Quest Atlantis is a 3D virtual world aimed at students aged 9-16 that provides educational content in math, science, and language arts through structured gaming activities. It received a $2.3 million grant to redesign the environment using a new platform and update the visuals and interactivity. Teachers can use Quest Atlantis to support inquiry-based learning by providing contexts for problem-solving authentic scenarios that allow students to assess problems, make choices, and reflect on consequences while developing skills and attitudes. Research found that students were highly motivated and demonstrated learning gains when using Quest Atlantis.

1. Quest Atlantis (Atlantis Remixed) Learning Content & Values in 3d Alexander Makosz University of Toronto International Edu-Games Seminar November 22nd, 2011

3. Aimed at students 9-16

4. A rich, pre-built gaming environment with structured gaming activities

5. Contents tied to McREL standards and benchmarks

6. Provides core content (math, science, language) as well as character education

7. Has had over 65,000 participants

9. Visually appealing and interactive

10. Safe and positive

12. Renamed Atlantis Remixed

13. Moved to environment built with Unity3D – more visually appealing, more interactive and cooler!

14. Atlantis

15. Atlantis Remixed

17. Inspire students to assess problems, become confident in taking corrective actions and to reflect upon the consequences of their choices

18. Provide transdisciplinary learning opportunities

19. Provide fun and motivation for serious content learning

21. Go through teacher induction and training

22. Release forms must be signed

23. Set the stage for the game by developing context and introducing the narrative

26. The student becomes the author within context

27. Context provides for skill, attitude and knowledge development that is meaningful

28. Students engage in transformational play

30. Learners engage in both open exploration of the environment as well as assigned missions and tasks provided by the teacher

36. Demonstrate acquisition of target skills and knowledge

37. Integrate skills and knowledge from multiple disciplines for practical problem solving in a novel environment

38. Take action, demonstrate reflection, justify decisions

39. See the complex consequences of their actions

40. Engage in genuine inquiry based learning

42. Implement inquiry-based learning processes

43. Monitor student progress and provide immediate and focused feedback

44. Engage students in ethical decision making scenarios with visible consequences beyond the limits of the traditional classroom

45. Receive ongoing support for development as part of a community of QA teachers

47. Confident in available support for teacher learning and development

48. Can justify use to parents based on research

49. Sees motivated students actively engaged in learning

50. Does not have to struggle with budget for implementing as a new resource

52. Professional development and teacher education are extremely valuable features of QA – hope to see these in more educational games