SBIR Phase II: A Group Video Game Challenge for Integrated Applied Science Learning

This SBIR Phase II Project will produce a cooperative applied video game challenge where students work together within an active, simulated environment to collect and analyze data, construct explanations, then test and iterate solutions to a problem. Only 22% of the United States? graduating high school seniors are proficient in science. This is important due to the estimated 2.4 million unfilled jobs in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) in the United States, to provide higher-paying STEM jobs to citizens, and promote a scientifically literate citizenry. Recent research supports new approaches for how to improve this scientific literacy, and states across the country are adopting new science standards to support this effort. The outcome of this project will support development of students' scientific literacy with a novel approach which utilizes cooperative, interdisciplinary, problem-based learning within a video game. Commercialization of this product will transform the process of inquiry-based learning by putting the tools in the hands of student scientists as they test their own solutions. The project supports the NSF's mission by empowering students to develop strong science and engineering skills, as well as supporting development of 21st century skills such as collaboration and problem solving that are desired by employers. The technology developed by this Phase II project will produce a group problem-solving experience for up to five students to analyze a problem and implement an engineering solution within a live simulated environment, providing educators with a powerful curricula tool to engage their students in the real problem-solving cycles a scientist would engage in, within a feasible setting using the video game. The research goals include creating a flexible content authoring tool that designers and educators can use to generate their own unique scenarios and creating an easy-to-use educator dashboard to accompany it. The content authoring and customization options empower educators to reflect local context, student interest, and student background knowledge, strategies which are essential for educators of diverse populations currently underrepresented within STEM. The technology and its dashboard will also serve as a powerful formative assessment tool, enabling group assessment that is able to parse group and individual participation, and is designed to promote balanced group problem solving. The result of this research will create a uniquely flexible tool that will enable educators to engage learners in deeper, contextual learning, encourage transfer of information, cooperative learning, development of science and engineering skills such as data literacy, and be utilized for assessment of these skills. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.