Let the Games Let the Games Begin! Begin! Quest Atlantis Quest Atlantis www.QuestAtlantis.org
Dec 18, 2015
Let the Games Begin!Let the Games Begin!Quest AtlantisQuest Atlantis
www.QuestAtlantis.org
This is one way to teach your This is one way to teach your students about science…..students about science…..
Erosion is the Erosion is the mechanical mechanical movement of movement of the land the land surface by surface by wind, rain, wind, rain, running water running water or moving ice or moving ice resulting in the resulting in the wearing away wearing away of land or soil…of land or soil…
Here is another….Here is another….
Welcome to the new face of education….Welcome to the new face of education….
Quest Atlantis is a Web-based community-driven game Quest Atlantis is a Web-based community-driven game
context context built using 3D technologies. It combines elements built using 3D technologies. It combines elements
of play, of play, role playing, adventure, and learning …role playing, adventure, and learning …
The Quest Atlantis Project
QA allows 9–12 year old children to engage in a rich QA allows 9–12 year old children to engage in a rich
multimedia narrative and virtually travel to a wide variety multimedia narrative and virtually travel to a wide variety
of 3D worlds. of 3D worlds.
In these worlds students are assigned learning projects In these worlds students are assigned learning projects
(or Quests), talk with other Questers and mentors, and (or Quests), talk with other Questers and mentors, and
build virtual personas.build virtual personas.
*WANTED**WANTED*field field
investigatorinvestigator
Help Ranger Bartle with an investigation: Why are the fish dying?Interview park stakeholders and report findingsFormulate and test a hypothesisCollect and analyze water samplesSubmit a proposal to resolve the declining fish population
Gaming to LearnGaming to Learn
Test scores often increase, especially Test scores often increase, especially among poorly performing studentsamong poorly performing studentsStudent motivation increasesStudent motivation increasesCan teach higher order thinking skills, Can teach higher order thinking skills, such as strategic thinking and problem such as strategic thinking and problem solvingsolvingStudents often seek additional knowledge Students often seek additional knowledge in order to improve their performancein order to improve their performance
Software & Information Industry Association Software & Information Industry Association FindingsFindings
QA ResearchQA Research
Learning Gains Across Sixth Grade Learning Gains Across Sixth Grade ImplementationsImplementations
Sixth Grade Taiga Implementations
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
2006Conventional
Text (62)
2006 QuestAtlantis (54)
2007 QuestAtlantis (94)
Implementation (Number Students)
Sco
re G
ain
Eff
ect
Siz
e (S
tan
dar
d D
evia
tio
ns)
Proximal Open-Ended
Distal Multiple-Choice
Engendering SuccessEngendering Success
Significant gains in writing across gendersSignificant gains in writing across genders
Boys: 85 wordsBoys: 85 words
Girls: 137 wordsGirls: 137 words
Condition
WorksheetQuest
Wor
ds W
ritte
n
40
30
20
10
Gender
Male
Female
Student Responses Student Responses
Pre-test Response: The trade of illegal drugs is an Pre-test Response: The trade of illegal drugs is an important issue. Poor farming families know they can important issue. Poor farming families know they can make money off of selling illegal substances. Drug make money off of selling illegal substances. Drug usage is dangerous and this is an important issue.usage is dangerous and this is an important issue.
Post-test Response: In many countries, rainforest Post-test Response: In many countries, rainforest logging is a major issue. People from wealthy countries logging is a major issue. People from wealthy countries such as our own might protest it because it kills so much such as our own might protest it because it kills so much of our beautiful environment, but in a country where fine of our beautiful environment, but in a country where fine rainforest wood is a major industry and especially if the rainforest wood is a major industry and especially if the country’s economy is weak, it is not really fair to say they country’s economy is weak, it is not really fair to say they can’t do it anymore. This is a very controversial issue, can’t do it anymore. This is a very controversial issue, because we are basically weighing human life and because we are basically weighing human life and animal life, two things that depend on each other.animal life, two things that depend on each other.
