Investigating Learner Interest and Observation Patterns in a Minecraft Virtual Astronomy Environment

Xiner Liu, Andres Zambrano, Amanda Barany, Jaclyn Ocumpaugh, Jeff Ginger, Matt Gadbury, H. Chad Lane, Ryan S. Baker

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

This study explores how student actions in Minecraft-based virtual environments designed to simulate astronomical phenomena shift over time, as their interest in astronomy changes. We analyze observations made by middle school learners participating in the What-if Hypothetical Implementations in Minecraft (WHIMC) project, which adapts the game to immerse learners in scenarios exploring scientific concepts. Combining manual and automated coding techniques, we classify these observations and use epistemic network analysis to investigate how they relate to changes in interest levels as measured by pre- and post-surveys. Our findings show that learners who maintain or increase their astronomy interest produce more complex observational behaviors, such as hypothesis generation and comparisons. Conversely, learners whose interest declines produce more surface-level, factual observations. Results suggest ways to identify and support long-term interest in science education.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationAdvances in Quantitative Ethnography - 6th International Conference, ICQE 2024, Proceedings
EditorsYoon Jeon Kim, Zachari Swiecki
PublisherSpringer
Pages19-34
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)9783031763311
DOIs
StatePublished - 2024
Event6th International Conference on Quantitative Ethnography, ICQE 2024 - Philadelphia, United States
Duration: Nov 3 2024Nov 7 2024

Publication series

NameCommunications in Computer and Information Science
Volume2279 CCIS
ISSN (Print)1865-0929
ISSN (Electronic)1865-0937

Conference

Conference6th International Conference on Quantitative Ethnography, ICQE 2024
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhiladelphia
Period11/3/2411/7/24

Keywords

  • Automated Coding
  • Educational Games
  • STEM Interest
  • WHIMC

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Computer Science
  • General Mathematics

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