Micro-worlds Using Adventure Programs

197

Leon SHUKER Co-ordinator of Educational Computing Advisory Team (Primary), Inner London Education Authority, London, UK

The paper considers one strategy for in-service training, consisting of the establishment of a centrally organised project involving class teachers in the use of appropriate software - in this case adventure software.

Keywords: Computer-aided Learning, In-service Training, Pro- jects, Topics, Adventures, Micro-worlds, Open- ended, Cross-curricular.

Leon Shuker is the coordinator of a team of eight advisory teachers sup- porting the use of computers in London Primary Schools. Previously he was the Headteacher of a London Primary school, into which he intro- duced the use of computers in 1980.

North-Holland Education & Computing 3 (1987) 197-200

Background

The Inner London Education Authority has a high priority commitment to providing micro- computers in their 750 + primary schools, and providing in-service support [1], some of which is by the dissemination of a variety of classroom experiences relayed through a team of primary advisory teachers and the termly newsletter-- Computers in Primary Schools [2]. Initially the primary schools were provided with Research Machines 8 bit machines in 1983 and currently are receiving Research Machines 16 bit MS-DOS machines. Many schools now have 3 or more computers.

From time to time 'projects' are initiated by the advisory team in which participating schools are asked to record their experiences for relaying to others [3,4]. One such project was 'WASP'.

WASP--Micro-worlds using Adventures & Simula- tion programs

The WASP Project, organised during the Spring and Summer terms 1987, consisted of a small number of class teachers committed to using the microcomputer as a focal point for the creation of an imaginary environment rich enough for a variety of curriculum activities.

All the programs used were adventure or simu- lation programs available at the time only on the 8-bit machines. (Adventure games on the 16-bit machine are being developed and will no doubt take advantage of the extra power and versatility.)

Adventure programs can be of two types. 'Closed' adventures consist of a pre-determined set of challenges which may or may not require solution before the player is able to continue. Plans of the layout of the areas, and routes to these areas may be provided or alternatively need to be produced by the user to ensure adequate tackling of the challenges in order to reach a solution.

The 'open-ended' adventure programs often consist only of a planmaking program which al- lows the user to input challenges and their solu- tions leading to an end solution of the adventure.

0067-9287/87/$3.50 © 1987, IFIP

198 L. Shuker / Micro-worlds Using Adventure Programs

Several 'closed' adventure programs have asso- ciated 'open-ended' planmaking programs simi- larly styled. These are further described later. The 'closed' programs were used by the children to familiarise themselves, and nearly all of the teachers adopted the open-ended ones for their topic activities.

The examples referred to in this paper are from one school in the project where one teacher co- ordinated the class work of several colleagues into a whole-school topic-based theme.

In-service Training of Teachers

The attitudes of the class teachers initially ranged from open hostility to extreme enthusiasm in using the micro. The teachers were given in- service training to familiarise themselves with the available programs, and then chose their topic according to the program with which they were familiar. This traning was an integral part of the school's on-going in-service activities involving all the curriculum. The first meeting was introduced by myself, as co-ordinating advisor and then con- tinued by one of the class teachers, Ellis De- lmonte, who was the link teacher for the Project (linking with the central planning team). The ses- sion continued with a practical 'hands-on' period with the teachers using one of the 'open-ended' adventure games (HAZARD) and a closed adven- ture file designed by children. (The outline plan of that adventure is described by the children later.)

Three of the more experienced teachers became leaders of small groups of the teachers and pro- vided on-going assistance during the period of the project. The advantage of teachers receiving com- puter aided learning training within school (with limited advisory teacher help) ensured that subse- quent help during the progress of the project continued to be available. The teachers were thus able to learn how to use the programs before introducing them to their children and receive advice during their use.

The Programs Used and Their Educational Activi- ties

ADVENTURE A logical deduction, text only, simulation.

This is essentially a program for adults and proved not to be very suitable.

ADVENTURES IN TH E PRIMARY CLAS- SROOM Open-ended, logical deduction programs with some graphics.

