordances of Computer-Supported
  Collaborative Learning Environments, Proc. 31st.
  ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference, TIF
  12-17, Reno, NV.
• O'Day, V., Bobrow, D., Bobrow, K., Shirley, M.,
  Hughes, B., and Walters, J. (1998). Moving
  Practice From Classrooms to MOO Rooms, Computer
  Supported Cooperative Work, 7(1), 9-45.
• Stevens, R., Satwicz, T. and McCarthy, L. (2008).
  In-Game, In-Room, In-World Reconnecting Video
  Game Play to the Rest of Kids' Lives, in K. Salen
  (Ed.), The Ecology of Games Connecting Youth,
  Games, and Learning, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA,
  41-66.
• Wijekuman, K.J., Meyer, B.J.F., Wagoner, D. And
  Ferguson, L. (2006). Technology Affordances The
  real story in research with K-12 and
  undergraduate learners. British J. Educational
  Technology, 37(2), 191-209.

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Collaborative affordances

• Venue/place for game play
• Game genre
• Game exhibit and content
• Game infrastructure
• Game play situation and participants

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Collaborative group forms in DQ/DQO

• Family groups
• School classroom groups
• Inter-family groups
• Mixed reality groups
• Online multiplayer groups
• Development team groups

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DinoQuest at DSC
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• Fast Facts about Discovery Science Center
• Located in Santa Ana, California
• 80,000 Sq. Ft.
• Budget 6,000,000 Earned Income 82
  Contributed Income 18
• At the Center
• 425,000 annual visitors (2007) 275,000 (2005,
  before DQ and DQO)?
• 88,000 annual student field trip visitors
• Provide in-service science teaching training to
  1,100 K-12 teachers/yr.
• In the Schools
• 150,000 annual students in science outreach
  programs

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DinoQuest at DSC
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The IR Transmitter -- a wireless, mobile
mouse Creating sensor activation events
throughout DQ. Tracking visitors success on
missions. IR transmitter, sensor network
technology, and on-site interactive media from
Creative Kingdoms, Inc.
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Technology Embedded Sensors and Transmitter
Activation
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Go to Field Station and Select a Mission

• 8 Educational Missions
• Aimed at California Science Education Standards
  for grades K-6
• Mission topics Predator / Prey, Trace
  Fossils, Anatomy, Habitats, Identification
• Each mission focuses on a different
  collaboratory and field of science
• Missions selected, tracked, and completed at
  networked multi-media kiosks

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Field Site
BioMech Lab
Habitat Lab
Zoology Lab
DinoQuest Research Team and Collaboratories Diver
se Science Role Models (ethnicity, age, gender)?
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Role play (see oneself as a scientist)?
After selecting a mission, head out to the dig
site!
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Situated role play
Search DQ site and identify objects in the
mission. Computer and sensor network
automatically tracks player progress and success.
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Video Game Mechanics
Upload data collected to collaboratories via
on-site networked kiosks

• Earn Research Points for each item found.
• Obtain fossils with encoded DNA as
• reward for completing each mission.

Ability to save data and come back another day.
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DQ Affordances

• DinoQuest venue at the Discovery Science Center
• Quest-style game design
• Embedded sensor network and mobile mice
• Situated kiosks for quest progress status
• Interactive multi-media presentations on demand
• Supplementary hand-out materials
• Other DQ visitors
• Scientific modes of inquiry and field research
  practices

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DinoQuest Online Online Science Learning Games

• Distance learning,
• Expands on science topics,
• Additional, in-depth science
• missions,
• Earn points and Dino DNA by completing
  missions.
• Level-up into multi-player
• dinosaur ecology simulation
• (Dinosphere)?

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DinoQuest Online (released in June 2007)?

• Four SLG colaboratories
• MyLab personal DQO-based collection site
  (associates DQ and DQO results like Dino DNA
  samples)?
• Dinosphere -- Assemble virtual dinosaur via
  DNA-based body system components

• Same scientists as DinoQuest at DSC
• Each collab game tied to CA science education
  standards, but experienced via discovery/explorati
  on-oriented game genres

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Multiple Science Learning Games Dinosaur Dig Pit
Field Site Collab Game

• Different objectives for each game.

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Multiple Science Learning Games Narrative Content
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DinoQuest Online Reconstruction Lab
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DinoQuest Reconstruction Laboratory (online
tutorial view)?
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Multiple Science Learning Games Zoology and
Systems Collab Games

• Design a working digestive system out of
  available organs and connnectors
• Transport Oxygen and CO2 through a
  cardio-pulmonary system

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Multiple Science Learning Games Ecology/Habitat
Collab Game

• Gain points by matching prey/predator and food
  chain relations via Tretis-like game play

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Multiple Science Learning Games Biomechanical
Collab Mini Games

• Mass and balance

• Proportion and speed

• Matching anatomical structures to diet

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Multiple Science Learning Games Resource
Interaction Collab Game Spaces
MyLab - shows missions completed both online and
at the DSC
DinoSphere allows building of your own Dinosaur
with DNA collected from missions.
Go back online or go to DSC to obtain different
DNA by completing more missions!
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Evaluation Potential
DinoQuest and DinoQuest Online allow for the
following evaluations Player Centered scores
and missions completed identify progress and
provide feedback in context. Exhibit Centered
ability to test content comprehension by player
quiz upon
completing mission.
Challenge the Professor
Independent Evaluation to ask which method is
best and why physical exhibit,
online learning games,
or both?
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DQO Affordances

• The DQO venue
• Multi-genre game design
• Multiple in-game user controls
• DQO game environment
• Embedded multi-media content
• Embedded tutorials for teachers and parents
• Contemporary game play practices used to
  elucidate life science concepts
• Multi-person game play

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DQDQO Affordances

• Emerging game play venue that spans physical and
  online places
• Emerging game play experiences that bridge
  physical and online activity
• Joint game play design that incentivizes play of
  both games (to access certain in-game resources).
• DQDQO interoperabilty linking through shared
  database

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DSCUCI working to develop collaborative network
(cyberinfrastructure) of SLG-based science
centers
MMOSLG/Web 3.0 System
Tier 4
Tier 2
Tier 1
Tier 3
Tier 5
Tier 1 Individual player connection your
Internet connection at home. Tier 2 Local
institutional connection library, science
center, school, or museum. Tier 3 Regional
science center provides local exhibit content
connected online. Tier 4 Gateway science
centers provide open interfaces and content. Tier
5 Science Center Grid Massive Multiplayer
Online Science Learning Games that span and
interlink multiple science centers and museums.
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Project Contributors

• DSC Joe Adams (President), Janet Yamaguchi (VP
  Education), JoeAnna Jenkins (CFO), Kellee Preston
  (VP Operations), Leslie Perovich (VP Marketing),
  Creative Kingdoms Inc., and others
• UCI Robert Nideffer (creative director), Alex
  Szeto (game programming and art), Calvin Lee
  (database programming), Celia Pearce (design
  contributions).