Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Selene: A Lunar Construction Game

Would young people learn science better if it were packaged in a videogame?

That's the question at the heart of the Selene project. Named after the Greek lunar goddess, Selene challenges players to learn the major geologic processes scientists believe formed the modern moon. Players create their own moon and then pepper it with impact craters and flood it with lava. The game offers a great opportunity for students to learn about lunar geology while helping researchers study some key videogame design principles.

The game is designed for students between the ages of 13-18 and takes about an hour to complete. But more time can be spent checking out Selene's various resources about the moon. To play, participants must be enrolled by an adult recruiter to ensure parent or guardian consent for participation. Mary Ann is a recruiter, so email her if you want to participate. If your 9-12yo child is working above grade level, email me and we can work out a way for them to participate as well.

Selene: A Lunar Construction GaME was created through NASA by the Center for Educational Technologies® at Wheeling Jesuit University in Wheeling, W. Va., and its learning research continues through a National Science Foundation grant.

To learn more about the game and how you can play, visit
http://selene.cet.edu . If you have questions about
this project, please e-mail maryann.orourke@gmail.com

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