Projects & Research

A group of game developers and educators at Immersed Games, an early state ed tech startup from Buffalo, NY, and TERC, collaborated on a project called A Group Video Game Challenge for Integrated Applied Science Learning. The work focused on developing and evaluating a video game that empowers student learning through collaboration and exploration to solve problems. Immersed Games has created and tested their initial pilot study and has continued to develop their game. Students have used this game to learn about ecosystems.

This was a research and development project. First, the research and development (R&D) team conducted development work of the intervention product and tested it with 5 teachers. Then, the team iterated and improved the product based on research findings. Lastly, three educators representing a minimum of 300 students participated in a final efficacy study as the Phase II work was completed.

The research team conducted a quasi-experimental mixed-methods study. Thhis study addressed the research questions:

1. What Teacher Dashboard tools do educators use during their implementations?
2. What is the teacher fidelity to implementation guides and best practices? In what ways do they chose to deviate or modify these practices?
3. Do students demonstrate improved SEPs after using the Expeditions?

Phase II Award for U.S. National Science Foundation Grant for a Group STEM Challenge By Lindsey Tropf