CXP‐N091 E DUV ENTURES W EBE XPEDITION AN INTERACTIVE QUALIFYING PROJECT REPORT WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE Sponsoring Agency: EduVentures Submitted to: On‐site Liaison: Tharina Bird, EduVentures Founder On‐site Liaison: Benson Muramba, EduVentures Board Member On‐site Liaison: Patrick Rickert, Polytechnic of Namibia Professor Liaison: Holger Vollbrecht, EduVentures Project Coordinator Project Advisor: R. Creighton Peet, WPI Professor Project Co‐advisor: Holly K. Ault, WPI Professor Submitted by: ________________________ Jason R. Climer ________________________ Philip N. Hardegen ________________________ Christopher G. Jeznach Date: 8 May 2009 This report represents the work of three WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its web site without editorial or peer review. computer game, education, biodiversity ABSTRACT This project, sponsored by EduVentures and the National Museum of Namibia, sought to increase Namibian secondary students’ awareness of biodiversity by creating and deploying a computer game called WebExpedition. We received input from teachers and students to optimize the game’s usefulness and effectiveness, and performed trial runs with Namibian students. The game teaches students about scientific classification of organisms, and allows students to connect animals and plants to their habitats in Namibia. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Prof. R. Creighton Peet, Project Advisor Prof. Holly K. Ault, Project Co‐advisor Tharina Bird, EduVentures Founder and Liaison Esther Moombolah‐Goagoses, Deputy Director & Head of the National Museum of Namibia Patrick Rickert, Professor of Conservation Science at the Polytechnic of Namibia Holger Vollbrecht, EduVentures Coordinator and Liaison Benson Muramba, EduVentures Board Member and Liaison Heidi Beinhauer Fran Bolton Chris Bird Bruce Buchanan Chris Francois Claassen Alison Gardiner Heike Holsch Jonas Kazondunge Niko Kisting Jonas Kukla Silke Rügheimer Royal Sanyambe Gabriel Shipena Karin Tamsen iii AUTHORSHIP Abstract .............................................................................................................................................. Phil Hardegen Executive Summary .................................................................................... Jason Climer and Chris Jeznach 1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................... CJ 2 Background and Literature Review ............................................................................................................ JC 2.1 Education ..................................................................................................................................................... PH 2.1.4 Lesson Plans ........................................................................................................................................ JC 2.2 Computers as Educational tools ........................................................................................................ PH 2.3 Namibian Educational System .............................................................................................................. CJ 2.4 Educational Computer Games and our Target Audience .......................................................... CJ 2.5 Summary........................................................................................................................................................ JC 3 Methodology ......................................................................................................................................................... JC 3.1 Determine Preferred Content from EduVentures Staff .............................................................. CJ 3.2 Ensuring that Secondary School Teachers Understand the EduVentures WebExpedition Project .................................................................................................................................................... CJ 3.3 Determining how Hearing impaired students can benefit from the game ........................ CJ 3.4 Define Factors that Facilitate Use in Classroom ............................................................................ CJ 3.5 Reinforcing Usability in Classrooms ................................................................................................ PH 3.6 Determining Specific Content ............................................................................................................... CJ 3.7 Creating the Game ................................................................................................................................... PH 3.7.1 Design Structure ................................................................................................................................ JC 3.8 Ensuring Content Accuracy and Game Functionality .................................................................. JC 3.9 Summary of Methods ............................................................................................................................... CJ 4 Results and Analysis .......................................................................................................................................... JC 4.1 Determine the Status of Environmental Education in Namibia ............................................ PH 4.2 Determine Content .................................................................................................................................... JC 4.3 Development ................................................................................................................................................ JC 4.4 Using WebExpedition in the Classroom ........................................................................................... PH 4.4.1 Determining Students Motivational Factors for Learning ............................................. PH 4.4.2 Facilitate Use in Classroom ........................................................................................................... CJ 4.4.3 Determine How the Tool Can Help Deaf Students Learn .................................................. CJ 4.5 Evaluation ................................................................................................................................................... PH 4.5.1 Ensuring Content Accuracy and Tool Functionality ......................................................... PH 4.5.2 Demonstrating Tool Effectiveness ............................................................................................. JC 4.7 Summary of Results .................................................................................................................................. JC 5 Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................................................... CJ 5.1 The Value of WebExpedition ................................................................................................................ PH 5.2 Use of the Game in the Classroom ....................................................................................................... CJ iv 5.3 Recommendations for Future Directions ......................................................................................... JC 5.3.1 Potential Expansions to the Virtual Expedition .................................................................... JC 5.3.2 Other Ideas for WebExpedition .................................................................................................... JC 5.3.3 Additional Recommendations for EduVentures ................................................................... CJ 5.4 Summary........................................................................................................................................................ JC Appendix A. Sponsor Summary ........................................................................................................................ JC Appendix B. The Interactive Qualifying Project ......................................................................................... JC Appendix C. Biodiversity in Namibia .............................................................................................................. JC Appendix E. Designing a Game That Will Satisfy All Target Audiences ........................................... CJ v TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements ................................................................................................................................................ iii Authorship ................................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................................... vi Table of Tables ......................................................................................................................................................... ix Table of Figures ......................................................................................................................................................