CSI Web Adventures Using Forensic Games to Inspire

CSI Web Adventures Using Forensic Games to Inspire Careers in Science Yvonne Klisch & Lynn Lauterbach Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

History of the Project + CSI: The Experience Museum Exhibit ? CSI: The Experience Web Component NSF grant CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Prior Outcomes: Learning & Satisfaction CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Expectation: enhance the exhibit Ø Audience: Reach Adolescents & Family Ø Vehicle for deepening Science Learning • Forensic Science Content (declarative knowledge) • Forensic Techniques (procedural knowledge) • Problem-solving (scenario-based learning) Ø Vehicle for Science Career Inspiration CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Challenges Ø COMMUNICATE: It’s not exactly like TV Example: forensic professionals are specialists NOT generalists TV show cast Real-life forensic scientists CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Challenges Ø AVOID teaching misconceptions Example: it takes more than a minute to do DNA analysis Ø SCAFFOLD the concepts Example: teach nuclear DNA before mitochondrial DNA Ø TARGET the right level of fidelity and authenticity Example: Is it really necessary for players to understand how DNA sequencing works? CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Challenges Ø BALANCE the cognitive load Example: game heuristics vs. science content • More traditional learners become frustrated • Game players become disinterested if it is too easy CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Development Process EXPERTS LEARNING OBJECTIVES DEVELOP REVIEW PRODUCE • Create Storyline • Produce PPT • Paper Prototyping • Experts • End-users • Graphics • Game Engine Test and Revise Launch Case CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Prototyping Research Boys & Girls Club and Schools CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

http: //forensics. rice. edu CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Case One: Rookie Training CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu Case One: Learner Control

Case One: Rookie Training Medical Examiner CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Knowledge Checks CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Cases Two and Three Case Two (Intermediate Level) Ø A dog handler is found dead at Las Vegas Dog showaccident or foul play? Case Three (Advanced Level) Ø A burned-out car is found in the desert – with a burned body inside. Who is it? Accident or murder? Content (examples) • DNA analysis • Indented writing • Tool mark comparison • Forensic odontology • Facial reconstruction • Hair comparison and analysis • Fingerprint analysis • Digital forensics CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Cases Two and Three: Exploratory GET TOOLS COLLECT EVIDENCE PROCESS EVIDENCE AND GET CLUES CSI Office Crime Scene CSI Lab Suspect #1 Suspect #2 Suspect #3 COLLECT MORE EVIDENCE AND QUESTION SUSPECTS CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Debriefing SOLVE THE CASE http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Tool Mark Comparison CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Solving the Mystery CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

Web Logs Ø over 1, 030, 000 web visits since launch Ø over 603, 000 unique visitors Ø average visits/day: over 1, 400 Ø average time spent on site: 5: 22 minutes Ø 45% direct traffic, 28% from referring sites, 27% from search engines Ø visitors from 157 countries worldwide CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Who Uses It? http: //webadventures. rice. edu Ø Weekend dips suggest school use CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu CSI in science classes Comments from Students ØThis was an amazing homework project. ØThis is a fun and addicting game my teacher got me in to it. ØI love this website! I’m so glad my biology teacher gave us this assignment! […] Thanks! CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu CSI in science classes Comments from Teachers Ø This has been a great tool to give students an interactive experience, which otherwise would be very expensive. […]. Very well done! Ø This is amazing! I am going to be teaching a 1 -week forensics/CSI unit next week with my students. […] I am going to use this site as a great support to my unit. Ø I would like to see more cases to solve. I have been using this for my classes during our genetics unit. CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Career Inspiration http: //webadventures. rice. edu Ø I thought I might like to be a forensic scientist – and today I got to “be” one. Ø This is a great experience for kids who want to go into the medical field When I grow up I want to be a pediatrician, but if I didn’t become that then I would most likely be a medical examiner! Ø I totally want to become a forensic scientist after this. Ø I am thirteen years old and always wanted to be involved with forensics. This activity gave me the opportunity. Thank you. CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

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Field Test Results Ø Middle school (n=385) and high school (n=350) students (total=735) Ø Classes were randomly assigned to ONE of the three cases Ø Questions: • Content & procedural knowledge (pre- and post-test) • Satisfaction • Usability • Career motivation • Role play CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Field Test Results http: //webadventures. rice. edu Ø Content knowledge increased between pre- and post-test Pre-test Means Post-test Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 t-test: 10. 70, Case 1; 7. 67, Case 2; 17. 03, Case 3; p < 01. N=207, Case 1; N=202, Case 2; N=326, Case 3. CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Field Test Results http: //webadventures. rice. edu Ø Usability is highest in Case 1, but Cases 2 and 3 provide the stronger role play experience Means Case 1 Case 2 Case 3 Satisfaction Usability Career Motivation Role play Satisfaction: F =. 014, p >. 05; Usability: F = 39. 22, p <. 01; Career Motivation: F = 1. 74, p >. 05; Role play: F = 10. 97, p <. 01 CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING Field Test Results http: //webadventures. rice. edu Ø Usability was the only predictor for post-test performance (controlling for pre-test performance) Ø Satisfaction and role-play experience were predictors for career inspiration CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu

The Web Adventure Story CENTER FOR TECHNOLOGY IN TEACHING AND LEARNING http: //webadventures. rice. edu