Extreme Sports Tycoon: Learning

Multiple Use Scenarios.
Extreme Sports Tycoon as a Stand Alone Unit. The most obvious, and perhaps most desirable method for using Extreme Sports Tycoon would be as a relatively self-contained unit, spanning 3-6 weeks. One can imagine a unit starting with some videos and pictures of Bungee Jumps, and then asking students "How does this jumper know that she won’t crack her head open?" From there, students might be given a simple bungee problem, and a few formulas, and asked to estimate answers. This activity would prompt students to ask questions about how and why Bungee jumping works.

The instructor might introduce the game, explaining that players will play Extreme Sports Tycoon in order to learn more about the laws of motion and how they play out in events on earth. Players might be given 1-2 weeks to play the game, with the instructor answering questions, and delivering just-in-time lectures as necessary. The instructor may construct booths to isolate variables or highlight particular relationships. The savvy instructor might also observe students’ activities, and assign design challenges as homework (e.g. design a bungee jump where the jumper reaches a velocity of 100 mph but is left hanging 36 feet from the ground at the end). Or, the instructor might use Extreme Sports Tycoon as a test for students at the end of a unit.

Embedded within this "Unit Plan" Scenario might be three other uses of Extreme Sports Tycoon:

Demonstrations
Practice Problems
Assessments

Different instructors might arrange these activities according to their needs. Some may assign the game as homework. Others may prefer to use class time to have students work on problems and then observe student work and give just-in-time lectures as necessary. Still others may want to supplement the game playing with demonstrations and activities that involve physical objects.

Pedagogy
Extreme Sports Tycoon is designed to give players both an intuitive understanding of physics phenomena, and an entrée for using physics formulas to solve real world problems. Players begin by designing booths where they manipulate key variables, using trial and error to arrive at productive combinations of variables. The tycoon game mechanics are designed to promote prolonged engagement in the game. After several hours of gameplay, players will have developed intuitive understandings of the formulas and can begin tweaking particular variables to achieve maximum results.

Extreme Sports Tycoon allows players to focuses on 2-3 key concepts, and examine and re-examine them in different contexts. John Bransford and colleagues show that such intense study of concepts in multiple situations -- particularly when used to solve problems is a strategy known to facilitate deep learning and transfer of knowledge. A subtext to Extreme Sports Tycoon is that Physics is not only accessible, but can be fun.

Learning By Design
Pedagogically, the game leverages learning by design approaches. Players learnthrough thinking with Physics concepts in the design of their booths. Learning by Design approaches (e.g. Perkins, 1986) facilitate deep learning by allowing students to think critically and creatively with information. A critical element of learning by design is that learners construct knowledge in purposeful activities. Creating knowledge in functional contexts helps students develop robust (as opposed to inert) knowledge that can be used to solve problems. In Extreme Sports Tycoon, students are required to develop their own purposes (do I want a fast booth, a dangerous booth, one that’s accessible to a broad audience?) and then use Physics to design the booth according to those specifications.

Connecting to Models and Structures
Robust Physics models underlie Extreme Sports Tycoon. Players learn by tinkering with their models. Participating in Trial and Error performances, players can develop intuitive understandings of how models of motion interact, and then test these models in their design. A potential problem with complex learning by design / modeling activities is that learners may not have opportunities for perceiving the deeper, structural relationships between elements. To counteract this pitfall, Extreme Sports Tycoon includes textbook – like resources in the form of the help files where players can learn about the specific formula and see demonstrations of concepts. We expect that students would use this text as a resource to flesh out their understandings of Physical phenomena, consulting it much like a researcher refers to reference texts.

Opportunities for Reflection
Money and rep function in the game to encourage students to reflect on their designs between iterations. Because failure means losing money and / or reputation points, players are given incentive to reflect on their activities and predict the consequences of their choices. Further, the communication structures allow players to collaborate on designs and critique one another’s designs. Players might debate the safety of a booth, or assist one another in the design of their booths.