1. Brian M. Slator 1, Donald P. Schwert 2, and Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat 2 1 Computer Science, 2 Geosciences North Dakota State University The Geology Explorer

2. Educational Role-playing Games “Learning-by-doing” Experiences Multi-UserMulti-User ExploratoryExploratory Spatially-oriented virtual worldsSpatially-oriented virtual worlds Practical planning and decision makingPractical planning and decision making

3. Educational Role-playing Games “Learning-by-doing” Experiences Authentic problem solvingAuthentic problem solving “Hands on” scientific method“Hands on” scientific method Real-world contentReal-world content Promoting mature thinkingPromoting mature thinking

4. Advantages of Virtual Worlds Collapse virtual time and distance Collapse virtual time and distance Allow physical or practical impossibilities Allow physical or practical impossibilities Participate from anywhere Participate from anywhere Interact with other users, virtual artifacts, and software agents Interact with other users, virtual artifacts, and software agents Multi-user collaborations and competitive play Multi-user collaborations and competitive play

5. Technical Approaches Networked, internet-based, client-server environment Networked, internet-based, client-server environment Multi-Player (MUD, MOO) Multi-Player (MUD, MOO) Simulation-based Simulation-based Implemented in Java applets Implemented in Java applets

6. The Virtual World of Planet Oit Planet Oit: Recently discovered Planet Oit: Recently discovered Authentic geologic context Authentic geologic context Similar to Earth, same orbit Similar to Earth, same orbit Opposite the Sun Opposite the Sun

7. Student undertakes same decision-making processes as a “real” geologist Can be implemented for all levels, including Grade 7 through college First version: basic planetary exploration for minerals and rocks

8. The Planet Oit Game You are a geologistYou are a geologist Explore this new planet!Explore this new planet! Encounter authentic geology Assess geologic resources & processesEncounter authentic geology Assess geologic resources & processes This motivates student to learn geologic content

9. Planet Oit 50 Places 50 Places 90 Different Rocks and Minerals 90 Different Rocks and Minerals 15 Field Instruments 15 Field Instruments 25 Laboratory Instruments 25 Laboratory Instruments Software Tutors Software Tutors

10. Text-Based Interface

12. Resources: User Card

13. Resources: Equipment Item Price | Item Price Acid Bottle (#597) $ 1.00 | Lantern (#973) $ 25.00 Altimeter (#675) $ 100.00 |Light Meter (#556) $ 25.00 Anemometer (#568) $ 30.00 |Magnet (#580) $ 1.00 Barometer (#410) $ 50.00 |Microscope (#612) $ 25.00 Black Light (#625) $ 30.00 | Rock Pick/Hammer (#370) $ 40.00 Compass (#561) $ 200.00 | Sextant (#554) $ 100.00 Flowmeter (#598) $ 100.00 | Sonar (#593) $ 200.00 Geiger Counter (#751) $ 178.00 | Spirit Level (#335) $ 5.00 Glass Plate (#583) $ 0.50 | Streak Plate (#542) $ 0.50 Goniometer (#613) $ 1.00 | Tape Measure (#626) $ 10.00 Gravimeter (#708) $10000.00 | Thermometer (#223) $ 5.00 Hand Lens (#2178) $ 15.00 | Transit (#364) $ 100.00 Jack Hammer (#368) $ 300.00 | Water Level Gage (#615) $ 5.00

14. Resources: The Museum The Mineral Collection The Mineral Room houses the Mineral Collection. A sign on the wall says "Feel free to look around, but please do not remove the samples". Obvious exits are: West You see Diaspore (#333), Hornblende (#363), Chromite (#381), Gibbsite (#457), Native Silver (#251), Biotite Mica (#246), Sphalerite (#560), Chalcopyrite (#563), Boehmite (#565), Garnet (#355), Anhydrite (#582), Ilmenite (#584), Nepheline (#596), Muscovite Mica (#611), Magnetite (#627), Wollastonite (#635), Dolomite (#640), Pyroxene (#650), Native Copper (#673), Serpentine (#226), Potassic Feldspar (#324), Talc (#325), Plagioclase Feldspar (#360), Fluorite (#509), Clay (#262), Galena (#138), Pyrite (#336), Tourmaline (#530), Graphite (#571), Halite (#373), Gypsum (#552), Calcite (#463), Hematite (#608), Olivine (#617), Native Gold (#657), Quartz (#674), Rhodonite (#653), Diamond (#812), Purple Quartz (#1864), White Gypsum (#1865), Ice (#2055), Chlorite (#2056), Corundum (#3044), Topaz (#3043), Orthoclase Feldspar (#3042), Apatite (#3041), and Native Sulfur (#1159) here.

