Possible Worlds

What’s in a Name?

Electronic games have an ability to immerse kids in new roles and worlds different from their own. We see this as a learning opportunity to make visible what is distinct about the world we live in through games integrated into school curricula. In particular, we want to help students disentangle misconceptions they bring to the classroom from the concepts and content they learn in the classroom, particularly in the sciences.

This research builds on the groundbreaking work of Jerome Bruner, who argued in his book book, “Actual Minds, Possible Worlds,” that narrative is central to learning. Storytelling help us “climb into” other ways of looking at the world, which allows us to see the particularities of our world more clearly.

Challenge

Improving Science and Literacy

Funded through a five-year grant from the US Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences, we are exploring how digital games can address two pressing educational challenges:

• Middle school students bring considerable science knowledge into the classroom, including misconceptions that keep them from understanding foundational scientific principles (read more about misconceptions).
• Adolescents who struggle with literacy typically struggle with science content (read about literacy’s impact on science).

Games

Integrating Gaming and Curricula

Over the next four years (2009–2012), we are developing four digital game modules and corresponding web-based support materials. 

Built around the Nintendo DSi, these game modules will fit into regular science curricula and target the science misconceptions, reading difficulties, and motivational issues that hamper student learning and complicate science teaching (learn more about the DSi’s Classroom Affordances.

Through this work, we hope to model a way to bring games into the classroom in a way that complements and deepens teaching and learning.

Focus

Classrooms Matter

We have long been an advocate of exploring how technology can support teachers and schools, rather than replace them. 

Game-based activities can enhance instruction by offering:

1.  Imaginary but rule-bound spaces that challenge students to rethink naïve theories about how the world works
2. Scaffolds for teachers who want to engage their students more deeply in inquiry-based learning
3. Supports for struggling readers who need additional help to fully participate in science learning.

Our program is built around strong collaborations with schools, teachers and students to understand how digital games can be integrating effectively into existing classroom practice.

Collaboration

Connecting Communities of Practice

While the lion’s share of our mission is to craft game modules and supporting material, we also have a mandate to build greater connections between research, school, and game development communities.

We see our role as a perspective builder. Through conference presentations and other networking, we are bringing experiences from the classroom into the game lab and sharing insights about play with practitioners.

Team

Blend of Talents

We are bringing together a seasoned group of educators, instructional designers and game developers to design, develop and pilot-test a series of game modules that infuse inquiry-based game activities into traditional classroom practice (meet them in Staff and Partners). We also have tapped some leading experts in educational games and media to serve as advisors (learn more in Advisors).