Playing Games with a Purpose

• Activity Number: 172
• Type: Topic Contributed
• Date/Time: Monday, July 30, 2012 : 10:30 AM to 12:20 PM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Education
• Author(s): Shonda R Kuiper*+
• Companies: Grinnell College
• Keywords: Games ; Technology ; Interdisciplinary ; Projects

Abstract

This NSF supported project describes interactive Web-based games and corresponding investigative laboratory modules that effectively teach statistical thinking and the process of scientific inquiry to undergraduate students. Our games are designed to 1) foster a sense of engagement, 2) have a low threat of failure early on but create a challenging environment that grows with the students' knowledge, 3) create realistic, adaptable, and straightforward models representing current research in a variety of disciplines, and 4) provide an intrinsic motivation for students to want to learn. Each game-based lab allows for individualized research questions and/or just-in-time feedback usually not possible in classroom problems. This allows students early in their studies to experience the role of a research scientist and to understand how the field of statistics helps advance scientific knowledge. Posters will show how games can be effectively used in the classroom, provide examples of how current games can be used as a one- or two-day activity in an introductory college course, and demonstrate how these games can be used as advanced research projects in upper level courses.