Prototype for an online skills-based drug prevention program targeting youth 11-13

项目摘要 移植到网络上的毒品预防计划是互动的，但大多无法吸引年轻人和 最大化节目曝光率。另一种方法考虑使用动画序列进行游戏化 使用基于马尔可夫决策过程的机器学习算法来激发年轻人的好奇心， 让他们参与到需要实时战略思维的真实场景中。在第一阶段SBIR中，我们 建议设计、构建和测试基于技能的在线学习(SBL)的阿尔法原型，这是一个完全游戏化的 药物滥用预防计划。游戏化研究现在确凿地表明，年轻人可以而且确实可以学习 玩电子游戏，特别是当他们沉浸在游戏中时，保持高度的好奇心，以及 对游戏中的角色形成一种社会认同或亲密的依恋。节目也能刺激学习。 当他们提供脚手架，使用指导、指导和建模来帮助年轻人掌握技能和 提升到新的挑战水平。此外，游戏必须对玩家做出反应，将他们的- 游戏行为，并根据他们的技能水平量身定做游戏，而不是提供预先设定的程序。当这些 视频游戏的元素汇聚在一起，它们被证明能刺激更高层次的思维和 在现实世界中有价值的解决问题的技能。我们建议将教学设计原则 使用最先进的游戏化机器学习算法来创建一个逼真的动画游戏， 教授决策、解决问题和社交技能。这款游戏包含动画、简短视频 小插曲、非游戏角色和个性化的教学代理(化身)，以引导年轻人通过 模拟环境，为他们提供现实的社会互动挑战。该计划的目标是 青春期早期(11至13岁)，这一时期他们面临着许多发展挑战， 当谈判成功时，有助于他们明确身份。影响的潮流从父母转移到 同龄人，寻求情感独立和更大的自主权，以及采用正式的运营 推理是导致青春期“风暴和压力”的诸多因素中的一小部分。此阶段I 应用程序将结合预防和计算机科学家的力量来构建和测试阿尔法 SBL Online的原型。这项研究结合了形成性评估，使用焦点小组来了解更多关于 青少年社交的性质、他们遇到同辈压力的环境、他们对 冒险的行为、面向未来和解决问题的技能，他们用来抵消生活中的压力。可用性 迭代测试涵盖早期和后期构建阶段，外加使用有声思考技术的主动播放测试。一个 第二个推动力涉及从主要利益攸关方(中学教师、青年服务提供者)获得投入 以确定该计划的发展和文化适当性以及商业潜力。这个 技术合作伙伴(3C)拥有广泛的敏锐性，能够构建社交情感学习并将其商业化- 为儿童和青年提供与健康有关的应用程序，包括与调查人员合作的项目。

PROJECT ABSTRACT Drug prevention programs that migrate to the web are interactive, but mostly fail to engage youth and maximize program exposure. An alternative approach considers gamification with animated sequences and uses machine learning algorithms based on Markov Decision Processes to stimulate youths’ curiosity, engage them in a real-world scenario that requires real-time strategic thinking. In this Phase I SBIR, we propose to design, build, and test an alpha prototype for Skills-Based Learning (SBL) Online, a fully gamified drug abuse prevention program. Gamification studies now conclusively show that youth can and do learn from playing videogames, particularly when they feel immersed in the game, maintain high levels of curiosity, and form a social identity or close attachment to the characters in the game. Programs also stimulate learning when they provide scaffolding, using guiding, coaching, and modeling that help youth master skills and advance to new challenge levels. In addition, the game has to be responsive to the player, incorporate their in- game behavior, and tailor play to their skill levels as opposed to delivering a prefixed program. When these elements of a videogame come together, they have been shown to stimulate higher order thinking and problem-solving skills that have value in the real-world. We propose to blend instructional design principles with state-of-the-art gamification using machine learning algorithms to create a realistic animated game that teaches decision-making, problem-solving, and social skills. The game involves animation, brief video vignettes, non-playing characters, and a personalized pedagogical agent (an avatar) to guide youth through a simulated environment that presents them with realistic social interactional challenges. The program targets youth in early adolescence (ages 11 to 13), a period when they face numerous developmental challenges that when successfully negotiated helps them crystallize an identity. Shifting tides of influence from parents to peers, seeking emotional independence and greater autonomy plus the adoption of formal operational reasoning are a few of the many factors that fuel “storm and stress” during adolescence. This Phase I application will coalesce the strengths of prevention and computer scientists to build and test an alpha prototype of SBL Online. The study combines formative evaluation using focus groups to learn more about the nature of youths’ social interactions, the settings in which they encounter peer pressure, their perceptions of risky behavior, future orientation, and problem-solving skills they employ to offset life’s pressures. Usability testing iteratively covers early and later build phases, plus active playtesting using think-aloud techniques. A second thrust involves obtaining input from key stakeholders (middle school teachers, youth service providers) to ascertain the program’s developmental and cultural appropriateness and commercial potential. The technology partner (3C) has an extensive acumen building and commercializing social emotional learning- based health-related applications for children and youth including projects with the investigators.