1. The Geology Explorer
Brian M. Slator1, Donald P. Schwert2, and Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat2
1Computer Science, 2Geosciences
North Dakota State University

2. Educational Role-playing Games “Learning-by-doing” Experiences
Multi-User
Exploratory
Spatially-oriented virtual worlds
Practical planning and decision making

3. Educational Role-playing Games “Learning-by-doing” Experiences
Authentic problem solving
“Hands on” scientific method
Real-world content
Promoting mature thinking

4. Advantages of Virtual Worlds
Collapse virtual time and distance
Allow physical or practical impossibilities
Participate from anywhere
Interact with other users, virtual artifacts, and software agents
Multi-user collaborations and competitive play

5. Technical Approaches
Networked, internet-based, client-server environment
Multi-Player (MUD, MOO)
Simulation-based
Implemented in Java applets

6. The Virtual World of Planet Oit
Planet Oit: Recently discovered
Authentic geologic context
Similar to Earth, same orbit
Opposite the Sun

7. Student undertakes same
decision-making processes as a
“real” geologist
Can be implemented for all levels,
including Grade 7 through college
First version: basic planetary
exploration for minerals and rocks

8. The Planet Oit Game You are a geologist Explore this new planet!
Encounter authentic geology Assess geologic resources & processes
This motivates student to learn geologic content

9. Planet Oit 50 Places 90 Different Rocks and Minerals
15 Field Instruments
25 Laboratory Instruments
Software Tutors

10. Text-Based Interface

11. Text-Based Interface

12. Resources: User Card

13. Resources: Equipment Item Price | Item Price
Acid Bottle (#597) $ | Lantern (#973) $
Altimeter (#675) $ | Light Meter (#556) $
Anemometer (#568) $ | Magnet (#580) $
Barometer (#410) $ | Microscope (#612) $
Black Light (#625) $ | Rock Pick/Hammer (#370) $
Compass (#561) $ | Sextant (#554) $
Flowmeter (#598) $ | Sonar (#593) $
Geiger Counter (#751) $ | Spirit Level (#335) $
Glass Plate (#583) $ | Streak Plate (#542) $
Goniometer (#613) $ | Tape Measure (#626) $
Gravimeter (#708) $ | Thermometer (#223) $
Hand Lens (#2178) $ | Transit (#364) $
Jack Hammer (#368) $ | Water Level Gage (#615) $

14. Resources: The Museum The Mineral Collection
The Mineral Room houses the Mineral Collection. A sign on the wall says "Feel
free to look around, but please do not remove the samples".
Obvious exits are: West
You see Diaspore (#333), Hornblende (#363), Chromite (#381), Gibbsite (#457),
Native Silver (#251), Biotite Mica (#246), Sphalerite (#560), Chalcopyrite
(#563), Boehmite (#565), Garnet (#355), Anhydrite (#582), Ilmenite (#584),
Nepheline (#596), Muscovite Mica (#611), Magnetite (#627), Wollastonite
(#635), Dolomite (#640), Pyroxene (#650), Native Copper (#673), Serpentine
(#226), Potassic Feldspar (#324), Talc (#325), Plagioclase Feldspar (#360),
Fluorite (#509), Clay (#262), Galena (#138), Pyrite (#336), Tourmaline
(#530), Graphite (#571), Halite (#373), Gypsum (#552), Calcite (#463),
Hematite (#608), Olivine (#617), Native Gold (#657), Quartz (#674), Rhodonite
(#653), Diamond (#812), Purple Quartz (#1864), White Gypsum (#1865), Ice
(#2055), Chlorite (#2056), Corundum (#3044), Topaz (#3043), Orthoclase
Feldspar (#3042), Apatite (#3041), and Native Sulfur (#1159) here.

15. Resources: Help help fluorite Fluorite (mineral)
Fluorite is a common and widely distributed mineral
often found in hydrothermal veins or in association
with lead and silver ores. form: usually cubic or
octahedral color: blue or purple
texture: smooth
streak: white
luster: vitreous
transparency: transparent to translucent
hardness: 4.0
Acid reaction: not reactive

16. Resources: Tutor
east
A clap of thunder splits the air, and a tutor appears
in your midst.
TUTOR: You just left White and Black Dike
containing your goal: Potassic Feldspar
The TUTOR bends at the waist and disappears
in a puff of smoke.
You can't streak without a streak plate.
streak #1992 with glass plate

17. 1. Student is Assigned a Goal
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
1. Student is Assigned a Goal
You have a general goal: to 'report' all the rocks and
minerals you find.
You also have a specific goal: to 'report' the identity of
Fluorite
Fluorite is a purple vitreous smooth-faced mineral.
Fluorite is used to make flux.
To see this message again, type or 'showgoal'

18. Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
2. Student Navigates
You are standing by a large cave entrance cut into a sheer
rock face.
* To the South is a Deep Valley
* To the Southwest are the Young Mountains
* To the West is a Steep Ledge
* To the Northwest is a Steep Cliff
* 'Enter' will get you into the Cave.
Obvious exits are: enter South Southwest West Northwest
You see light grey compact fine-grained outcrop (#1945),
purple vitreous smooth-faced vein (#1989), and
yellowish brown resinous vein (#1998) here.