15. Resources: Help Fluorite (mineral) Fluorite is a common and widely distributed mineral often found in hydrothermal veins or in association with lead and silver ores. form: usually cubic or octahedral color: blue or purple texture: smooth streak: white luster: vitreous transparency: transparent to translucent hardness: 4.0 Acid reaction: not reactive help fluorite

16. Resources: Tutor You can't streak without a streak plate. east A clap of thunder splits the air, and a tutor appears in your midst. TUTOR: You just left White and Black Dike containing your goal: Potassic Feldspar The TUTOR bends at the waist and disappears in a puff of smoke. streak #1992 with glass plate

17. Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 1. Student is Assigned a Goal You have a general goal: to 'report' all the rocks and minerals you find. You also have a specific goal: to 'report' the identity of Fluorite Fluorite is a purple vitreous smooth-faced mineral. Fluorite is used to make flux. To see this message again, type '@showgoal' or 'showgoal'

18. You are standing by a large cave entrance cut into a sheer rock face. * To the South is a Deep Valley * To the Southwest are the Young Mountains * To the West is a Steep Ledge * To the Northwest is a Steep Cliff * 'Enter' will get you into the Cave. Obvious exits are: enter South Southwest West Northwest You see light grey compact fine-grained outcrop (#1945), purple vitreous smooth-faced vein (#1989), and yellowish brown resinous vein (#1998) here. Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 2. Student Navigates

19. Swoosh...the Rock Pick/Hammer (#2062) arcs towards the purple vitreous smooth-faced vein (#1989) A purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) appears in your inventory hit #1989 with rock pick pour acid on #5969 You hear the sound of pouring and.... Nothing happens Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 3. Student Performs Experiments

20. taste #5969 As the magnet approaches the purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969)... Nothing happens. touch #5969 with magnet You put your tongue onto purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) and detect no taste Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 4. Student Continues Experiments

21. You scratch Glass Plate (#2064) with purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969)...Glass Plate (#2064) scratches purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) scratch glass with #5969 Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 5. Student Continues Experiments

22. Checking: purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) against fluorite. You are right! purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) IS fluorite. You have satisfied your primary goal! You score 100 points. report #5969 as fluorite Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 6. Student Achieves Goal

23. Assigning new goal for session: 11/30/99 at 1:13 p.m. As a player in the Geology Explorer You have accomplished your third goal and are playing at the advanced level. You have a general goal: to 'report' all the rocks and minerals you find. You also have a specific goal: to 'report' the identity of Potassic Feldspar Potassic Feldspar is a mineral. Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface 7. Student is Assigned New Goal

24. Maps of Planet Oit (from text to graphics)

25. The Geology Explorer (Graphical Prototype)

26. Virtual Field Instruments

27. The Geology Explorer (Navigating on Planet Oit)

28. Intelligent Tutoring Geology Explorer: Intelligent Tutoring Geology Explorer: The simulation can track actionsThe simulation can track actions The simulation can generate warnings and explanationsThe simulation can generate warnings and explanations Tutor “visits” are triggered by user actionTutor “visits” are triggered by user action

29. Tutors are Needed In Virtual Environments: Students can join from any remote locationStudents can join from any remote location They can log in at any time of day or nightThey can log in at any time of day or night Human tutors cannot be available at all times to helpHuman tutors cannot be available at all times to help Students can make mistakes and not know whyStudents can make mistakes and not know why

