Collaborative Research: SIMBUILDING: TEACHING BUILDING SCIENCE WITH SIMULATION GAMES

This project is developing innovative simulation games for teaching and learning building science, integrating them into existing courses at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC), pilot testing them at SFCC and three other community colleges in New Mexico, and evaluating their educational effectiveness through tracking and analyzing learner data. The versatile and powerful simulation game engine, SimBuilding, being developed supports three types of simulation games in both English and Spanish: diagnostics games; construction games; and operation games. These different types of games will support both traditional students as well as building professionals seeking continuing education to improve their knowledge and skills. SimBuilding games allow for learner data to be automatically logged and analyzed to assist in understanding how students learn through the games. From this information, an intelligent tutoring system coaches the student as needed providing personalized learning. An independent consultant works with the project team on research and evaluation of the overall project and on determining the effect of the games on student learning. The SimBuilding games and associated curricular modules are being disseminated through community college faculty workshops, outreach to high school students and teachers, and at national building and green energy meetings and their websites.