Master’s Project Idea

Catherine Harrell

Learning, Design and Technology

March 4, 2010

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Science requires system understanding: how

do parts fit together to make a whole?

Textbooks aren’t well suited for communicating

how a system works. Many students are

memorizing instead of visualizing.

Secondary problem: Girls are poorly

represented in the sciences.

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

High school girls enrolled in a biology course

Needs:

Better ways to learn about systems

Resources for studying / homework

Incentive to learn science in the first place

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Machines of Perception

Interactive 3D Science Puzzle

Students learn about sensory physiology by building

perceptual systems from scratch. The game guides

them through constructing a retina, an eardrum, and

other complex systems out of simple parts.

Available online, can be used at home or in

the classroom. Easy interface, offers lots of

resources and information.

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

User tests: Is the interface easy to use?

Qualitative surveys: Is it fun? Is it improving

science understanding? How well can the student

explain the systems to someone else?

Quantitative assessments: Changes in grades?

Test scores? Pre-test and post-test for knowledge?

Follow-up studies: Do students remember the

information after they’ve played? Can they apply

system understanding to other areas of science?

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1

3

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4

5

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4 6

5

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4 6

57

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4 6

57

8

How can we assess system understanding?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too hard?

How do we make sure the

game isn’t too easy?

Which systems should be

learned first?

What would motivate students to

play this game?

Can we quantitatively

measure how helpful the

game has been?

How can we make it fun?

How do we know if these skills are translating to other areas?

How do we encourage students to seek out more information?

1 2

3

4 6

57

9

8

Learning Problem

Target Audience

Description of the product

Assessment plans

Challenges