DIGITALDESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF A CHEMISTRY VIDEO-GAME FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ SELF-EVALUATION. THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SCIENTIFIC DEGREES PLAN (PLS) - CHEMISTRY
1 University of Bologna (ITALY)
2 University of Parma (ITALY)
3 IV Productions / Italian Games Factory (ITALY)
2 University of Parma (ITALY)
3 IV Productions / Italian Games Factory (ITALY)
About this paper:
Appears in: ICERI2019 Proceedings
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 10892-10899
ISBN: 978-84-09-14755-7
ISSN: 2340-1095
doi: 10.21125/iceri.2019.2672
Publication year: 2019
Pages: 10892-10899
ISBN: 978-84-09-14755-7
ISSN: 2340-1095
doi: 10.21125/iceri.2019.2672
Conference name: 12th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation
Dates: 11-13 November, 2019
Location: Seville, Spain
Dates: 11-13 November, 2019
Location: Seville, Spain
Abstract:
«MasterLab - Challenge the Science» is a serious video-game designed to help high school students to self-evaluate the adequacy of their educational background in view of a University degree program in Chemistry. The project is developed by a joint working group at the Universities of Bologna and Parma together with a professional videogame producer, in the framework and with the funding of the Italian Scientific Degrees Plan (PLS) – Chemistry.«MasterLab - Challenge the Science» is conceived as a Role Playing Game where the student/player moves throughout different rooms, each containing a different puzzle to solve. The puzzles consist in basic chemistry, mathematics and physics problems at a high school difficulty level and require virtual laboratory operations, measurements and calculations. The puzzles are built up and "gamified" in a modular manner, so they can be quickly written by the experts involved in the project.
The game map develops randomly in order to offer to players different kind of problems in each game session. The project is easily expandable, by adding new puzzles, rooms, graphic elements, etc. and could be also extended to other scientific areas.
When the player decides to end the game session, she/he will get a score (i.e. a piece of the “seal of science”) depending on the type of skill she/he has demonstrated.
Game data will be recorded (according to privacy), in order to obtain accurate and detailed statistics regarding the knowledge of the individual topics useful also for high school teachers.
«MasterLab - Challenge the Science» will be free, playable both on mobile devices (smartphone or tablet) and PC/MAC and easily accessible without the need of installation.
A collaboration with a Science of Education Department was activated to provide the video-game with validity in term of pedagogical content and approach, to evaluate the effectiveness of the project in term of self-evaluation and to prevent discouraging effects on low score students.
A preliminary beta-1 version of the video-game will be presented on the next November to the network of National Scientific Degrees Plan (PLS) – Chemistry. The official release will be delivered and tested in schools starting from spring 2020.