Sick at South Shore Beach Using AR gaming to support
domain-specific language development
Jim MathewsUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison
South Shore Beach, Milwaukee
Outdoor AR: The world is your game board
What we DON’T mean by AR
TerminatorHelmets + Goggles
3-D Simulation
GPS-Based Role-Based
Watershed Ecologist
Public Health Doctor
Map-Based
M.I.T. Outdoor AR Engine
Location Awareness
The games are playedin the physical environment.
The GPS tracks yourlocation as you explorethe “game space.”
Content Delivery
As students play the games they use the PDA to…
Explore the physical
environment
Meet and interview virtual characters
View photos and video clips
Gather andread documents
Interact and collaborate with
other players
Collect Samples
Player’s roleSouth Shore Beach
Virtual Time
Playground
Content Review
Player’s Location
VirtualCharacters
WaterSamples
Water Chemist
Game Structure / Designed Experience
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Sick at South Shore Beach: A Place-Based AR Curriculum
Sick at South Shore Beach: Overview
Environmental / Health Investigation
10-15 day “base curriculum”
Role-playing unit/scenario centered around an AR game
Students engage in pre-, post-, and in-game challenges/tasks
Integrates reading comprehension, math literacy, scientific argumentation
Phase Activities Sample:
1. Pre-”game” Confront challengeEnter rolesBackground reading
Kids got sick at beachChemist, ecologist, doctorStudy diseases
2. “Game” “Situate” experienceIntroduce complexitiesGather field data
Investigate siteLearn new factors“Simulate” event
3. Work time Process informationUse reading strategies
Re-read documentsReceive new data
4. Presentations “Test your mettle” Develop concept maps, build evidence-based arguments
5. Debrief Encourage transfer Discussion
Gaming Curriculum (2-4 weeks)
The Backstory / Narrative Structure
You were just hired by a public health consulting firm called EnvironSci
You are part of an investigation team that includesa water chemist,
a public health doctor, anda wildlife ecologist
You were just assigned to your first case . . .
The Game Challenge
4 kids attended a picnic at South Shore Beach
2 days later the same 4 kids were rushed to the hospital with severe stomach problems
What happened?
Was it the undercooked chicken?
Water from the local well?
The snot-nosed little brother?
Water from the lake?
The geese who raided the bread?
Or something else. . .
2. Teacher Workshops
3. Fall Implementations
Data Analysis
1. Spring Implementations
Re-Design Sessions
4. Teacher WorkshopsRe-Design
Sessions
Data Analysis
ITERATIVE DESIGN CYCLE
TEACHERS AS CO-DESIGNERS
Name: Position Applying For:
Street Address: City, State:
DOB: Phone Number:
SSN #: Are you eligible to apply for a job in the United States? Yes No
Education: Name Years Attended/Subjects Studied/Accomplishments
Elementary:
Middle School:
High School:
Special Skills/Qualifications:
References: Name, Relationship, Years Known, Phone Number1.)_____________________________________________________________________2.)_____________________________________________________________________3.)_____________________________________________________________________
I certify that the information contained in this application is true and complete. I understand that false information may be grounds for not hiring me or for immediate termination at any point in the future should I be hired. I authorize the verification of any or all the information listed above.Signature___________________________________ Date____________
Induction into Roles
Mrs. Becker:Some of my students are convinced this is a real case we are trying to solve! . On the first day, I had one of our security guards come in the room with a "package" from EnvironSci, marked as if it had come through the mail with the word "urgent" on the sides. . . . Their lab coats, nametags, confidential files, and a letter from EnvironSci were inside. It was a fun way to introduce the project and really got them interested right off the
bat!
...Public Health DoctorInterview people Diagnose symptoms
…Water chemistInterview people Collect water samples
…Wildlife EcologistInterview peopleCollect wildlife data + samples
Each player will perceive the case in a particular perspective and can do something others can’t…
Role Differentiation / Jigsawing
Embedded Direct Instruction
Field Experience - Situated Reading Practices
Situated / Real-World Text
Observations + Shared Experience
Multi-Modal Representations + Literacies
Multi-Modal Representations + Literacies
29
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?
30
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind.
