Title: The Geology Explorer: Virtual Field Training
1The Geology Explorer Virtual Field Training
A WWWIC virtual worlds research project supported
by NSF grants DUE-9752548, EAR-9809761,
DUE-9981094, ITR-0086142 and EPSCoR 99-77788, and
FIPSE P116B011528
2Geology Explorer Development Team
- Graphics
- Acey Olson (Rendered Landscapes)
- Rebecca Potter (Rendered Images, Icons, and
Landscapes) - Dr. Don Schwert (Landscape Photographs)
- Shannon Tomac (Rendered Landscapes, Icons,
Images, Comic Book) - Daniel Turany (Rock/Mineral Photographs)
- Staff
- John Bauer Java Client (GUMI-bare and GUMI-game)
Design and Implementation, Graphical Directive
Protocol - Nem Schlecht
- Mark Tinguely
- Students
- Graduate Research Assistants
- Otto Borchert Software tutors, Java client
development - Bob Cosmano Makes Java Go, Moral Support
- Krista Dauner Tutoring Scripts
- Rahul Devabhaktuni Hydrology (Water) on Oit
- Kuo-Di Jian Java Tool Integration
- Yongxin "George" Jia Java/LambdaMOO Hierarchy
Tool
3- WWWIC Course Management The Planet Oit Example
- Player Introduction
- Faculty Enroll a School and Class
- Student Progress Page
- Computer Literacy Test to Create Balanced
Experimental Groups - (Oit vs. WWW activity vs. other activity)
- The Pre-experience Scenario Assessment
- - Baseline for the Post-experience Scenario
Assessment - - Example of Assessment Scheme
- The Student Launches the Java Client
- Students Receive Help and Can Request Help
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5The Geology Explorer Assessment Protocol
Pre-course Assessment 400 students
Example Fall, 1998
Computer Literacy Assessment (244 volunteers)
Divide by Computer Literacy and Geology Lab
Experience
Geomagnetic (Alternative) Group (122 students)
Geology Explorer Treatment Group (122 students)
Non-Participant Control Group (150 students,
approx.)
Completed (78 students)
Non-completed (44 students)
Completed (95 students)
Non-completed (27 students)
Post-course Assessment 368 students
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7How To Play
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9Help The Bookcase
10Help The Message Board
11Tracking Student Progress
12The Setting
Planet Oit - similar to Earth, but opposite the
Sun Students land on Oit to undertake
exploration Authentic Geoscience goals - e.g.,
to locate, identify, and report valuable minerals
13The Simulation
50 places desert, cutbank, cave, etc. 100
different rocks and minerals 15 field
instruments rock pick, acid bottle, magnet,
etc. Software Tutors agents for equipment,
exploration, and deduction
14Graphical Navigation
15How To Play The Topology of Planet Oit
16Carrying out Investigations Players Identify
Outcrops Using Tests
Detail Images for Samples
Results of Tests (in this case, acid reactivity)
17Example of Programming Actions Acid Bottle
"pour acid bottle on substance"
Coarse-grained rocks
Minerals
Fine-grained rocks
Other objects
If the property acid_reactive is 2, the mineral
fizzes actively when acid is poured on it. If the
property acid_reactive is 1, and a powder is made
of the mineral, the powder will fizz actively. If
the acid_reactive property is 0, the mineral does
not fizz.
If the rock contains more than 10 calcite, it
fizzes actively when acid is poured on it. If the
rock contains between 0 and 10 percent calcite,
its powderized form will fizz. Also, if the rock
contains more than 25 dolomite, its powder will
fizz actively. Finally, if the rock contains no
calcite or dolomite, it will not fizz.
Because each mineral in the rock can be
distinguished, the test can be performed on each
mineral. Each returns whether it is acid reactive
or not.
Most other objects in the game have a
acid_reactive property of 0. Pouring acid on them
will cause them not to fizz. Players are an
exception to this rule. You are unable to pour
acid on other players.
18Intelligent Software Tutoring Agents are Needed
in Virtual Environments
Students/players interact with the intelligent
tutoring agents Players can ignore advice and
carry on at their own risk
- Deductive Tutors
- Equipment tutor
- Exploration tutor
- Science tutor
- Detects when a student makes a wrong guess
and why (i.e. what evidence they are lacking) or
when a student makes a correct guess with
insufficient evidence (i.e. a lucky guess)
19Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
LS
Marble
Dike
LS
Marble
SS
Qzite
SS
Qzite
SS
Qtzite
Qzite
SS
Schist 1
Sch2
Sch2
Gneiss
Schematic map - not to scale
20Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
LS
Marble
Dike
Marble
LS
SS
Qzite
SS
Qzite
SS
Qtzite
Qzite
SS
Schist 1
Sch2
Sch2
Gneiss
First Set of Goals Locate yourself and outcrops
using topo maps and aerial photos General rock
identification Begin creating a Geologic Map
21Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
Tutorials on Concepts of Geologic Mapping are
Available in the Environment
A Player (appearance can be changed)
22Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
Base Maps for Adding Data and Creating a Geologic
Map
aerial photo
23Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
Base Maps for Adding Data and Creating a Geologic
Map
Topographic map
24Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
Outcrop Locations are Shown with Markers
You Are Here
Rock Type Markers Show Locations of Identified
Outcrops
25Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
Player Creates a Geologic Map Based on Outcrop
Locations, and Can Get Immediate Feedback
26Virtual Mapping and Petrology Module
LS
Marble
Dike
Marble
LS
SS
Qzite
SS
Qzite
SS
Qtzite
Qzite
SS
Schist 1
Sch2
Sch2
Gneiss
Intermediate Goal Put Geologic Events in a
Reasonable Order Advanced Goals (in
development) Identify the Metamorphic
basement rocks Use Thin Sections for Rock
Identification Microprobe Analyses of Relevant
Minerals Thermobarometry
27Efficacy shown by controlled experiments Fall
Semesters 1998 - 2002 gt400 students in large
non-major Intro Geo class, split into 3 groups
Planet Oit Web-based (alternative) exercise
Control (non-participant)
28Subjective Assessment
Rejects the notion of standardized multiple
choice tests Pre-game narrative-based survey
short problem-solving stories students record
their impressions and questions Similar
post-game survey with different but analogous
scenarios Surveys analyzed for improvement in
problem-solving
29New Research Automated Assessment SLATE
Hand grading 100s of narrative responses is
expensive Automated evaluation of the quality of
students questions students enter a question
their question is matched to one in the
database
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31Conclusions
Implementation Networked, Multi-player
Simulation-based Interactive Multi-media,
highly graphical Educational virtual
environments can provide Authentic
Experiences Active Learning And are valuable
adjuncts to traditional learning
32http//oit.ndsu.edu
World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC)
North Dakota State University Fargo ND