The New York Hall of Science, in collaboration with the Tufts Center for Engineering Education, the Learning Games Network, and New York City departments of education and of parks and recreation, is creating and testing two innovative science games to support student learning about frictional force and linear motion. SciGames integrates rigorous, highly motivating, data collection activities conducted in museum and playground settings, with in-depth data analysis and additional scientific investigation in the classroom. The primary goals of the SciGames project are to increase student motivation and interest in science and improve student learning about core physical science concepts. This exploratory project targets underrepresented urban students and their teachers from 20 schools in New York City (NYC) and through its partnership with NYC department of parks and recreation has great potential for scale-up throughout NYC, as well as dissemination to other urban communities.
The SciGames model creates experiences for students that build on the positive, fun, free-choice learning characteristics of informal settings; promotes learning through repeated game-like experimentation and play; and supports students' sustained interest and learning in science classrooms where core concepts are formalized. The project is based on four design principles: (1) SciGames turns students' informal experiences into a game, (2) SciGames makes science content an integral part of game play, (3) SciGames generates data for further analysis during game play, and (4) SciGames, through the use of digital apps, supports students inquiring into data back in their classrooms. Researchers are developing the games using rigorous, well constructed, iterative cycles of design, development, testing, evaluation, and revision with different groups of NYC students and teachers. Pre and post data on students' science learning and affect are being used to inform the design cycles.
Over a two-year period, SciGames will produce two science games and associated digital apps, and a portable kit that supports game implementation, data collection and analysis. SciGames is an important experiment, combining the informal, engaging aspects of play with more formal science investigation to encourage and sustain the interest, participation, and learning of underrepresented students in STEM. This project has the potential to transform how we think of and structure science learning for middle school students.
With SciGames, the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) researched, developed and tested a new, technology-enhanced approach to bridging informal and formal STEM learning environments and improving students' science affect and learning. The SciGames model uses a range of technologies to help students use their own playground play to learn key physics concepts, such as energy, motion, and force. Very basically, the model incorporates a small-scale mobile application that runs on iOS tablet devices to record video and log physical play. It then enables students to study the data that is collected by replaying, annotating and exploring their videos more deeply. The app allows students to carry their playful experience back to the classroom and helps formalize the learning of science concepts that were introduced during play. Each of the three SciGames enables students and teachers to (1) playback activities; (2) annotate and change parameters that overlay the video to better visualize motion, energy, and force; and (3) investigate graphing tools for measuring distance, speed, and other data. Upon completion of this project (the remainder of which is being funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education), any teacher will be able to gain access to the SciGames by downloading and installing the app and accompanying curricular materials. Testing and prototyping led project staff to conclude that the SciGames approach can lead to gains in affect, motivation, engagement, and science content knowledge. It has demonstrated that (1) children’s playful behaviors can present rich opportunities through which science concepts can be noticed, explored, and investigated, and (2) the project’s intent to build a set of translational tools and strategies that invite students to build a bridge between the kinesthetic experiences of playground play to a deeper understanding of essential scientific concepts is a sound one.
