E-Learning Workbook
Introduction
Our main aim is to create an application that gives an introduction to the subject of keystage 3 science (therefore targeted at children currently in keystage 2) in the relaxed and fun environment of a simple narrative. Its role is to pose as a fun familiarisation activity between the keystages 2 and 3 both at home and within school.
Our original design proposal (pdf)
The game sees you as a boy sent down to the science lab to see the resident professor and to learn more about science. When he exits briefly you venture to find a caged yeti, and when it escapes you have to get out of the lab. The problem is that all the doors are locked and the only way out is to complete science-based tasks, in the form of small games, to unlock each door to the next room and eventually escape from the science lab.
The Design Outline
Effectively we need to create a storyline which provides an environment for science related tasks, while creating individual tasks and a scoring system. While other situations and concepts were discussed, it naturally fell to the exploration of a laboratory to base our narrative around. We also considered creating a more social game design, by having a laboratory that could be interactively explored by a number of other players across a network, however in the end it was decided that for home and small classroom use this would be a bit demanding. Instead we have designed the application for individuals or small groups.
The chemistry games
So we’ve decided in nine different games to be included into the final project. Three focusing on each subject of Physics, Biology, and Chemistry. I’m focusing on chemistry and have been doing some research into what could constitute three challenging yet fun games. Drag and drop games have strong potential especially when looking at subjects like the rock cycle, and hazard prevention in chemistry labs.
Another interesting use of flash I came across was the atoms and elements matching game. Where the user had to match the atom to the element by clicking on a simple interface:
http://www.quia.com/mc/42542.html
Another website called creative chemistry uses a number of different types of flash game to create enjoyable games for children. Word searches, tetris, crossword, and mission impossible type games have all been used to make chemistry based games.
I’ve thought about using the drag and drop system to allow the user to play a game where they would have to re-arrange a number of tags into the right areas of a rock cycle diagram correctly in order to complete the task. Another example would be to show the user a number of potentially hazardous situations and have them assign the correct hazard symbol to the picture or video.
http://education.jlab.org/indexpages/elementgames.php
http://www.creative-chemistry.org.uk/funstuff/index.htm
As one final idea I aim to include a game based on the periodic table. That may get the user to sort it into the correct order, or state the correct name of a number of elements within the table.
Drag and Drop gameplay
Macromedia Flash Content
A simple drag-and-drop example demonstrating our intended use of snapping objects in the interface to take into account hand-eye coordination.
Character Design
Firstly, sketch designs for the professor and the player. Using stereotypical character types we feel is an advantage here, because it takes little effort to become involved with the scenario and therefore concentrate on the learning aspects of the game.
A more finished professor design.
Yeti charcater designs
Facial expression designs for the final screaming animation. Assets such as this can be used frequently in the overall game in various situations.
Some environment design
The door towards the caged yeti in the game's introduction.
Loading screen design
Some stop-frame style loading images Rob created in actual real paper. This was used as a design process for the general interface and interactivity of our application.
Learning Structure
Our story board in its phases.
Research into existing science game formats. Firstly, the BBC website provides a lot of useful information about current science topics in keystage 3, and how and which subjects are learnt at that stage. We have broken the tasks into the three major subjects, physics, chemistry and biology and then selected a few of the smaller topics within them as a basis.
Learning Theory (social cognitive theory)
This theory is based on the idea that a person can learn from the experience of others through observation and then copy that action to solidify the learned action. For example, being able to learn to accomplish a task by seeing a person fail and finally succeed the task.
The game play around the yeti and the survival instinct adds to motive and the will to escape! This adds to the motivation of the user, although doesn’t follow any researched pedagogy, it will support the social learning theory of the tutorials.
Storyboard
