About

Crystal Island: Uncharted Discovery is a game-based learning environment for upper elementary science education with a focus on landforms, navigation, and modeling. It is an action-adventure educational game that integrates elements from adventure games (a rich storyline, a large cast of characters, exploration, and situational problem solving) with elements from action games (time pressure, obtaining power-ups, and collecting objects). It features a science adventure set on an uncharted volcanic island where a group of stranded explorers are trying to contact the outside world for rescue.

In Crystal Island: Uncharted Discovery, students play the role of a shipwrecked adventurer who undertakes a series of quests to develop the skills to locate and build a communication device needed to send out a distress signal. Students explore the island from a third-person point of view and can manipulate virtual objects, converse with non-player characters, and use resources such as a virtual tablet to complete the adventure. Students are asked to complete multiple quests that develop skills in problem solving, map reading, and navigation during the course of their adventure.

Support for the project has been provided by the National Science Foundation under Grant DRL‐0822200, Developing Science Problem-Solving Skills and Engagement Through Intelligent Game-Based Learning Environments. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.