The document discusses a project to increase IT fluency among middle school girls using games and virtual worlds. It describes using The Sims in Year 1 to introduce modification of game content. In Year 2, the project moved to Second Life which allows for more open-ended creation and interaction. Key goals were to increase interest in STEM subjects and develop lifelong IT skills applicable to careers through constructive, interest-driven learning in these virtual environments. Measures of success included demonstrating a range of intellectual capacities and IT concepts, skills, and fluency.

1. IT Fluency via Games and Virtual Worlds Barbara Z. Johnson, M.Ed. Graduate Student (Education) UM-Duluth

2. Thanks to: Elizabeth (Beth) King Dr. Elisabeth (Betty) Hayes Lauren Silverman Dr. Constance Steinkuehler Dr. Jim Gee MacArthur Foundation The Tech Savvy Girls!!

3. Overview Introduction to the project Measures of success Selection of tools Evolution of the project Learning through creating in Second Life

4. Purposes of Project Middle school - many girls stop enrolling in science and math classes Increase general IT fluency among middle-school girls Increase interest in SMET class choice and potential careers among middle school girls

5. Measures FITness Standards Intellectual capacities IT Concepts IT Skills Life-long usable skills Applicable to wide range of careers Not just “programming”

6. Method to the Madness Game PLAY not sufficient “ Tinkering activities” (diSessa, 2000) Interest-driven projects Constructivist learning Islands of expertise in a learning ecology Studies on game modification or game construction in teaching subjects like history and math

7. Modding & Content Creation Go beyond the designed play dynamics Create objects that become part of the game Create maps or change the landscape of the game Modify the rules of the game Create the world and its functionality (SL) Total conversion (creating a new game using the frame of the old)

8. But which game??? Interesting to girls Puzzle Adventure Simulation Acceptable to parents Modifiable Relatively easy to play and learn to modify Social network

9. Year 1: The Sims Single player creates and controls actions of characters in the game (the “Sims”) Simulation game centered around domestic life, fulfillment of game-character needs and desires, and relationships between Sims Open-ended game Many expansion packs Runs on computers, consoles, handhelds, iPods

10. Typical Sims Scenario

11. The Newly Rendered Mesh Becomes the Newly Created Gown

12. Year 1: Results Pro Girls like the Sims (100 million copies of Sims 2 sold) Easy to start modification of content “ Cheats” to change game limits Extensive social networks online Can share content between games Significant gains in IT fluency Con Reinforces many social stereotypes Limits to types of content and actions Players can’t PLAY together but only parallel No opportunity to change interactivity (I.e. programming)

13. Year 2: (Teen) Second Life Online Segregated by age (teen vs. 18+) You are represented by an avatar Interact with multiple people from around the world Virtual world - not a game No game roles or game rules Mostly user created world

14. What Is Second Life? Company created world User created world Pre-determined rules, roles, and score Users make own rules and roles Second Life, Active Worlds Most video games and MMOGs (3-D) social networking Original Star Wars Galaxies EVE Online, Ultima Online, Lineage … Customizable MUDs, MOOs, MUSHs Game mods

15. What do you DO in Second Life? Pretty much anything you want Socialize Work/Business Creation and artistic expression

16. Summer ‘07: Preparation Create accounts Get equipment Establish locations for project Create activities and instructions

17. Physical Sessions One mentor physically at site Two mentors in Second Life 2-hour meetings twice per week after school OR 4 hours on Saturday Computers purchased via grant At lab or library

18. Initial Activities in Second Life Quests to explore potential of Second Life Discussed student interests

19. Welcome to the 60’s Movie “Hairspray” Fashion & Interior Decorating/Design Social Justice Issues Gender Identity Science and Math

20. History and Fiction

21. Scripting and interaction

22. Create and Manage a Business

23. FITness: Intellectual Capacities evidenced Engage in sustained reasoning Manage complexity Test a solution Manage problems in faulty solutions Organize and navigate information structures Collaborate Communicate to other audiences Legal and ethical issues regarding Intellectual Property

24. FITness: IT skills evidenced Setting up a personal computer Using basic operating system features Using a word processor Using graphics or artwork packages Connecting a computer to a network Using the Internet to find information Using a computer to communicate with others

25. FITness: IT concepts evidenced Networks Digital representation of information Information organization Modeling and abstraction Algorithmic thinking and programming Societal impact of information and information technology

26. Success Factors A place to meet in Second Life Rent, own, or use a public space Don’t have to be expert builders Support from other educators List-servs Yearly convention Wiki