Gagne

Why should students learn about the solar system and understand how it is relevant to them? Learning about the solar system is important because it helps us value the Earth and preserve it for future generations. The primary goal of the project was to design an instructional module for middle school learners that would provide general information and facts about the solar system and explain the benefits of space exploration to mankind. The proposed instructional unit aimed to create an immersive and exploratory environment of the solar system in OpenSim (OS) that would engage and stimulate middle school learners in science class. Gagne’s nine events of instruction was utilized as the overarching design format in order to give students an opportunity to engage in every step of the learning process. In the simulation, the solar system utilized the following learning strategies: game-based, diagnostic, demonstrative, and experiential. The simulation could be used repeatedly to teach different solar system topics. A pilot study was conducted with three participants. Verbal feedback during and after the study indicated that participants found the module clear or somewhat clear, and easy to follow. The session will discuss methods, design strategies, and how virtual world instructional tools and techniques were incorporated in the module.