SBIR Phase I: Mission: Planet Y--A Game-based Tool for Middle School Science Learning

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在创建一款视频游戏，它使用当代3D游戏引擎技术，并将包含嵌入式、基于成绩的学生技能评估、教师报告和教师管理工具的功能。这款游戏将模拟真实世界中复杂的问题解决环境，并为学生提供在虚拟生态系统模拟中执行调查的科学家的角色，从各种来源收集数据，分析数据，并制定解决复杂问题的计划。科学和游戏专家、教育工作者、家长和学生将向第一阶段的研究提供信息。这款游戏在目前可用的教育软件的内容及其学习和评估设计方面将是一次重大创新。以认知科学研究的最好成果为基础，这款游戏将最大限度地提高学生的学习参与度。目前的教育软件使用的是中断游戏的评估；在拟议的软件中，评估将以秘密模式持续进行。换句话说，学生将不会意识到正在进行的评估，而是仍然专注于科学活动。2001年《不让一个孩子掉队法案》的要求将推动全国对教授学生科学技能的工具的需求，包括研究和解决问题。使命：星球Y将为电子课程资源提供一个模型，以激发学生对中学科学的兴趣、动机和学习。使用《使命：Y星球》的中学生--男性和女性，有特殊需要的人，以及有天赋和有才华的人--将提高他们的科学技能、内容知识和兴趣，这些将在州和国家考试以及科学课堂参与中得到反映。为中学科学开发的游戏引擎技术可以进行修改，以创建适用于其他学科领域和年级的软件。第一阶段的研究将考虑对个人家庭和学校的适销性。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project seeks to create a video game, which uses contemporary 3D game engine technology, and will incorporate capabilities for embedded, performance-based student skills assessment, teacher reporting, and teacher administration tools. The game will simulate real-world, complex problem-solving contexts, and offer students the ability to assume the role of a scientist performing investigations within virtual simulations of ecosystems, gathering data from a variety of sources, analyzing the data, and developing a plan for solving the complex problem. Science and gaming experts, educators, parents, and students will inform the Phase I research. The game will be a significant innovation in terms of the content of the educational software currently available and its learning and assessment design. Using the best of what is known from cognitive science research as a basis, the game will maximize student engagement in learning. Current educational software uses assessments that interrupt game play; in the proposed software, assessment will occur continuously in stealth mode. In other words, students will be unaware of ongoing assessment and remain focused on the science activities.The requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 will drive national demand for tools to teach students science skills, including research and problem solving. Mission: Planet Y will provide a model for electronic curricular resources that create a high level of student interest, motivation, and learning in middle school science. Middle school students using Mission: Planet Y--males and females, those with special needs, and the gifted and talented--will enhance their science skills, content knowledge, and interest in ways that will be reflected on state and national tests and in science class participation. The game engine technology developed for middle school science can be modified to create software for other subject areas and grade levels. Phase I research will consider the marketability to individual households, as well as to schools.