The Heat Game: An Augmented Reality Game for Scientific Literacy
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Date
2010-04-13T17:43:51Z
Authors
Rees, Carol
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Abstract
If we are ever to achieve the goal of redirecting scientific investigation and technological
development along more environmentally and socially responsible lines we need to
provide students with an opportunity not only to understand information generated
through scientific inquiry and technological innovation, but also to understand something
of the processes and possible costs and consequences of this work. This kind of
understanding might be best achieved by allowing students to gain experience in the real
world of science and technology, working to solve real-world challenges and reflecting
upon environmental and societal impacts, but such a real world setting is difficult to
reproduce in a classroom. This study utilizes an augmented reality game called the Heat
Game to provide a simulation of such a science and technology world. The Heat Game is
modeled on the augmented reality game Mad City Mysteries (Squire and Jan 2007). In
the Heat Game student-participants role play junior professional scientists and engineers
working as part of a team to design energy efficient housing. They correspond with
virtual expert professionals on laptop computers while engaging in science inquiry and
technological design work in the classroom. This preliminary study presents evidence
that after participation in the Heat Game students develop some new understandings
values and attitudes about the science process, how it is used to construct science
knowledge, how science knowledge can be used for technological development; and how
making 'wise' technological choices can lead to a reduction in human environmental
impact.
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Keywords
Simulation games in education , Virtual reality in education , Computer games , Study and teaching (Middle school)