STRONG's First Progress Report

1. Statement of Problem

1.1 What is this project about?


The project is about designing modular, self-contained, easily accessible, multi-player interactive online learning environments called STRuctured-scenario ONline Games (STRONG) using the games unique features that help direct, facilitate, and assess middle-school students learning of specific domain knowledge and concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). These online games use challenging scenarios to not only engage middle-school students but also provide them control over their learning environment.



2. Rationale

2.1 Why are we doing this project?


In our class, we have often talked about learning being affected by motivational AND cognitive issues. An expectation failure or cognitive dissonance initiated through discrepant events and ranking task assessments could influence learners' motivation. Using developmentally appropriate STEM concepts and standards from the Benchmarks for Science Literacy (1993), we identify, use, and embed student misconceptions in STRONG to foster a deliberate STOP –> REFLECT –> THINK –> ACT approach to rekindle players' intentionality and inherent preference for goal-oriented actions and launch them into active inquiry learning.



3. Implementation/Non-Implementation Project Components

For the STRONG project, we have decided to do both a research (non-implementation) component, as well as a technical (implementation) component. The details of the two facets of the project are discussed below.


3.1 Implementation Component


3.1.1 Technical Approach


We will be employing a few different technologies in order to make a basic version of STRONG realized. The main component will be written in Flash and students will have access to a Java applet to showcase a unique "learning" activity. In our case, we will use the electrical circuit construction Java applet designed by the Physics Education Technology Team. Our STRONG interface will also includes provisions for chat, a reflection space, and an assessment section. The details of the user interface design will be discussed later on in this paper. There will also be a backend database, using PHP and Microsoft Access technology. Different elements of Photoshop and Fireworks will also be used. Here is our current user interface for STRONG..



3.1.2 Implementation Plan


The plan for implementation is as follows:


3.2 Non-Implementation Component


3.2.1 Hypotheses



The purpose of our design is to determine the relative effectiveness of using the STRONG Model and the differential effect of the two independent variables (using STRONG and inquiry-based instructin) on middle-school-students’ achievement in basic electrical circuitry.

Experimental 2 x 2 factorial design study using the STRONG Model
:























STRONG (S) No STRONG (N)
Inquiry-based instruction (I) SI NI
Direct instruction (D) SD ND


The subjects in this study, middle school students, will be randomly assigned into four groups. In this design, all four groups will be tested using our simple online electric circuits pretest and a hands-on circuit construction. The three experimental groups ("SI," "NI," & "SD") will be exposed to the differential treatments, the treatments being a combination of teaching circuits using STRONG and inquiry-based instruction. The control group ("ND") will not be exposed to both treatments but will be taught circuits through direct instruction. Then the four groups will be evaluated using our online circuit posttest and students' performance in hands-on circuit construction.


3.2.2 How the work will investigate issues not known


STRONG will be used in classrooms and our software is suited for prototype testing, code reuse, and usability studies. We will use the same design process students use to evaluate the effectiveness of these contextualized simulations as a basis for STEM learning in middle school settings. We also plan to implement novel situations that stimulate students' imagination, increase motivation, aid memory retention, and increase cooperation using STRONG. These are ideas that could benefit from more exploration and refinement, and future end-user modifications.




4. In-Class Presentation

Here is the link to our slides shown during the in class presentation.



5. References


(1) Multimedia Learning - Richard Mayer


(2) 10 Principles on Good Design - Roger Schank


(3) Design of Everyday Things - Dan Norman


(4) The Role of Children in the Design of New Technology - Allison Druin


(5) Techtactics - Carolyn Thorsen