Efficacy of MedMyst: an Internet Teaching Tool for Middle School Microbiology
Author
Miller, Leslie M.; Moreno, Janette; Estrera, Vicky; Lane, David
Date
2004-05Abstract
Can web-based technology be used to effectively introduce or reinforce aspects of microbiology to middle school students?
This central hypothesis examines whether brief exposure to a web adventure format containing virtual lab experiments
and computer games within an engaging story line can impact student learning. An episodic adventure series,
MedMyst (http://medmyst.rice.edu), focuses on infectious diseases and the microbes that cause them. The website is not
intended to replace classroom instruction, but rather to engage students in problem-solving activities not likely to be
encountered elsewhere. It also provides scientists with a resource to introduce microbiology to adolescent audiences
through outreach activities. In the online adventure, the player (student) enters a futuristic world in which he or she
becomes a “Reconstructor,” a member of an elite team charged with preventing the spread of infectious disease. The
series consists of three “missions,” each lasting approximately 30 to 40 minutes and designed to address a limited set of
learning objectives. Middle school students participated in the creation of the characters and the stylized design through
focus groups. Classroom teachers oversaw the alignment of the web adventure objectives with the National Science Content
Standards. Scientists and clinicians reviewed the web adventure for content and accuracy. A field test involving over 700
students from nine different schools assessed the knowledge gains attributable to playing MedMyst. Gain scores from
pretest to posttest indicated that middle school students retained important information by interacting with the online
material for as little as 30 minutes per adventure; however, gains for high school students were less persuasive, perhaps
indicating a different learning tool or content is required for this age audience.
Citation
Type
Journal article