The NASA Learning Technologies (LT) project supports the development of
projects that deliver NASA content through innovative applications of
technologies to enhance education in the areas of science, technology,
engineering and mathematics (STEM). Research and development are at the core of
the LT mission. LT seeks to enhance formal and informal education in STEM fields
with the goal of increasing the number of students in those fields of study and
is currently investigating the development of a NASA-based massively multiplayer
online educational game (MMO).
Persistent immersive synthetic environments in the form of massive
multiplayer online gaming and social virtual world, initially popularized as
gaming and social settings, are now finding growing interest as education and
training venues. There is increasing recognition that these synthetic
environments can serve as powerful "hands-on" tools for teaching a range of
complex subjects. Virtual worlds with scientifically accurate simulations could
permit learners to tinker with chemical reactions in living cells, practice
operating and repairing expensive equipment,
and experience microgravity, making it easier to grasp
complex concepts and transfer this understanding quickly to practical problems.
MMOs help players develop and exercise a skill set closely matching the
thinking, planning, learning, and technical skills increasingly in demand by
employers. These skills include strategic thinking, interpretative analysis,
problem solving, plan formulation and execution, team-building and cooperation,
and adaptation to rapid change.
The power of games as educational tools is rapidly gaining recognition. NASA
is in a position to develop an online game that functions as a persistent,
synthetic environment supporting education as a laboratory, a massive
visualization tools and collaborative workspace while simultaneously drawing
users into a challenging, game-play immersion.
