How can research on teaching and learning be used to improve the design of e-content? The contents of this report are based on a series of seminars conducted during 2003 and 2004, funded by the Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC), that were coordinated by Lydia Plowman, University of Stirling. They were also sponsored by a number of organisations including Futurelab. Each seminar was attended by researchers from universities, creators and managers of companies that make educational resources, and people engaged in policy making or representing Government agencies
Quarked!™ is a collaborative physics education project at the University of Kansas that provides engaging and educational science experiences for youth ages 7 and up, educators and the general public. This multimedia project material focuses on concepts of scale and matter, and presents subatomic particles as relatable characters in both human and quark or electron form that explore science through story-driven adventures. It includes a comprehensive website with a range of materials including animated videos, games, apps, FAQs and lesson plans, as well as hands-on education programs at the University of Kansas Natural History Museum. Initially, funded through an NSF EPSCoR grant (Grant No. EPS-0236913 and matching support from the State of Kansas through the Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation and EPP-0354836), this projects continued to grow and new resources have been added through funding from the Kauffman Foundation, Google grants and other NSF awards. Quarked.org attracts more than 75,000 unique visitors annually, local PBS television stations in Kansas and Missouri broadcast the 3D animated videos, and the museum programs have reached more than than 5,000 school participants and continue to be offered.
This planning grant seeks funding for demonstrating proof of concept for the proposed traveling exhibition "Inside Phoebe's Field." It is an outgrowth of the prior NSF project (9979287) that resulted in an interactive book for middle-school age girls. This project extends the book through exploring the feasibility of using mixed reality in an exhibit format as well as virtual environments using the Internet. Intellectual Merit: The project will further the technology-enhanced three-dimensional storytelling approach by development of selected science exhibit prototypes. The project team combines academic, museum and professional expertise, as well as a partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA. Broader Impact: This project will provide the ISE field valuable feedback about the use of metaphor in storytelling in a science-based exhibition, as well as about the application of new technologies (virtual reality, augmented reality technologies and interactive electromechanical events) for creating exhibit experiences. At the same time it will further the development of a national traveling science exhibition whose primary target audience will be girls from ages 10 to 13.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Mitzi VernonKatherine CennamoIrene GoodmanMichael ErmannSteve HarrisonMargarita McGrath
This 12-month planning grant will create the foundation for a project based on meaningful, online, game-based learning. Specifically, it will enable the proposer to develop and validate story lines and game characters with middle-school aged children in two summer design institutes. In addition, the proposer will build partnerships with museums and informal learning institutions and develop a plan to work with these partners for the dissemination, promotion, use and evaluation of the future games. Intellectual Merit: The project will develop standards-linked design specifications for play scenarios, game characters and real-world, problem-based activities across STEM domains. These design specifications should be of significant value for future educational game development. Children will serve as "informants" during game design, providing input where most effective. This involvement in the planning process is critical to the success of the games, and should ensure the desired "kid appeal." Broader Impact: The strategy of involving advisory groups of children, including those at-risk, will allow the project to factor in ways to engage audiences underrepresented in the sciences by tailoring characters and activities that ensure broad appeal. In addition, the approach of solving puzzle-like problems embedded in a game's story narrative should appeal to both boys and girls. This project will generate a report for publication on the design process and resulting specifications.
This planning grant proposal would develop the logistical, programming and creative specifications for production of Magic Porthole, an innovative Web-based science game for 8-14 year olds. The content and learning will focus on the value and significance of intact coral ecosystems to human communities, encouraging young people to seek more sustainable relationships with their environment. The project will use existing video footage of coral reef life along with new live action footage, text, stills, music and flash animation. The 8-14 year olds will be engaged in a sustained mystery story that will pull them more deeply into scientific content. The organizational collaborators are environmental education and media organizations.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Janine SelendyJan PostWilliam FinneganBrett Pierce
MarsQuest Online is an exploration-based website designed to complement the innovative MarsQuest traveling exhibit launched by the Space Science Institute (SSI) in 1997. "MarsQuest Online" will enhance and extend the exhibit, which is currently on a six-year, 18-city tour. TERC, working in collaboration with the Space Science Institute and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), will create a virtual version of the exhibit using software such as Java, Quicktime VR and JPL's sophisticated MarsNet Viewer system. Users will be immersed in an integrated, interactive environment complete with the tools and resources to carry out investigations and enhance inquiry-based learning. "MarsQuest" will expand users' understanding of the history of Mars, scientific exploration, the climate and related earth science concepts, while enabling them to follow the exploration of various landers and orbiters, and access NASA scientists. A diverse collection of Guided Inquiry experiences will foster the ability of users to develop inquiry and analysis skills, while offering options for novice, intermediate and advanced learners. Finally, a comprehensive evaluation plan will examine how the website and exhibit compare in promoting the understanding of science, broadening public interest in space exploration, and motivating further learning. The site will be promoted for use by schools as a tool for teaching earth science and space exploration. It is estimated that 300,000 people will visit "MarsQuest Online" annually.
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TEAM MEMBERS:
Daniel BarstowPaul DusenberyPaul AndresChris Randall