31
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food.
32
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!
33
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.
34
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).
35
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.
36
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
37
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.
38
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
39
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?
40
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?T: Yes – they are all in there.
41
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?T: Yes – they are all in there.Girl 1: (They all turn to chart). Listen, it can’t be this one (pointing to Giardiasis and crossing it off) because it says here that it appears 1-2 weeks after.
42
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?T: Yes – they are all in there.Girl 1: (They all turn to chart). Listen, it can’t be this one (pointing to Giardiasis and crossing it off) because it says here that it appears 1-2 weeks after. Girl 3: Yes, it can’t be cryptotosis (as pronounced).
43
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?T: Yes – they are all in there.Girl 1: (They all turn to chart). Listen, it can’t be this one (pointing to Giardiasis and crossing it off) because it says here that it appears 1-2 weeks after. Girl 3: Yes, it can’t be cryptotosis (as pronounced). Girl 1: Yeah it can.
44
Girl 1: It says right here contaminated water. What does that mean?Girl 2: I think it’s crypto. And I’m not changing my mind. Girl 3: It’s the food. Girl 2: Burned!Girl 1: (whispering) The teacher is right there.Girl 2: You always catch me in those moments (laughing).T : You mean yelling “Burned!” to solve your argument? I’m trying to find you making your case.Girl 1: Wait, you guys. (Pointing to their compilation of symptoms). It’s not Giardiasis (mispronounces).
Girl 3: It’s not hepatitis A either.Girl 1: (consulting chart) It says here that it appears one to two weeks after.
Girl 2: (To teacher) Can we look at our interviews again?T: Yes – they are all in there.Girl 1: (They all turn to chart). Listen, it can’t be this one (pointing to Giardiasis and crossing it off) because it says here that it appears 1-2 weeks after. Girl 3: Yes, it can’t be cryptotosis (as pronounced). Girl 1: Yeah it can.Girl 3: I think that it’s salmonella.
We conclude that these four children has cryptosporidiosis.
Cryptosporidiosis is a diahrrehal disease caused by microscopic parasites of the genus cryptosporidium…
…The next reason why we think they have this illness is because they drank the well water which probably contained chemicals that causes sickness or it maybe contaminated with chemicals that causes diseases…
…Are concluding statement is that all four of these children have cryptosporidiosis.
“Test Your Mettle”
Learning: Systems Analysis
Finding:Many students struggled to interpret data
Students who produced concept maps combining quantitative and qualitative data developed more comprehensive depictions of the situation.
Design Change:Embedded more inscriptions in the narrative structure of the game (e.g., “a boss” requires check-ins)
Developed scaffolding for “evidence management” and interpretation
Challenges / Questions:Does this give too much guidance? Is the inquiry too close-ended? How can we use this opportunity to reflect on cognitive tools?
How do you develop controlled experiments in this context?
Learning: Specialist Language
Findings:Students were motivated to use and develop specialist language
Field experience helped students’ understanding (especially ELL)
Teachers used a plethora of reading strategies to support learning
Design Changes:Moved the field experience “up” in the curriculum to more deeply situate reading activities and provide experiential reference.
Increased role differentiation to enrich discussion and relevance of role-specific language.
Developed additional modes of representations for data and concepts.
Challenge / Question:How do you help teachers develop the expertise to run the games?
Learning: Evidence-based Arguments
Findings:Multiple errors in students’ arguments, but some development of language associated with argumentation (e.g., causal vs. non-causal)
“Campylobacter jejuni. All of the kids had the symptoms of this illness... chicken, the milk, the lake (as a result of a sewage spill), and the goose poop. Similar illnesses could be avoided if people drank bottled water instead of well water, cooked their food properly, did not leave milk out for too long, and didn’t PLAY IN THE WATER AFTER IT JUST HAD A SEWAGE SPILL.”
Design Changes:Integrating “budget” mechanics to limit the number of options that students have.
Provided additional scaffolding to highlight casual vs. non-causal evidence
Challenges:Developing robust assessments within this context.
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We design AR games We run design workshops
Games + Learning + SocietyUniversity of Wisconsin Madison
gameslearningsociety.org
Questions? Feedback?
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