The goal of What-if Hypothetical Implementations in Minecraft (WHIMC) is to develop computer simulations that engage, excite, and generate interest in science. WHIMC leverages Minecraft as a learning environment for learners to interactively explore the scientific consequences of alternative versions of Earth via “what if?” questions, such as “What if the earth had no moon?” or “What if the earth were twice its current size?” Learners using our mods are invited to make observations and propose scientific explanations for what they see as different. Given ongoing discoveries of potentially habitable worlds throughout the Galaxy, such questions have high relevance to public discourse around space exploration, conditions necessary for life, and the long-term future of the human race. Studies in our project are occurring across three informal learning settings: museum exhibits, after school programs, and summer camps. Our research is driven by the following research questions: 1. What technology-based triggers of interest have the strongest influence on interest? 2. Which contextual factors are most important for supporting long-term interest development? 3. And, what kinds of technology-based triggers are most effective for learners from audiences who are underrepresented in STEM? more »« less
Our work investigates interest triggering, a necessary component of sustaining and developing long-term interest in STEM. We gathered interview data from middle school aged learners (N = 7) at a science-focused Minecraft summer camp over a period of one week. We first identified STEM interest triggering episodes, then categorized each episode based on codes developed previously by Renninger and Bachrach (2016). Our initial findings show differences in the frequency of interest triggering episodes across individuals and suggest that personal relevance and the use of Minecraft played prominent roles.
Staus, Nancy L.; Falk, John H.; Price, Aaron; Tai, Robert H.; Dierking, Lynn D.
(, Disciplinary and Interdisciplinary Science Education Research)
null
(Ed.)
Abstract Despite the fact that most science learning takes place outside of school, little is known about how engagement in informal science learning (ISL) experiences affects learners’ knowledge, skill development, interest, or identities over long periods of time. Although substantial ISL research has documented short-term outcomes such as the learning that takes place during a science center visit, research suggests that the genuine benefits of informal experiences are long-term transformations in learners as they pursue a “cascade” of experiences subsequent to the initial educational event. However, a number of major methodological challenges have limited longitudinal research projects investigating the long-term effects of ISL experiences. In this paper we identify and address four key issues surrounding the critical but challenging area of how to study and measure the long-term effects or impacts of ISL experiences: attribution, attrition, data collection, and analytic approaches. Our objective is to provide guidance to ISL researchers wishing to engage in long-term investigations of learner outcomes and to begin a dialogue about how best to address the numerous challenges involved in this work.
Zhou, Yiqiu; Paquette, Luc
(, International Educational Data Mining Society)
Benjamin, Paaßen; Carrie, Demmans Epp
(Ed.)
Extensive research underscores the importance of stimulating students' interest in learning, as it can improve key educational outcomes such as self-regulation, collaboration, problem-solving, and overall enjoyment. Yet, the mechanisms through which interest manifests and impacts learning remain less explored, particularly in open-ended game-based learning environments like Minecraft. The unstructured nature of gameplay data in such settings poses analytical challenges. This study employed advanced data mining techniques, including changepoint detection and clustering, to extract meaningful patterns from students' movement data. Changepoint detection allows us to pinpoint significant shifts in behavior and segment unstructured gameplay data into distinct phases characterized by unique movement patterns. This research goes beyond traditional session-level analysis, offering a dynamic view of the learning process as it captures changes in student behaviors while they navigate challenges and interact with the environment. Three distinct exploration patterns emerged: surface-level exploration, in-depth exploration, and dynamic exploration. Notably, we found a negative correlation between surface-level exploration and interest development, whereas dynamic exploration positively correlated with interest development, regardless of initial interest levels. In addition to providing insights into how interest can manifest in Minecraft gameplay behavior, this paper makes significant methodological contributions by showcasing innovative approaches for extracting meaningful patterns from unstructured behavioral data within game-based learning environments. The implications of our research extend beyond Minecraft, offering valuable insights into the applications of changepoint detection in educational research to investigate student behavior in open-ended and complex learning settings.
Richter, Daniel D; Billings, Billings; Groffman, Peter M.
