The Blue Mars Science Center: Designing a virtual science learning environment

TERC公司将进行为期一年的概念验证研究，包括为虚拟空间娱乐公司开发的蓝色火星2150平台上的虚拟蓝色火星科学中心进行两项原型科学活动的设计、开发和研究。蓝色火星是一个以遥远的未来火星为背景的科幻主题虚拟世界，将以高清渲染，这是开发高度逼真虚拟世界的重要增量步骤。拟议的学习活动和研究正是在这一虚拟世界的背景下进行的。TERC的研究将探讨在虚拟环境中学习的挑战，以及哪些类型的工具和互动可以鼓励和支持合作，其结果将促进虚拟世界中的非正式和正式学习。化身跟踪数据、参与者观察、访谈和调查将被用来研究参与者。该项目有可能推动计算可视化系统和认知科学领域的发展，并将提供一系列使用实时数据的学习机会。数以百万计的蓝色火星世界游客将能够分享一系列前所未有的虚拟活动和体验。预计这项研究将为更高级的沉浸式交互的未来发展提供信息，例如基于化身的模型和面向计算的交互。这项研究将作为进一步发展蓝色火星科学中心和推进虚拟世界中科学学习研究的基础。随着科学社区在虚拟世界中的发展，研究人员对继续扩大感兴趣。网络世界有潜力成为公众参与科学学习的强大吸引力。

TERC Inc. will conduct a one-year proof of concept study that includes the design, development, and research of two prototype science activities for the virtual Blue Mars Science Center located on the Blue Mars 2150 platform developed by Virtual Space Entertainment. Blue Mars is a science fiction-themed virtual world set on Mars far in the future and will be rendered in High Definition, an important incremental step in the development of highly realistic virtual worlds. It is in this virtual world context that the proposed learning activities and research are to be conducted. TERC's research will examine the challenges of learning in virtual environments and which types of tools and interactions can encourage and support collaboration, the results of which will advance both informal and formal learning in virtual worlds. Avatar tracking data, participant observations, interviews, and surveys will be used to study participants.The project has the potential to advance areas of computational visualization systems and cognitive science and will afford an array of learning opportunities using real time data. Millions of visitors to the Blue Mars world will be able to share in an unprecedented range of virtual activities and experiences. It is anticipated that the research will inform the future development of even more advanced immersive interactivity, such as avatar-based models and computationally-oriented interactivity. The study will serve as a basis for both further development of the Blue Mars Science Center and the advancement of research on science learning in virtual worlds. The investigators are interested in continuing to expand as the scientific community evolves in the virtual world. The online world has the potential to become a powerful attractor for the general public to engage in science learning.