Scacchi's game-related work has focused on networked games that facilitate social learning opportunties (more so than on games played by individuals) and opportunities for doing real science.
Science Learning Games: (1950-2005+)
In the 1950's there were research articles and source codes for computer games - game design helped to spur on advancements in computer science.
In the 70's there were non-game science learning programs (e.g. Plato and Sophie)
+Science-inspired games - e.g., science fiction - fun to play but learning outcomes related to science objectives are unclear.
Examples:
-Disney Dino
-Zoo Tycoon - Dinosaurs (fictional world where humans and dinos co-exist)
-Nanosaurs - Dinosaurs with Jetpacks do combat with one another
-LucasArts Droidworks - Teaches engineering design skills e.g. tradeoffs and iterative design
-Kinetic City - NSF keystone science learning games - produced by American Association for the Advancement of Science - 2million+ grant - for 5th and 6th graders with several mini-games e.g. Body System Identification. Requires iterative play - reset if incorrect.
-Genius - Task Force Biologie - German game, not available in English
-Industry -Player - about how commodity markets work - investment science. Developed in UK for teens
-GTR Racing Simulation - control and configure the mechanical design of the car to determine in-game performance - teaches graduate level mechanical engineering more or less.
-NASCAR Racing 2007 (by EA) provides telemetry data from a cars test run on the track.
"Graduate level engineering concepts, undergraduates don't know how to do it...but kids do."
Intro to DinoQuest at Discovery Science Center - in Santa Ana, California. Science Centers are increasingly becoming a prefered source of hands-on science instruction in California and the rest of the US. Scacchi briefly discussed the challenges for Science Centers and other museums to cover operating expenses.
This leads in to the portion of the presentation prepared by Joe Adams (who was offsite working on a dino dig in Montana)...wherein the business end of things are discussed: e.g. the importance of capturing the visitor's interest within 15 seconds, the challenges of securing funding. The DinoQuest exhibit is dino-themed but focused on Life Science...dinos are surragotes for humans in this exhibit - they capture children's interest and help them to learn life science concepts that they are expected to learn.
The HighSchool graduation rate in Santa Ana is 50% or less despite the fact that it is in the 5th most affluent county in the US. More than half the local potential workforce has not graduated - and that is problematic in world of work that is requiring more and more skilled workers.
(Photo of Argentinosauras that visitors can walkthrough and interact with and see demonstrations of bodily functions in addition to seeing the anatomy.)
The exhibit:
-IR Transmitters (shaped like a wand), developed by Creative Kingdoms - the same folks that developed the wands for the Harry Potter theme park (it was cheaper to go with the wand looking devices rather than recreating one of their own - an economic decision), allow visitors to interact with items throughout the exhibit and complete tasks.
-Kiosk stations are tied into science collaboratories (a current push to foster emerging scientific experience with hands-on involvement rather than mere exposure experiences)
-opportunities for social role playing - familes and gropus complete the tasks together.
-rewards - earn research points
The Online Game:
http://dqonline.org/game/login.php
Use: "demo" and "demo" for user name and password.
Game design considerations:
-Had to put things in the game solely for the purpose of adults - kids knew what was going on, but adults didn't, e.g. interstitial explanations of what's going on.
-Budgetary limitations force players to make decisions about where to search, therefore fostering learning via strategy and preventing an exhaustive search
-Multiple different sciences are touched upon in a series of different games.
-Different game genres are used - including very short mini-games designed for young learners
-Rewards (items accumlated) for missions that are accomplished
Evaluation:
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
Different stakeholders have different goals - business goals (its successful if it is bringing more people in), educational goals (its successful if people are learning)...
The exhibit has helped to double the science center revenue and increased memberships by 75%, in part because it is very visible from the 5 freeway. New goal/idea: Massively Multiplayer Online Science Learning Games! Link together networks of science centers - via a cyberinfrastructure.
Future:
-Build on the past, but develop for the future: e.g. The Incredible (nanotech) Machines (based on the game: "The Incredible Machine")
-Game-based Science - Games as scientific investigation/exploration instruments, e.g. Plasma fusion simulation exploration game
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