Authors:
Shuya Kawaguchi
1
;
Tsugunosuke Sakai
1
;
Haruya Tamaki
1
;
Hiroshi Mizoguchi
1
;
Ryohei Egusa
2
;
Yoshiaki Takeda
3
;
Etsuji Yamaguchi
3
;
Shigenori Inagaki
3
;
Fusako Kusunoki
4
;
Hideo Funaoi
5
and
Sugimoto Masanori
6
Affiliations:
1
Tokyo University of Science, Japan
;
2
Research Fellow of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science and Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Japan
;
3
Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Japan
;
4
Tama Art University, Japan
;
5
Soka University, Japan
;
6
Hokkaido University, Japan
Keyword(s):
Vegetation Succession, Simulation, Environmental Problems, Competition, Science Education, Children, Experience.
Related
Ontology
Subjects/Areas/Topics:
Computer-Supported Education
;
e-Learning
;
Game-Based and Simulation-Based Learning
;
Information Technologies Supporting Learning
;
Learning/Teaching Methodologies and Assessment
;
Virtual Learning Environments
Abstract:
Global environmental problems continue to worsen. In this situation, it is important to understand and
experience changes in the natural environment in realistic ways. However, it was difficult to experience
these changes in real time because they happen over large time scales. To overcome this problem, the
authors developed a game-like learning tool that enables players to learn about vegetation succession. This
game is Windows-based and enables players to simulate the conservation of SATOYAMA, rural natural
areas. The player selects the actions within a designated time and the vegetation succession of the
SATOYAMA changes according to that action. At the end of this game, the score is based on the
SATOYAMA conserved by the player. Thirty-seven students participated in this experiment whose result
suggested that this game would enable children to develop an interest in vegetation succession and motivate
them to learn about it.