Image credit: Mission HydroSci
Serious Game by Adroit Studios Gaming Lab
Adroit Studios Gaming Lab, a game research and development
facility at the School of Information Science and Learning
Technologies, University of Missouri,
launched last month.
Led by Co-Directors
Joe Griffin and Justin Sigoloff, the team at Adroit is currently polishing and
optimizing Mission HydroSci (MHS), a STEM-based video game
that teaches middle school students about hydrology, water systems and
scientific argumentation towards meeting Next
Generation Science Standards. The game has been deployed to 20 classrooms in 13
Missouri schools.
The game provides an
active learning environment for meeting these learning objectives by engaging
students in a narrative about needing to investigate water resources and use
scientific argumentation to complete missions critical to the survival and
accomplishments of the members of their scientific enterprise.
The enterprise is set on an earth-like planet in the future as the
science cadets (the player and a set of non-player characters who serve as
guides, partners and sometimes antagonists) explore mysteries and prepare for
survival on the planet. Along with the narrative gameplay, MHS includes learning
progressions for water systems science and scientific argumentation, a visually
exciting environment, substantial interaction and feedback, and applies
transformational role playing as an approach to integrate learning with
gameplay.
Gameplay
In the game, you are
a junior scientist on an interstellar mission to establish a settlement on the
newly discovered planet WAT247. It’s up to you and your team to explore these
uncharted lands and make them ready for future settlers.
You will need to learn
about the water systems of the planet, address the water needs of the community
and solve any problems or mysteries that might arise so that your settlement
can grow and thrive.
You are not alone in
developing this planet. Interactive non-player characters will be your mentors, collaborators, friends and adversaries as the gameplay unfolds.
As a first-person
narrative adventure, everything you do has an impact. You are responsible for
the success of this new settlement, by means of collaboration, exploration,
colonization, argumentation and discovery.
Image credit: Mission HydroSci
Serious Game by Adroit Studios Gaming Lab
According to the
developers, while Mission HydroSci initially focuses on the study of
hydrology and water systems, the core structures and principles can be a model
for bringing other STEM topics to life for students.
Contact Adroit Studios for more information
Image credit: Adroit Studios
Gaming Lab – MU
Together the team at Adroit
Studios has almost 15 years of experience creating innovative learning
environments.