EcoXPT

EcoXPT is a federally funded project at the Harvard Graduate School of Education to design and study innovative curricula that use immersive technologies. EcoXPT presents a digitally immersive environment, or MUVE (Multi User Virtual Environment), that allows middle school students to apply and practice critical routines found within the field of ecosystems science. It is designed to address core science concepts such as water quality indicators and eutrophication, and broader scientific concepts such as inquiry, human connections to ecosystems, as well as claims, evidence and reasoning models to structure thinking and learning. In the program, students are placed into a realistic world and must identify a problem, namely the death of fish within a pond. Students explore, talk to virtual citizens and scientists, utilize scientific tools, and conduct authentic experiments to solve the presented problem. Through the captivating storyline and scaffolded tasks, students build a conceptual understanding of the puzzle, as well as notable connections to ecosystems science.

Site: https://ecolearn.gse.harvard.edu/projects/ecoxpt

As a contributor in EcoXPT’s last phase of material productions and data analysis in Fall 2019, I collaborated in creating a digital Thinking Move video and poster used with Day 8-9 of the program’s science curriculum. This content is slated to be released for use in classrooms early 2020. I also contributed to qualitative data analysis with coding and analyzing student interview data during the formative evaluation phase.

Skills: Video editing using Adobe Premiere Pro, storyboarding, multi-user virtual environment curriculum research, qualitative data coding and entry.