Coding and Analyzing Scientific Observations from Middle School Students in Minecraft

Abstract

Matt and I explain our lab's one-week summer camp intervention centered around astronomy using Minecraft to help promote interest in science. We capitalize on data logs collected from two 1-week camps in summer 2019 and code scientific observations made by campers for the types of scientific observations and their level of quality using Cohen's Kappa. Results showed that the majority of observations are descriptive, comparative, inferential, or analogous, as opposed to being off topic or factual. We discuss possible reasons for this distribution and design implications for future reiterations.

Full text

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engagement (Renninger & Bachrach,
2015)
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#
!""
!! "
!!
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;"8)/?-The Power of
Interest for Motivation and Engagement.
Routledge.
(L"!

;"8)/?-The Power of
Interest for Motivation and Engagement.
Routledge.

;"8)/?-The Power of
Interest for Motivation and Engagement.
Routledge.

JN
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$  )N"
81!/C-
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)"/I?=-the depletion of
resources when a population occupies
one area, through a map compromised of
only trees )/-
/)1"
! !
"F*!)E
"$8
P/@-
)J"
"0&)F!!/-

JN
Redstone!"2!)F8<!/@-
!!)-
D"

D!"&!
J"
&$
NK 
0!
!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science
Foundation under Grant No. 1713609. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions
or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and
do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

);Q/-#&22!2K!!
K!"0))12
."!)"!I'/@-$
!5)emergence)
);Q-#2"R$3/
 !""!
!!5)design of triggers-

);Q@-#*!,
$!"!G'""
2!5%2!!L$5
)stickiness-

What if…

/
1 !)n S/-
DS=
00S
!0S/
0";")//6/9!'
-
0  !TM

Methods
&
•J2,4/
!"Minecraft !M
T
•0 !!!!2,
/
 !
1 !2!**
!$! '&
!!!"Minecraft!!
What if the Earth had no Moon?
U!$!2!
5

Coding Scheme
4
*  & 6
2$
UL'J  J"'$! BR0)V!V-
D "+!2

BR0$!*
)V!*"!"V-
$
(! $
; 
T !
!$*
2"!:
)V!3-
)V2!
$V-
 $
 " 
AK !
$
)VL
"!!V-
)V!
LV-
"$
0"
 " 2
!!+A
$ $
)V2
*" V-
)V!*
*!V-
& 0 !!K !
 !
)V!"2!
"!
V-
)V
"V-

3J!!!
2!2
!!"!!2!*4

Results
" W!$)- W!M!
UL'J  @C?W R
D @9IOW R
(! $ @//W IW
 $ @??W C@W
0" @W =IW
& OW ?W
!!< "!2
2!2!)78"!""

Implications and Future Directions
•!!"2!!!!
Minecraft!!G'"$*
T!M!$!
•J!2!L! !!"""
$!""!""!M"!M
*" G'"$
!!!!
•D!!2* "!!!$!
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