(, Biogeosciences)
Long-term environmental research networks are one approach to advancing local, regional, and global environmental science and education. A remarkable number and wide variety of environmental research networks operate around the world today. These are diverse in funding, infrastructure, motivating questions, scientific strengths, and the sciences that birthed and maintain the networks. Some networks have individual sites that were selected because they had produced invaluable long-term data, while other networks have new sites selected to span ecological gradients. However, all long-term environmental networks share two challenges. Networks must keep pace with scientific advances and interact with both the scientific community and society at large. If networks fall short of successfully addressing these challenges, they risk becoming irrelevant. The objective of this paper is to assert that the biogeosciences offer environmental research networks a number of opportunities to expand scientific impact and public engagement. We explore some of these opportunities with four networks: the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network programs (ILTERs), critical zone observatories (CZOs), Earth and ecological observatory networks (EONs), and the FLUXNET program of eddy flux sites. While these networks were founded and expanded by interdisciplinary scientists, the preponderance of expertise and funding has gravitated activities of ILTERs and EONs toward ecology and biology, CZOs toward the Earth sciences and geology, and FLUXNET toward ecophysiology and micrometeorology. Our point is not to homogenize networks, nor to diminish disciplinary science. Rather, we argue that by more fully incorporating the integration of biology and geology in long-term environmental research networks, scientists can better leverage network assets, keep pace with the ever-changing science of the environment, and engage with larger scientific and public audiences.
Richter, Daniel D.; Billings, Sharon A.; Groffman, Peter M.; Kelly, Eugene F.; Lohse, Kathleen A.; McDowell, William H.; White, Timothy S.; Anderson, Suzanne; Baldocchi, Dennis D.; Banwart, Steve; et al
(, Biogeosciences)
Abstract. Long-term environmental research networks are one approach toadvancing local, regional, and global environmental science and education. Aremarkable number and wide variety of environmental research networks operatearound the world today. These are diverse in funding, infrastructure,motivating questions, scientific strengths, and the sciences that birthed andmaintain the networks. Some networks have individual sites that wereselected because they had produced invaluable long-term data, while othernetworks have new sites selected to span ecological gradients. However, alllong-term environmental networks share two challenges. Networks must keeppace with scientific advances and interact with both the scientific communityand society at large. If networks fall short of successfully addressing thesechallenges, they risk becoming irrelevant. The objective of this paper is toassert that the biogeosciences offer environmental research networks a numberof opportunities to expand scientific impact and public engagement. Weexplore some of these opportunities with four networks: the InternationalLong-Term Ecological Research Network programs (ILTERs), critical zoneobservatories (CZOs), Earth and ecological observatory networks (EONs),and the FLUXNET program of eddy flux sites. While these networks were foundedand expanded by interdisciplinary scientists, the preponderance of expertise andfunding has gravitated activities of ILTERs and EONs toward ecology andbiology, CZOs toward the Earth sciences and geology, and FLUXNET towardecophysiology and micrometeorology. Our point is not to homogenize networks,nor to diminish disciplinary science. Rather, we argue that by more fullyincorporating the integration of biology and geology in long-termenvironmental research networks, scientists can better leverage networkassets, keep pace with the ever-changing science of the environment, andengage with larger scientific and public audiences.
Yi, Sherry, and Lane, H.C. DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21689.11369. Retrieved from https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10157299. Proceedings of the 2019 Connected Learning Summit Conference . Web. doi:DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21689.11369.
@article{osti_10157299,
place = {Country unknown/Code not available},
title = {DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21689.11369},
url = {https://par.nsf.gov/biblio/10157299},
DOI = {DOI:10.13140/RG.2.2.21689.11369},
abstractNote = {The goal of What-if Hypothetical Implementations in Minecraft (WHIMC) is to develop computer simulations that engage, excite, and generate interest in science. WHIMC leverages Minecraft as a learning environment for learners to interactively explore the scientific consequences of alternative versions of Earth via “what if?” questions, such as “What if the earth had no moon?” or “What if the earth were twice its current size?” Learners using our mods are invited to make observations and propose scientific explanations for what they see as different. Given ongoing discoveries of potentially habitable worlds throughout the Galaxy, such questions have high relevance to public discourse around space exploration, conditions necessary for life, and the long-term future of the human race. Studies in our project are occurring across three informal learning settings: museum exhibits, after school programs, and summer camps. Our research is driven by the following research questions: 1. What technology-based triggers of interest have the strongest influence on interest? 2. Which contextual factors are most important for supporting long-term interest development? 3. And, what kinds of technology-based triggers are most effective for learners from audiences who are underrepresented in STEM?},
journal = {Proceedings of the 2019 Connected Learning Summit Conference},
author = {Yi, Sherry and Lane, H.C.},
}
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