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Mining for Problem-solving Styles in a Virtual World

The Geology Explorer Project, developed by North Dakota State University, leverages virtual worlds to engage students in authentic geoscience experiences. By simulating exploration on the fictional Planet Oit, students learn to locate and analyze valuable minerals using virtual field instruments and intelligent tutoring agents. This educational game emphasizes a hands-on approach to scientific problem-solving, allowing for multi-user collaboration and the integration of real-world content. The project aims to enhance strategic thinking, assessment, and digital literacy through immersive learning environments.

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Mining for Problem-solving Styles in a Virtual World

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  1. Mining for Problem-solving Styles in a Virtual World Brian M. Slator, Dept. of Computer Science Donald P. Schwert and Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat, Dept. of Geosciences; North Dakota State University, Fargo, ND

  2. NDSU WWWIC World Wide Web Instructional Committee Jeff Clark Paul Juell Donald Schwert Philip McClean Brian Slator Bernhardt Saini-Eidukat Alan White WWWIC faculty supported by large teams of undergraduate and graduate students WWWIC’s virtual worlds research supported by NSF grants DUE-9981094 and EAI-0086142

  3. The Geology Explorer Project Educational Game designed to provide authentic learn-by-doing experience •Exploration of a spatially oriented virtual world •Practical, field oriented, expedition planning and decision making •Scientific problem solving (i.e., a “hands on” approach to the scientific method

  4. Balancing Pedagogy with Play Games have the capacity to engage! • Powerful mechanisms for instruction • Illustrate real-world content and structure • Promote strategic maturity (“learning not the law, but learning to think like a lawyer”)

  5. 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

  6. Technical Approach • Networked, internet based, client-server simulation • UNIX-based MOO (Multi-User Dungeon, Object Oriented) • Java-based clients (text version - telnet based; graphical version in development)

  7. The Game •Planet Oit - similar to Earth, but opposite the Sun •Students “land” on Oit to undertake exploration •Authentic Geoscience goals - e.g., to locate, identify, and report valuable minerals

  8. The Simulation ~50 places: desert, cutbank, cave, etc. ~100 different rocks and minerals ~15 field instruments: rock pick, acid bottle, magnet, etc. ~Software Tutors: agents for equipment, exploration, and deduction

  9. Real World of Planet Earth

  10. The Geology Explorer: Planet OitGame Scenario • You are a geologist. • Explore this new planet. • Authentic geologic goals. - Locate and report valuable minerals. • Must learn geologic content.

  11. The Geology Explorer • 50 Places • 90 Different Rocks and Minerals • 15 Field Instruments • 25 Laboratory Instruments • Software Tutors

  12. Maps of Planet Oit

  13. The Geology Explorer

  14. Virtual Field Instruments

  15. Subjective Assessment Rejects the notion of standardized multiple choice tests Pre-game narrative-based survey • short problem-solving stories • students record their impressions and questions Similar post-game survey with different but analogous scenarios Surveys analyzed for improvement in problem-solving

  16. Assessment • Not “multiple choice” recall • Content specific: • Problem solving, Hypothesis formation, Diagnostic reasoning

  17. Assessment by Scenarios • Assess computer literacy • PreTest: Present scenario, students propose course of action or solution • Engage in learning experience Control vs Virtual • PostTest: Present similar scenario, student response • Analysis of assessment data

  18. 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 Geomagnetic (Alternative) Group: (122 students) Non-Participant Control Group: (150 students, approx.) Geology Explorer Treatment Group: (122 students) Completed (78 students) Non-completed (44 students) Completed (95 students) Non-completed (27 students) Post-course Assessment: 368 students

  19. Intelligent Software Tutoring Agents Diagnostic Tutors 1. Equipment tutor 2. Exploration tutor 3. Science tutor Detects when a student makes a wrong guess and why (i.e. what evidence they are lacking); or when a student makes a correct guess with insufficient evidence (i.e. a lucky guess)

  20. Tutors are NeededIn 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 foul things up and not know why

  21. Tutors are NeededIn Virtual Environments: • Information is readily available • The simulation can track actions • The simulation can generate warnings and explanations • Tutor “visits” are triggered by user action

  22. Tutors are NeededIn Virtual Environments: • Student interact with the intelligent tutoring agent • Students can ignore advise and carry on at their own risk

  23. Learning Style Complete history record for gmercer@9 (#11347) as of Mon Mar 5 21:03:06 2001 Central Standard Time Sep14/09:39 assigned original goal: Sphalerite Goal Sep14/09:39 connected TO MOO Sep14/09:44 entered YOUNG MOUNTAINS (#132) Sep14/09:44 Equipment Tutor says needed Streak Plate to find Sphalerite Goal [...] Sep14/09:49 purchased Streak Plate (#12191) for $0.5 [...] Sep14/09:50 entered YOUNG MOUNTAINS (#132) Sep14/09:51 entered CAVE (#341) Sep14/09:51 entered CAVE (#275) Sep14/09:51 Exploration Tutor says overlooked goal in Cave of Sphalerite Goal Sep14/09:52 entered CAVE (#341) [...] Sep14/09:53 entered ROCK MUSEUM (#594) Sep14/09:54 entered THE MINERAL COLLECTION (#1796) [...] Sep14/10:04 entered CAVE (#275) Sep14/10:04 Exploration Tutor says overlooked goal in Cave of Sphalerite Goal [...] Sep14/10:11 streak yellowish brown resinous vein (#1998) (#1998) with Streak Plate (#12191) (#12191) results: "yellow" Sep14/10:18 reported yellowish vein (#1998) as Native Gold (#657) scoring 0 points {968944698, "Geology Tutor", #1840, #341, "Said, 'Native Gold has a yellow metallic appearance. But the yellowish brown resinous vein (#1998) does not.'"} Sep14/10:19 reported goal yellowish vein (#1998) as Sphalerite (#560) Sep14/10:19 Previously assigned goal solved -- new goal assigned Sep14/10:19 assigned Native Copper Goal scoring 100 points [...]

  24. Learning Style • Patterns we noticed: • analytical approach: frequent reference to on-line help, conducting sequences of experiments, deliberative: many experiments • pattern-matching approach: exploring far and wide in search of their goals: many movements • “brute force” approach: simply visiting location after location and identifying everything: many reports

  25. Reports Moves Experiments average 42.6 139.2 73.8 st. dev 38.2 83.1 63.2 min 5 19 0 max 238 518 301 Learning Style

  26. rme 10 -ME 5 -Me 4 r-e 8 --E 4 rM- 2 r-- 5 R-E 4 r-E 2 -m- 5 R-- 3 RmE 2 -me 4 RME 3 --- 2 --e 4 RM- 3 Rm- 1 rm- 4 -M- 2 -mE 1 rmE 1 R-e 1 Rme 1 Total 40 (49.4%) 24 (29.6%) 17 (21.0%) Learning Style Consistently normal or below normal activity Consistently normal or above normal activity Mixed problem-solving activity Note: R = many reports; r = few reports; M = many moves; m = few moves; E = many experiments; e = few experiments. Example: “-Me” means normal reporting, many moves, below normal experiments (where normal is within one-half standard deviation from the mean).

  27. Learning Style • A wide range of approaches are supported • Questions: • Are some of the “pattern matchers” really “curious explorers? • Is there such a thing as TOO much experimentation? • Will software tutors effect what we’re seeing? • How can the game encourage a more analytical approach? • Are students “gaming” the system?

  28. http://oit.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu World Wide Web Instructional Committee (WWWIC) North Dakota State University Fargo ND

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