Making Space Social: Exploring the Educational Potential of the Facebook Social Network

空间科学研究所（SSI）将对当代基于网络的多用户社交网络平台中与STEM相关的游戏的使用和有效性进行试点调查。 许多游戏和内容专家，顾问和顾问将与SSI合作，重新设计一套现有的游戏，用于Facebook上的使用和研究。将从该研究所以前开发的近30个空间科学和天文学在线游戏组合中选出3至5个游戏。将邀请青年（13岁以上）和成年人的代表性样本参加游戏选择过程。所选游戏将重新用于Facebook上的最佳用途。到第一年年底，Facebook用户将能够访问Facebook上的游戏并与之互动。数据将从游戏用户收集，因为他们通过游戏的进展。数据分析的结果将用于为项目和非正规科学教育领域提供信息。 学习创新研究所将领导形成性和总结性评价。青年（13岁以上）和能够使用Facebook的成年人将成为参与形成性测试和评估以及试点调查的目标。预期的受众将是广泛而多样的，因为Facebook用户跨越性别、种族、年龄和社会阶层。预期的项目影响是，参与者将在三个方面都有所收获：（a）认识、知识和理解，（B）参与和兴趣，以及（c）态度。 将采用混合方法评估游戏选择过程、游戏在Facebook上的实施、项目有效性和影响。形成性评价策略包括嵌入式评价评估、专家评审、在线反馈会议和简短的民意调查。游戏使用的多变量分析和玩家与非玩家之间的比较将用于通知总结性评价。这个Pathways项目可能会改变当代关于游戏有效性的概念，以在多用户社交网络环境中产生兴趣并促进STEM学习。Facebook是这一努力的首选界面，是目前存在的最受欢迎的社交网络之一。通过它，该项目可以将科学内容带给全国数百万人，包括许多代表性不足的群体。该试点将有助于有限的研究基础，如果成功，可以作为未来扩大其他STEM主题，游戏格式和平台的模型。

The Space Science Institute (SSI) will conduct a pilot investigation on the use and effectiveness of STEM-related games within contemporary web-based, multiuser social networking platforms. A host of gaming and content experts, consultants and advisors will work collaboratively with SSI to repurpose a set of existing games for use and research on Facebook. Three to five games will be chosen from a portfolio of nearly 30 space science and astronomy online games previously developed by the Institute. A representative sample of youth (ages 13+) and adults will be invited to participate in the game-selection process. The selected games will be repurposed for optimal use on Facebook. By the end of the first year, Facebook users will be able to access and interact with the games on Facebook. Data will be collected from game users as they progress through the games. The results of the data analysis will be used to inform the project and the informal science education field. The Institute for Learning Innovation will lead the formative and summative evaluations. Youth (ages 13+) and adults with access to Facebook will be targeted for participation in the formative testing and evaluation and the pilot investigation. The anticipated audience will be broad and diverse, as Facebook users span gender, race, age, and social class. The intended project impacts are that participants will experience gains in each of the three dimensions: (a) awareness, knowledge, and understanding, (b) engagement and interest, and (c) attitude. A mixed-methods approach will be employed to assess the game selection process, implementation of the games on Facebook, project effectiveness, and impacts. Formative evaluation strategies include embedded evaluation assessments, expert reviews, online feedback sessions, and short response polls. A multi-variable analysis of game use and a comparison between players and non-players will be used to inform the summative evaluation. This Pathways project could potentially transform contemporary notions about the effectiveness of games to generate interest and foster STEM learning within multiuser, social networking environments. Facebook, the preferred interface for this effort, is one of the most popular social networks currently in existence. Through it, this project could bring science content to millions of people around the country, including many from underrepresented groups. This pilot would contribute to the limited research base and, if successful, could serve as a model for future scale-up initiatives on other STEM topics, gaming formats, and platforms.