This is a set of closed and open-ended pro- grams. There are two levels of difficulty with the closed programs--The Lost Frog and Merlin's Castle. The open-ended program is called Make (and Edit and Play) an Adventure. This allows the creation of a map of up to 16 rooms. Rooms must be joined to each other by at least one common edge and need to be described. Treasures (or things to look for) must then be listed for (ran- dom) hiding in the Adventure. A hazard (which will also be randomly hidden) must be described, together with must be done to save the player from the hazard. The aim of the game is to find all the hidden objects and bring them back to the starting place, thus scoring points. The hazard will appear from time to time, and must be made to disappear using whichever object nullifies the hazard. Unexpected exits will be randomly incor- porated by the program and these lead to danger.

EXPLORE Logical deduction, text only.

This is a closed adventure program which requires the user to find the way around a 3-di- mensional set of caves and rooms with monsters, treasure and spells. The object is to collect the treasure (doubloons). Several attempts, especially if a map of the caverns is constructed, can help ensure a more efficient and logical route through the area.

L Mathematical problem-solving environment.

'L ' is a 'closed' adventure game involving many different mathematical activities. Most of the problems require a solution before passing on the next area of the adventure. Mapping and practice at solving mathematical problems (e.g. number series recognition) are vital to solving the adven- ture.

VIEWDATA Open-ended teletext.

This is a typical teletex program which provides a denary branching page system. It is therefore possible to write a complex branching adventure

L. Shuker / Micro-worlds Using Adventure Programs 199

story providing a choice of routing pages for the player to explore.

H A Z A R D / R E S C U E Open-ended, logical deduction with some graph- ics.

This is similar but more difficult than Make and Adventure, allowing for the creation of a more complex set of rooms and a larger variety of problems and their solutions. The aim of the adventure is to rescue a person or object hidden in the area whilst nullifying the problems with the associated solutions. Up to three users at a time can cooperate in the exploration, exchanging equipment and information as necessary. Below is the print-out produced by the H A Z A R D / RESCUE creation program for an adventure de- signed by three children.

An Example Adventure

A 'HAZARD' adventure- -Frog Prince. By Oliur, Nasima, Arfath and Enam.

Our RESCUE adventure takes place in Giant Land. Inside Giant Land are 19 places. The places are joined together by paths.

When you play our RESCUE adventure you are in Giant Land. You start in the Village. To finish your task you must find the Lost Princess and the Frog Prince and recover the Dragon's treasure and then make your way to the Good Giant's Home.

On your RESCUE adventure you can choose equipment from this list:

- Magin Wand, - giant remover, - spider spray, - anti web fluid, - ogre stun gun, - TNT, - book of spells, - ring, - frog dissolvant, - spell breaker, - invisible cloak. To recover the Lost Princess you must be carry-

ing the Spider spray or Anti web fluid. To recover the Frog Prince you must be carrying the book of Spells or Frog dissolvant or Spell breaker.

There are 6 problems. A hungry giant can be dealt with temporarily using the Giant remover or

invisible cloak or TNT. This problem will always be in the Giant Village. A vicious spider can be dealt witfi permanently using the Spider spray or Invisible cloak. This problem will always be on the Spider's Web. An angry ogre can be dealt with permanently using the book of Spells or Ogre stun gun or invisible cloak or TNT. This problem will always be in the Ogre's Lair. A jailer can be dealt with temporarily using the Magic wand or Ogre stun gun or Invisible cloak or TNT. This problem will always be in the Castle Dungeon. An enchant- ment can be dealt with permanently using the Spell breaker. This problem will always be in the Frog Prince's Prison. A Super grip web can be dealt with temporarily using the Spider spray or Anti web fluid. This problem will always be on the Spider's web.

There is one trap. If an invisible wall surrounds it you need the TNT.

There is a short cut from the Castle Dungeon to the Frog Prince's Prison. There is a hidden tunnel from the Forest to Dragon lair. It can be detected using the ring.

The Association Activities

Teachers with younger juniors (aged 7-9) used the 'closed' program 'The Lost Frog' with its open-ended program 'Make an Adventure'. The created adventures were called 'The Lost King', 'The Lost Golden Hen', and 'The Wheel Factory'. The 'lost' stories were similar to the above. 'The Wheel Factory' was part of a project about wheels and their uses, and the children designed a 'wheel factory' in which the adventure was placed.