Quest Atlantis Quest Atlantis Design PrinciplesDesign Principles
Ente
rtai
nmen
t
Social Commitments
EducationSocially Responsible
Games
Leveling Leveling LuminatingLuminating
Narrative Description
Goals
Resources
Attachment(s)
Text Response
Connecting to StandardsConnecting to Standards
New DevelopmentsNew Developments
National Park Service CollaborationNational Park Service Collaboration
Guilds allow Questers to become expertsGuilds allow Questers to become expertsCommitment Critters – a playful way to think Commitment Critters – a playful way to think about important issuesabout important issues
Embedded Professional Development & Support
Face-to-Face Training• Learn QA Technology
Email/Online Support• Implementing QA
Online Missions • Focus on Pedagogy and Practice• Focus on Inquiry• Focus on Domain Content• Focus on Learning Theory
Day Training• Debrief, Goal Setting
Quest Atlantis Quest Atlantis Project ImpactProject Impact
Current Project Scale:Current Project Scale:
National Science Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Science Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, NASANASA
Over 6,500 users worldwideOver 6,500 users worldwide
Indiana, Boston, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, FloridaIndiana, Boston, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, Florida
Australia, England, New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, ChinaAustralia, England, New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, China
Statewide Pilot in NJ with support of NASA and Centenary CollegeStatewide Pilot in NJ with support of NASA and Centenary College
Food Lion North Carolina Statewide project successfully underway with support Food Lion North Carolina Statewide project successfully underway with support of Food Lion and North Carolina DPI…625 students in Impact Schoolsof Food Lion and North Carolina DPI…625 students in Impact Schools
NPS – International scope with Virtual ParksNPS – International scope with Virtual Parks
Future OPEN ProgramsFuture OPEN ProgramsSustainable Energy Futures – The Roadmap from Petroleum-Based Economy to Sustainable Energy Futures – The Roadmap from Petroleum-Based Economy to Clean and Renewable Energy SystemsClean and Renewable Energy SystemsWater Source of Life - Planet Earth Water Source of Life - Planet Earth Health and Infectious DiseasesHealth and Infectious DiseasesRaw Materials to Product Series – mining, logging, raw materials to end Raw Materials to Product Series – mining, logging, raw materials to end products, and disposal (product lifecycle and environmental impacts)products, and disposal (product lifecycle and environmental impacts)Economics and Trade (including black markets)Economics and Trade (including black markets)Future of Agriculture and Fisheries Series Future of Agriculture and Fisheries Series Earth Series: Rainforest, Ocean, Polar Earth Series: Rainforest, Ocean, Polar World Culture and History Series (include the arts, art history, music, poetry, World Culture and History Series (include the arts, art history, music, poetry, storytelling, literature, collaborative authorship via Internet)storytelling, literature, collaborative authorship via Internet)Immigration through the Ages – from Africa to Moon LandingImmigration through the Ages – from Africa to Moon LandingLife Beyond Earth SeriesLife Beyond Earth SeriesThe Brain and the Mind – Neurosciences in 21The Brain and the Mind – Neurosciences in 21stst Century CenturyBiotechnology, Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Futures – Life Extension Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Futures – Life Extension and Improvement?! -- New Materials, New Machines….and Improvement?! -- New Materials, New Machines….The Future of Computing and Internet 3.0 and BeyondThe Future of Computing and Internet 3.0 and BeyondNo Slavery, No War – A How To Guide (include nuclear, bio and chem. No Slavery, No War – A How To Guide (include nuclear, bio and chem. proliferation)proliferation)
How Can I Get Involved?How Can I Get Involved?
Fill out Application on websiteFill out Application on website
At least 2 teachers in a schoolAt least 2 teachers in a school
Grades 4-7Grades 4-7
Technical RequirementsTechnical Requirements PC-Based PC-Based Microsoft Windows XPMicrosoft Windows XP Internet Explorer/Web AccessInternet Explorer/Web Access Technical facilitator to amend firewallTechnical facilitator to amend firewall
Future of EducationFuture of Education
Media landscape is expandingMedia landscape is expanding
Blogs, My Space, You Tube, FacebookBlogs, My Space, You Tube, Facebook 3D interfaces, online gaming, simulations3D interfaces, online gaming, simulations Wikipedia, online research opportunitiesWikipedia, online research opportunities Ability to collaborate internationally for work and Ability to collaborate internationally for work and
schoolschool
Schools must take the lead to educate Schools must take the lead to educate children in new media literacies in this children in new media literacies in this rapidly changing educational paradigmrapidly changing educational paradigm
Thanks to our friends atThanks to our friends at
Food LionFood Lion
North Carolina DPI
www.QuestAtlantis.org