19. 3. Student Performs Experiments
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
3. Student Performs Experiments
hit #1989 with rock pick
Swoosh...the Rock Pick/Hammer (#2062) arcs towards
the purple vitreous smooth-faced vein (#1989)
A purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) appears
in your inventory
pour acid on #5969
You hear the sound of pouring and ....
Nothing happens

20. 4. Student Continues Experiments
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
4. Student Continues Experiments
taste #5969
You put your tongue onto purple vitreous smooth-faced
sample (#5969) and detect no taste
touch #5969 with magnet
As the magnet approaches the purple vitreous
smooth-faced sample (#5969)...
Nothing happens.

21. 5. Student Continues Experiments
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
5. Student Continues Experiments
scratch glass with #5969
You scratch Glass Plate (#2064) with purple
vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969)
...Glass Plate (#2064) scratches purple vitreous
smooth-faced sample (#5969)

22. 6. Student Achieves Goal report #5969 as fluorite
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
6. Student Achieves Goal
report #5969 as fluorite
Checking: purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) against fluorite.
You are right! purple vitreous smooth-faced sample (#5969) IS fluorite.
You have satisfied your primary goal! You score 100 points.

23. 7. Student is Assigned New Goal
Doing Science: A Transcript of the Text-based Interface
7. Student is Assigned New Goal
Assigning new goal for session: 11/30/99 at 1:13 p.m.
As a player in the Geology Explorer
You have accomplished your third goal and are
playing at the advanced level.
You have a general goal: to 'report' all the rocks and
minerals you find.
You also have a specific goal: to 'report' the identity of
Potassic Feldspar
Potassic Feldspar is a mineral.

24. (from text to graphics)
Maps of Planet Oit
(from text to graphics)

25. The Geology Explorer (Graphical Prototype)

26. Virtual Field Instruments

27. The Geology Explorer (Navigating on Planet Oit)

28. Intelligent Tutoring Geology Explorer:
The simulation can track actions
The simulation can generate warnings and explanations
Tutor “visits” are triggered by user action

29. Tutors are Needed In Virtual Environments:
Students can join from any remote location
They can log in at any time of day or night
Human tutors cannot be available at all times to help
Students can make mistakes and not know why

30. Tutors are Needed In Virtual Environments:
Student interacts with the intelligent tutoring agent
Students can ignore advice and carry on at their own risk

31. Software Tutoring Agents

32. Software Tutoring Agents
Deductive Tutoring: Provides assistance with deductive reasoning needed to solve a scientific problem
Case-based Tutoring: Presents examples of relevant experience (case studies)
Rule-based Tutoring: Provides assistance when student actions break encoded rules for the domain

33. Authentic Assessment Assessment in authentic contexts
Recall of strategies and concepts
Not “multiple choice” recognition
Content specific: Geology
Problem solving, hypothesis formation, deductive reasoning

34. Authentic tasks require
authentic assessment
To understand science is to:
understand the activities of scientists
understand the tools of scientists

35. Scenarios Student presents subjective response to a scenario
Scenario is a story, in which
a geologic problem is presented
Student is encouraged to present
a solution

36. Example of a Scenario
You are in northern Manitoba on a fishing trip. Fishing has been good. At dawn on the day of your departure, you cut across country to a remote bay and have more good luck: you catch your limit of walleye.
On the way back to the lodge, you stumble across a heavy, moss-covered rock on the shoreline, flipping it over. Looking down, you see the underside of the rock shining with a brilliant metallic yellow. You pick up the rock and lug it back to the lodge.
At the airport luggage check-in, the baggage agent notes that you are 20 kg overweight exactly the weight of the rock that you found. He says, “It’s okay to ship rocks back to the States, eh, but at $15 per kilogram, you’re going to owe $300!”
As a geologist, what do you do? Please respond to the following:

37. Scenario Questions
List the questions that you would ask yourself, and give reasons behind asking those particular questions:
List the factors that you would consider in making your final decision:

38. Procedures for Assessment by Scenario
Assess computer literacy
Pre-Test: Present scenario, students propose course of action or solution
Engage students in learning experience
(Control and experimental groups)
Post-Test: Present similar scenario, student response
Analyze assessment data

39. Assessment Protocol, Fall, 1998
The Geology Explorer:
Assessment Protocol, Fall, 1998
Pre-course Assessment:
400+ students
Computer Literacy Assessment:
(244 volunteers)
Divide by Computer Literacy
and Geology Lab Experience
Non-Participant Control
Group:
(150 students, approx.)
Geology Explorer
Treatment Group:
(122 students)
Geomagnetic
(Alternative) Group:
(122 students)
Completed
(78 students)
Non-completed
(44 students)
Completed
(95 students)
Non-completed
(27 students)
Post-course Assessment:
368 students

40. Scenario Evaluation Scenarios evaluated by a trained individual
Scenario judging is then replicated
for reliability using a second, trained
Additional validation can be
accomplished within standard testing

41. Fall, 1998, Test Results: Results of a Duncan test showed
that the Geology Explorer group
was significantly different
with the nature of the signifi-
cance being a higher average
score for the Geology Explorer
group.

42. 95% Confidence Intervals for Mean Scores on Post Experience Scenario Assessments
Group No. Mean score 95% CI
Alternate
Control
Planet Oit
Alternate Exercise Group
Control Group
Planet Oit Group 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
mean score

43. To “Visit” Planet Oit:
oit.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu