Let the Games Begin!Let the Games Begin!Quest AtlantisQuest Atlantis

www.QuestAtlantis.org

This is one way to teach your This is one way to teach your students about science…..students about science…..

Erosion is the Erosion is the mechanical mechanical movement of movement of the land the land surface by surface by wind, rain, wind, rain, running water running water or moving ice or moving ice resulting in the resulting in the wearing away wearing away of land or soil…of land or soil…

Here is another….Here is another….

Welcome to the new face of education….Welcome to the new face of education….

Quest Atlantis is a Web-based community-driven game Quest Atlantis is a Web-based community-driven game

context context built using 3D technologies. It combines elements built using 3D technologies. It combines elements

of play, of play, role playing, adventure, and learning …role playing, adventure, and learning …

The Quest Atlantis Project

QA allows 9–12 year old children to engage in a rich QA allows 9–12 year old children to engage in a rich

multimedia narrative and virtually travel to a wide variety multimedia narrative and virtually travel to a wide variety

of 3D worlds. of 3D worlds.

In these worlds students are assigned learning projects In these worlds students are assigned learning projects

(or Quests), talk with other Questers and mentors, and (or Quests), talk with other Questers and mentors, and

build virtual personas.build virtual personas.

*WANTED**WANTED*field field

investigatorinvestigator

Help Ranger Bartle with an investigation: Why are the fish dying?Interview park stakeholders and report findingsFormulate and test a hypothesisCollect and analyze water samplesSubmit a proposal to resolve the declining fish population

Gaming to LearnGaming to Learn

Test scores often increase, especially Test scores often increase, especially among poorly performing studentsamong poorly performing studentsStudent motivation increasesStudent motivation increasesCan teach higher order thinking skills, Can teach higher order thinking skills, such as strategic thinking and problem such as strategic thinking and problem solvingsolvingStudents often seek additional knowledge Students often seek additional knowledge in order to improve their performancein order to improve their performance

Software & Information Industry Association Software & Information Industry Association FindingsFindings

QA ResearchQA Research

Learning Gains Across Sixth Grade Learning Gains Across Sixth Grade ImplementationsImplementations

Sixth Grade Taiga Implementations

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

2006Conventional

Text (62)

2006 QuestAtlantis (54)

2007 QuestAtlantis (94)

Implementation (Number Students)

Sco

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Siz

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Proximal Open-Ended

Distal Multiple-Choice

Engendering SuccessEngendering Success

Significant gains in writing across gendersSignificant gains in writing across genders

Boys: 85 wordsBoys: 85 words

Girls: 137 wordsGirls: 137 words

Condition

WorksheetQuest

Wor

ds W

ritte

n

40

30

20

10

Gender

Male

Female

Student Responses Student Responses

Pre-test Response: The trade of illegal drugs is an Pre-test Response: The trade of illegal drugs is an important issue. Poor farming families know they can important issue. Poor farming families know they can make money off of selling illegal substances. Drug make money off of selling illegal substances. Drug usage is dangerous and this is an important issue.usage is dangerous and this is an important issue.

Post-test Response: In many countries, rainforest Post-test Response: In many countries, rainforest logging is a major issue. People from wealthy countries logging is a major issue. People from wealthy countries such as our own might protest it because it kills so much such as our own might protest it because it kills so much of our beautiful environment, but in a country where fine of our beautiful environment, but in a country where fine rainforest wood is a major industry and especially if the rainforest wood is a major industry and especially if the country’s economy is weak, it is not really fair to say they country’s economy is weak, it is not really fair to say they can’t do it anymore. This is a very controversial issue, can’t do it anymore. This is a very controversial issue, because we are basically weighing human life and because we are basically weighing human life and animal life, two things that depend on each other.animal life, two things that depend on each other.

