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学习总体战略的一部分，推进非正式STEM学习（AISL）项目为各种环境中使用的创新资源提供资金。从全国来看，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被鼓励学习计算机科学。这个项目试图通过创造一款电子游戏来解决这个问题，这款游戏的目标是让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，故事提供了一种引人注目的方式来呈现复杂的技术主题，而女孩们对技术职业的反应尤其强烈，认为这是一种帮助他人的方式，因此该项目正在制作一款名为“祖母之家”的电子游戏。在游戏中，社会工作者打算把一个虚构的祖母搬到养老院，除非玩家能为她的家配备足够的技术，让她保持独立。解决游戏中的谜题需要学习核心的计算机科学概念。研究将确定电子游戏是否有效地让女孩对计算机科学感兴趣，在教授计算机科学概念方面，以及使用故事是否使电子游戏对学习更有效。该项目基于早期成功的原型，使用基于研究的迭代设计过程，包括纸上原型、游戏测试和焦点小组（N=20），以CS Unplugged系列为基础，创建适合年龄的活动，支持从高中CS Principles课程的数据、互联网、算法和抽象部分学习概念。定量的准实验设计将用于确定在三种类型的游戏条件下教授CS概念的总体有效性：(A)单独游戏，(b)虚构设置的游戏，(c)有故事的游戏。将开发一种新的评估工具来评估内容学习，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，调解人的指南、规则手册以及地图和故事板等材料将被创建并与游戏共享。此外，还将为计算机科学和其他对使用游戏教授计算机科学概念感兴趣的教师举办研讨会。

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.