Development and assessment of a chemistry-based video game

CHED 62

Gabriela C. Weaver, gweaver@purdue.edu1, Carlos Morales, crmorales@tech.purdue.edu2, and Kermin Joel Martínez-Hernández, kmartine@purdue.edu1. (1) Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 560 Oval Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2084, (2) Department of Computer Graphics Technology, Purdue University, 1419 Knoy Hall, Room 363, West Lafayette, IN 47907
It has been argued in the literature that computer games can engage a learner and provide learning benefits if they promote interaction with the gaming environment. Video games encourage the player to attempt a variety of strategies and present constantly shifting scenarios and progressive tiers of difficulty to keep players of differing skill levels challenged. Video games also motivate through the achievement of mastering difficult challenges and through the fun of game play. Based on a review of the literature and criteria derived from previous phases of our on-going research project, we have developed a video game which embeds a series of chemistry challenges within normal game play. The project is a collaboration between researchers in Chemical Education and in Computer Graphics Technology. The process of game design and production via a cross-disciplinary team will be presented. The preliminary results from data collected through student interaction with the game will also be described.
 

NSF Catalyzed Innovations in the Undergraduate Curriculum
1:30 PM-4:35 PM, Sunday, March 25, 2007 McCormick Place North -- Room N230A, Level 2, Oral

Division of Chemical Education

The 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007