Older children used the 'closed' program RE- SCUE, and its associated open-ended program 'HAZARD' to produce adventures called 'A Garden Adventure', 'The King of Magic Land' and 'Dragon Island'. Dragon Island, for example, incorporate a variety of ' treasure islands', one of which contained various hazards (e.g. volcanoes and quicksand), and, after making a 3-D model of it, the children entered some of the details into the adventure program. All the adventure files pro- duced were fantasy adventures.

Using the closed programs EXPLORE and L the oldest children (10-11 year olds) produced topics on 'Maps, Myths and Monsters' and 'Treasure Hunts'. This involved considerable cur- riculum work in making 3-D mathematical models

200 L. Shuker / Micro-worlds Using Adventure Programs

and, for example, designing 'master ' keys which would open several designs of locks.

Additionally, with the help of an advisory teacher from the Educational Computing Team and using LOGO the 7-8 year old children pro- duced a fantasy adventure called 'The Mysterious Door'.

Some Observations and Conclusions

Because the children had designed their own fantasy world to build into the open-ended pro- gram they were able to expand it in a variety of ways. Not only were the various areas and con- necting paths illustrated in pictures and models, but the outline story was expanded. Using their imaginations the children were able to embellish the adventures with illustrations and word-proces- sed or hand-written stories. This appeared to be made easier by their being encouraged to work collaboratively, a more common way of learning using the micro.

It was evident that using the open-ended pro- grams to create fantasy 'worlds' encouraged the children to practice some different skills than those required for topic work based on reality. Simula- tion programs purport to replicate aspects of the real world, but the simplification often required in order to make them usable by primary children often removes much of the reality but nevertheless can encourage children to develop such skills as fact-finding, observation, information handling, and recording. The adventure program involving the creation of fantasy worlds can often be used to complement simulations, involving considerable oral and written language work, and descriptive work, with a need for consistent accuracy within the 'rules' of the 'world'. Thus the adventure program acts not only as an initial stimulus but also as a delimiter of the 'world' helping to pro- vide an internally consistent logic. This helps to ensure that the children's fantastic developments have a reasonable consistency.

During the period of the topic work there were not enough computers for all classes to have one each permanently, though all classes had access to one fairly frequently. Because of the wide variety of activities generated by the programs a consider- able amount of learning took place which only required the micro periodically. The 'Wheel Fac- tory' adventure involved understanding cogs, bi- cycles, prams and skate-boards etc. and the

marketing of factory made equipment in the 'sales room'. This ancilliary work was part of a de- liberate teaching decision. This meant that there was no inhibiting effect on the children's learning resulting from lack of access to the limited num- ber of computers.

Much of the work was developed under the careful guidance of the teachers and this is es- sential for capitalising on the initial stimulation of the computer programs. To let the children use the adventure programs only as 'arcade-type' games. With activities only taking place in front of the monitor, would have severely limited their learn- ing content. The fact that the children's learning activities were freed from any time constraints, and the micros were reasonably readily available, allowed a variety of 'hands-on' and 'hands-off ' activities to be engaged in when appropriate.

Within the class situation the children were thus involved in several parallel activities. This is made more possible by flexible timetabling. The U K education system in the primary phase allows the class teacher to largely determine the pattern of the day. Long periods need not be broken up into subject sessions, and the teacher can exercise her judgement when an individual child, group of children or the whole class need to move on to a different knowledge, skill or concept learning ac- tivity.

Acknowledgements

My thanks to Ellis Delmonte and his colleagues at Harry Gosling Primary School, Hackney, London for their willingness to participate in the WASP project, and allowing me to use their expe- riences as a basis for this paper.

Two members of the Educational Computing Team (Ena Wackett and Alistair Webb) also con- tributed significantly to the success of the project.

References

[1] Weaber, B. (1988), A flexible inservice programme', Educa- tion & Computing 3, in this volume.

[2] Computers in Primary Schools Newsletters, 3 issues an- nually, Inner London Educational Computing Centre, John Ruskin St., London SE5 0PQ.

[3] Computers in Primary Schools Newsletter No. 6 (1986), Inner London Educational Computing Centre, John Ruskin St., London SE5 0PQ.

[4] Weaver, B. and Shuker, L. (1986), The TOPIC-cal Project, Computer Education 10 (1), pp. 73-79.