Research+Results

Case studies were conducted to investigate how successful MoonWorld was as an educational tool. Here is a summary of results - click here for the full research report with statistical analyses. toc

How many participants were in the research studies?

=CASE 1: Scaffolds= //**Do activity and conceptual scaffolds increase the number of correct responses?**//


 * [[image:Wayfaring_Scaffolds.jpg width="468" height="306" caption="MoonWorld scaffolds wayfaring with a compass (bottom left), and map (bottom center), as well using a mission control video for activity directions."]] || [[image:Conceptual_scaffolds.jpg width="535" height="316" caption="At each station questions guide avatars to make critical observations necessary to synthesize a geologic history."]] ||

CASE 1 Findings

 * MoonWorld wayfaring, activity, and conceptual scaffolds increase achievement.**

=CASE 2: Lack of PD= //**What is student success for an educator who advocates virtual worlds but does not receive MW professional development?**// The teacher made 9 forays into MoonWorld, with her students accompanying her five times. Based on the number of trips and students they could have answered 1,750 questions to characterize their explorations. Only one question was answered.

CASE 2 Findings

 * Educators lacking professional development (uninformed about MoonWorld scaffolds) may fail to engage their students with MoonWorld’s wayfaring, activity, and conceptual scaffolds.**

=CASE 3: Mentar= //**Given orientation and a novice mentar (high school player), will players from a robotics team:**// //*** correctly navigate thru MW?**// //*** answer field station questions?**// //*** answer them correctly?**//
 * [[image:Case3-1.jpg width="484" height="290" caption="High school mentar who was not trained supported middle school players by acting as mission control, providing suggestions."]] || [[image:Case3-2.jpg width="567" height="293" caption="Six teams of avatars successfully navigated from Station 1 onward."]] ||


 * [[image:Case3-3.jpg width="558" height="261" caption="The teams also successfully collected samples at all stations."]] || [[image:Case3-4.jpg width="550" height="280" caption="The teams answered questions at most of the stations; black = correct answer"]] ||



CASE 3 Findings

 * Players with novice older youth acting as mentor successfully navigated and collected samples, but responses to questions were correct only 66% of the time.**


 * OBSERVATION: Mentar had difficulty engaging their teams in deep scientific discussion.**

(There is no Case 4)

=CASE 5: Professional Development= //For teachers aides who receive professional development for MoonWorld:// //A. What is the quality of scientific practice during a mission?//
 * //questions, models, investigation, analyzing and interpreting data, constructing explanations, engaging in argumentation from evidence, obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information.//

//B. Does MoonWorld inspire cross-cutting concepts?//
 * //patterns, cause and effect, scale/proportion/quantity, structure & function//

//C. What is the relationship between achievement, scientific practices, and collaboration for a team of educators during professional development?//


 * [[image:Case5-1.jpg width="543" height="134" caption="Three teacher aids who facilitated after school activities conducted a MoonWorld mission after 30 minutes of professional development training."]] || [[image:Case5-2.jpg width="541" height="312" caption="The after school facilitators were very successful at wayfaring."]] ||


 * [[image:Case5-3.jpg width="455" height="361" caption="The teacher aids were also successful at collecting samples at each station."]] || [[image:Case5-4.jpg width="629" height="361" caption="And they answered most of the questions at each stations, getting 83% correct."]] ||


 * [[image:Case5-5.jpg width="571" height="307" caption="Students in Case 4 answered about 64% of questions accurately, while the after school teachers aids in Case 5 got 83% correct."]] || [[image:Case5-6.jpg width="509" height="294" caption="Teachers who participated in this case study received a small but powerful telescope to allow their students to extend their students' experience with MoonWorld to the actual Moon. "]] ||

CASE 5 Findings

 * After MoonWorld professional development (30 minutes of mentored mission training followed by mission), MoonWorld educators successfully collaborate to engage in scientific practices, apply cross-cutting concepts, and build content knowledge.**

=CASE 6: Research Station= //To what extent is MoonWorld’s scaffolded guidance employed, as evidenced in wayfaring by sequential research station visits?//

CASE 6 Findings

 * MoonWorld successfully scaffolds navigation for untrained visitors.**

=**__CASE STUDY CONCLUSIONS__**=
 * MoonWorld scaffolds navigation for untrained visitors.
 * Professional development enhances implementation.
 * MoonWorld causes collaboration.
 * MoonWorld develops scientific practices.
 * Avatars apply cross-cutting concepts.
 * Avatars build content knowledge.
 * MoonWorld increases achievement.
 * MoonWorld works!

Click these links to access other parts of MoonWorld:

2: Research Results
(this page)