AISL Pathways: The Role of Story in Games to Teach Computer Science Concepts to Middle School Girls

作为加强非正式环境中学习的整体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）计划为各种环境中使用的创新资源提供资金。在全国范围内，美国缺乏计算机科学家;这个问题的很大一部分是女孩在很小的时候就不鼓励学习计算机科学。该项目试图通过创建一个视频游戏来解决这个问题，该游戏专门针对中学女生对学习传统编程课程之外的计算机科学概念感兴趣。有证据表明，故事提供了一种令人信服的方式来呈现复杂的技术主题，特别是女孩对技术职业的反应是帮助他人的一种方式，该项目正在制作一款名为“Gram's House”的视频游戏，其中社会工作者打算将一位虚构的祖母搬到养老院，除非玩家能够为她的家配备足够的技术，使她保持独立。解决游戏中的难题需要学习核心计算机科学概念。将进行研究，以确定视频游戏是否能有效地让女孩对计算机科学感兴趣，教授计算机科学概念，以及使用故事是否能使视频游戏更有效地学习。该项目基于早期成功的原型，使用迭代的基于研究的设计过程，包括纸上原型，游戏测试和焦点小组（N=20），以创建适合年龄的活动，基于CS Unplugged系列，支持高中水平CS原理课程的数据，互联网，算法和抽象部分的学习概念。一个定量的，准实验设计将被用来确定在三种类型的游戏条件下教学CS概念的整体效果：（a）游戏单独，（B）游戏与虚构的设置，和（c）游戏的故事。将开发一种新的评估工具，以评估内容学习，并使用标准观察协议进行定性观察，以衡量兴趣和参与程度。将在两个州招募70-80名中学女生参加课后研究。作为传播工作的一部分，将创建一个促进者指南、规则手册以及地图和故事板等材料，并与游戏共享。此外，还将为计算机科学和其他有兴趣使用游戏教授CS概念的教师举办工作坊。

As part of its overall strategy to enhance learning in informal environments, the Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program funds innovative resources for use in a variety of settings. Nationally, the US has a shortage of computer scientists; a big part of this problem is that girls are discouraged from learning computer science at a very young age. This project tries to address this problem by creating a videogame specifically oriented towards getting middle school girls interested in learning computer science concepts outside traditional programming classes. Based on evidence that stories provide a compelling way to present complicated technical subjects and that girls in particular respond to technology careers as a way to help others, the project is building a videogame called "Gram's House" in which social workers intend to move a fictional grandmother to a retirement home unless the player can outfit her home with sufficient technology for her to remain independent. Solving puzzles in the game requires learning core computer science concepts. Research studies will be conducted to determine whether the videogame is effective at getting girls interested in computer science, at teaching computer science concepts, and whether using stories makes videogames more effective for learning.This project based on an earlier successful prototype uses an iterative research-based design process including paper prototyping, playtesting, and focus groups (N=20) to create age appropriate activities, based on the CS Unplugged series, that support learning concepts from the Data, Internet, Algorithms, and Abstraction sections of the high-school level CS Principles curriculum. A quantitative, quasi-experimental design will be used to determine the overall effectiveness of teaching CS concepts under three types of game conditions: (a) games alone, (b) games with fictional settings, and (c) games with stories. A novel assessment instrument will be developed to assess content learning and qualitative observation using a standard observation protocol will be used to gauge interest and engagement. 70-80 middle school girls will be recruited for afterschool participation in the study in two states. As part of the dissemination efforts, a facilitator's guide, rule book, and materials such as maps and storyboards will be created and shared with the game. In addition, a workshop for computer science and other teachers who are interested in using games to teach CS concepts will be conducted.