Quest Atlantis Quest Atlantis Design PrinciplesDesign Principles

Ente

rtai

nmen

t

Social Commitments

EducationSocially Responsible

Games

Leveling Leveling LuminatingLuminating

Narrative Description

Goals

Resources

Attachment(s)

Text Response

Connecting to StandardsConnecting to Standards

New DevelopmentsNew Developments

National Park Service CollaborationNational Park Service Collaboration

Guilds allow Questers to become expertsGuilds allow Questers to become expertsCommitment Critters – a playful way to think Commitment Critters – a playful way to think about important issuesabout important issues

Embedded Professional Development & Support

Face-to-Face Training• Learn QA Technology

Email/Online Support• Implementing QA

Online Missions • Focus on Pedagogy and Practice• Focus on Inquiry• Focus on Domain Content• Focus on Learning Theory

Day Training• Debrief, Goal Setting

Quest Atlantis Quest Atlantis Project ImpactProject Impact

Current Project Scale:Current Project Scale:

National Science Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Science Foundation, John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, NASANASA

Over 6,500 users worldwideOver 6,500 users worldwide

Indiana, Boston, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, FloridaIndiana, Boston, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, California, Florida

Australia, England, New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, ChinaAustralia, England, New Zealand, Singapore, Denmark, China

Statewide Pilot in NJ with support of NASA and Centenary CollegeStatewide Pilot in NJ with support of NASA and Centenary College

Food Lion North Carolina Statewide project successfully underway with support Food Lion North Carolina Statewide project successfully underway with support of Food Lion and North Carolina DPI…625 students in Impact Schoolsof Food Lion and North Carolina DPI…625 students in Impact Schools

NPS – International scope with Virtual ParksNPS – International scope with Virtual Parks

Future OPEN ProgramsFuture OPEN ProgramsSustainable Energy Futures – The Roadmap from Petroleum-Based Economy to Sustainable Energy Futures – The Roadmap from Petroleum-Based Economy to Clean and Renewable Energy SystemsClean and Renewable Energy SystemsWater Source of Life - Planet Earth Water Source of Life - Planet Earth Health and Infectious DiseasesHealth and Infectious DiseasesRaw Materials to Product Series – mining, logging, raw materials to end Raw Materials to Product Series – mining, logging, raw materials to end products, and disposal (product lifecycle and environmental impacts)products, and disposal (product lifecycle and environmental impacts)Economics and Trade (including black markets)Economics and Trade (including black markets)Future of Agriculture and Fisheries Series Future of Agriculture and Fisheries Series Earth Series: Rainforest, Ocean, Polar Earth Series: Rainforest, Ocean, Polar World Culture and History Series (include the arts, art history, music, poetry, World Culture and History Series (include the arts, art history, music, poetry, storytelling, literature, collaborative authorship via Internet)storytelling, literature, collaborative authorship via Internet)Immigration through the Ages – from Africa to Moon LandingImmigration through the Ages – from Africa to Moon LandingLife Beyond Earth SeriesLife Beyond Earth SeriesThe Brain and the Mind – Neurosciences in 21The Brain and the Mind – Neurosciences in 21stst Century CenturyBiotechnology, Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Futures – Life Extension Biotechnology, Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Futures – Life Extension and Improvement?! -- New Materials, New Machines….and Improvement?! -- New Materials, New Machines….The Future of Computing and Internet 3.0 and BeyondThe Future of Computing and Internet 3.0 and BeyondNo Slavery, No War – A How To Guide (include nuclear, bio and chem. No Slavery, No War – A How To Guide (include nuclear, bio and chem. proliferation)proliferation)

How Can I Get Involved?How Can I Get Involved?

Fill out Application on websiteFill out Application on website

At least 2 teachers in a schoolAt least 2 teachers in a school

Grades 4-7Grades 4-7

Technical RequirementsTechnical Requirements PC-Based PC-Based Microsoft Windows XPMicrosoft Windows XP Internet Explorer/Web AccessInternet Explorer/Web Access Technical facilitator to amend firewallTechnical facilitator to amend firewall

Future of EducationFuture of Education

Media landscape is expandingMedia landscape is expanding

Blogs, My Space, You Tube, FacebookBlogs, My Space, You Tube, Facebook 3D interfaces, online gaming, simulations3D interfaces, online gaming, simulations Wikipedia, online research opportunitiesWikipedia, online research opportunities Ability to collaborate internationally for work and Ability to collaborate internationally for work and

schoolschool

Schools must take the lead to educate Schools must take the lead to educate children in new media literacies in this children in new media literacies in this rapidly changing educational paradigmrapidly changing educational paradigm

Thanks to our friends atThanks to our friends at

Food LionFood Lion

North Carolina DPI

www.QuestAtlantis.org