EXP: GeoGames - A Virtual Simulation Workbench for Teaching and Learning through a Real-World Spatial Perspective

该项目旨在学习如何提高地理空间思维技能和利用地理空间数据解决复杂问题的能力。正在开发的技术利用在线地图来定位GeoGame中的场景，以便学习者在与其他人合作解决GeoGame中的现实问题时能够访问真实的GIS，遥感，社会经济，农业和其他数据和模型。重点是帮助学习者在思考和解决问题时获得和使用空间视角。地理游戏呈现了现实世界的挑战，需要以类似游戏的方式收集跨地理区域的大规模数据来吸引学习者；学习者通过导航地图找到的数据来解决问题，并相互结合。正在调查的研究问题是关于如何使用这些游戏、可视化和数据来吸引学习者在解决现实世界问题的背景下学习，学习解决现实世界的复杂性问题，并学习使用地理空间表示。这项创新整合了地理空间技术、游戏和社交网络的优势，以体验、协作和参与的方式促进对现实世界事实以及复杂的、相互关联的人类、环境和技术系统的学习。重点是在大学水平，但最终可能适用于高中生，中学生，和一般人群。政策人员告诉我们，地理空间视角对于解决许多社会紧迫问题（例如，经济、农业、气候变化、交通、救济、城市规划、应急服务）至关重要。GeoGames的这种方法可能会提供一种引人入胜且广泛适用的方式，以教育未来的政策制定者以全球视角看待他们所处理的全球和地方问题。该方法还可以提供一种方法，帮助公众认识到世界的连通性、地方政策决策的广泛影响，以及在制定政策时必须考虑的问题。

This project is aiming to learn how to promote geospatial thinking skills and ability to use data gathered geospatially to solve complex problems. The technology being developed leverages on-line maps to situate scenarios in GeoGames so that learners have access to real GIS, remote sensing, socioeconomic, agricultural and other data and models as they engage with others to solve real-world problems in the GeoGame. The focus is on helping learners gain and use a spatial perspective in their thinking and problem solving. Geogames present real-world challenges that require large-scale data collected across geographical areas in game-like ways to draw in the learners; the learners solve problems using the data found through navigating the maps and in conjunction with each other. Research questions being investigated are about how to use such games, visualizations, and data to engage learners in learning in the context of real-world problem solving, learning to solve problems of real-world complexity, and learning to use geospatial representations. The innovation integrates the strengths of geospatial technologies, gaming, and social networking to promote learning about real-world facts and also complex, interlinked human, environmental, and technological systems in an experiential, collaborative, and engaging way. The focus is at the college level but ultimately could be appropriate for high-schoolers, middle-schoolers, and the general population.Policy people tell us that a geospatial perspective is essential in addressing many of society's pressing issues (e.g., economics, agriculture, climate change, transportation, relief, urban planning, emergency services). This approach of GeoGames may provide an engaging and broadly-applicable way to educate future policy makers in taking a global perspective on both the global and local problems they address. The approach may also provide a way to help the public appreciate the connectedness of the world, the broad implications of local policy decisions, and the issues that must be considered in policy making.