30. Tutors are Needed In Virtual Environments: Student interacts with the intelligent tutoring agentStudent interacts with the intelligent tutoring agent Students can ignore advice and carry on at their own riskStudents can ignore advice and carry on at their own risk

31. Software Tutoring Agents

32. Deductive Tutoring: Provides assistance with deductive reasoning needed to solve a scientific problemDeductive Tutoring: Provides assistance with deductive reasoning needed to solve a scientific problem Case-based Tutoring: Presents examples of relevant experience (case studies)Case-based Tutoring: Presents examples of relevant experience (case studies) Rule-based Tutoring: Provides assistance when student actions break encoded rules for the domainRule-based Tutoring: Provides assistance when student actions break encoded rules for the domain

33. Authentic Assessment Assessment in authentic contextsAssessment in authentic contexts Recall of strategies and conceptsRecall of strategies and concepts Not “multiple choice” recognitionNot “multiple choice” recognition Content specific: GeologyContent specific: Geology Problem solving, hypothesis formation, deductive reasoningProblem solving, hypothesis formation, deductive reasoning

34. Authentic tasks require authentic assessment To understand science is to: understand the activities of scientists understand the activities of scientists understand the tools of scientists understand the tools of scientists

35. Scenarios Student presents subjective Student presents subjective response to a scenario response to a scenario Scenario is a story, in which Scenario is a story, in which a geologic problem is presented a geologic problem is presented Student is encouraged to present Student is encouraged to present a solution a solution

36. Example of a Scenario You are in northern Manitoba on a fishing trip. Fishing has been good. At dawn on the day of your departure, you cut across country to a remote bay and have more good luck: you catch your limit of walleye. On the way back to the lodge, you stumble across a heavy, moss-covered rock on the shoreline, flipping it over. Looking down, you see the underside of the rock shining with a brilliant metallic yellow. You pick up the rock and lug it back to the lodge. At the airport luggage check-in, the baggage agent notes that you are 20 kg overweight...... exactly the weight of the rock that you found. He says, “It’s okay to ship rocks back to the States, eh, but at $15 per kilogram, you’re going to owe $300!” As a geologist, what do you do? Please respond to the following :

37. Scenario Questions List the questions that you would ask yourself, and give reasons behind asking those particular questions: List the factors that you would consider in making your final decision:

38. Procedures for Assessment by Scenario Assess computer literacyAssess computer literacy Pre-Test: Present scenario, students propose course of action or solutionPre-Test: Present scenario, students propose course of action or solution Engage students in learning experienceEngage students in learning experience (Control and experimental groups) (Control and experimental groups) Post-Test: Present similar scenario, student responsePost-Test: Present similar scenario, student response Analyze assessment dataAnalyze assessment data

39. The Geology Explorer: Assessment Protocol, Fall, 1998 Pre-course Assessment: 400+ students Computer Literacy Assessment: (244 volunteers) Divide by Computer Literacy and Geology Lab Experience Geomagnetic (Alternative) Group: (122 students) Geology Explorer Geology Explorer Treatment Group: (122 students) Non-Participant Control Non-Participant ControlGroup: (150 students, approx.) Completed Completed (78 students) Non- completed Non- completed (44 students) Completed Completed (95 students) Non- completed Non- completed (27 students) Post-course Assessment: 368 students

40. Scenario Evaluation Scenarios evaluated by a trained Scenarios evaluated by a trained individual individual Scenario judging is then replicated Scenario judging is then replicated for reliability using a second, trained for reliability using a second, trained individual individual Additional validation can be Additional validation can be accomplished within standard testing accomplished within standard testing

41. Fall, 1998, Test Results: Results of a Duncan test showed that the Geology Explorer group was significantly different... with the nature of the signifi- cance being a higher average score for the Geology Explorer group.

42. 95% Confidence Intervals for Mean Scores on Post Experience Scenario Assessments GroupNo.Mean score95% CI Alternate104 17.0 4.8 Control157 19.4 5.0 Planet Oit 65 31.8 4.9 Alternate Exercise Group Control Group Planet Oit Group 10152025303540 mean score

43. To “Visit” Planet Oit: oit.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu