CYFair Model

The Concept

CYFair exists in the novel online science museum, SciCentr. This museum exists only in Cyberspace and is based on multi-user 3D virtual chat world technology that appeals directly to teens and young adults. CYFair leverages the multiuser game environment to present educational science content and simulations in a fun and safe social setting where teachers and students work creatively, learning about new subjects and building their familiarity with current information technologies and computational science.

The CYFair Model:

SciCentr staff has developed a model for introducing the technology and its use for constructivist activities that we use in almost all of our CYFair programming. This model has been applied to half-day workshops and expanded for year-long after school programs. We ask all adults and mentors who are interested in participating in our programs to take part in a professional development workshop that will familiarize them with this model. These workshops take the participants through all stages of the exhibit/world development process and also provide the opportunity for the group to reflect on the medium and the model.

The CYFair Sequence:

Stage One - The Medium:

• (Professional Development: Sharing of Expectations and Interests)
• (Year-long Programs: Coach/student contracts and parental commitments.)
• Introduction to the Browser: Navigation, Chat, Browser Features, Concepts of the Technology
• Demonstrations and Tours: Guided Tours of SciCentr Exhibits and SciFair Projects (support offered over-the-shoulder and in-world)
• (Professional Development: Reflections/reactions to the technology and our use of it)
• Introduction to Building: Mentor-scaffolded early building experiences sequentially introducing basic concepts of the technology and the “Lego” set of freely available building materials.
• Homesteading: Participants create their own spaces (buildings, gardens, space ships, etc.), mastering the technology with support of the mentors as needed and sharing with others what they learn.

Stage Two - The Content:

• Introduction of Science Topic Areas: Typically SciCentr staff provide Webbased gateways to a selection of specific research areas and related examples from Cornell research. Note: students are encouraged to frame these areas of research in their own contexts. For example, they can explore and present the history of our understanding of black holes or ways to artistically represent the interior of a cell or the ethical issues surrounding cleanup of nuclear waste.
• Team Formation: Identification of roles that need to be filled in the team-based development of virtual game worlds (for example, landscape architect, game interaction designer, Web designer, writers, artists if needed, content experts); Meet Staff (in-world) who fill these roles; Assignment of responsibilities. Note: the sequence for Team Formation, Topic Selection, and Planning varies depending on the program.
• Topic Selection/ Negotiation over Choices: often the large group then negotiates to form an overarching approach that is acceptable and age appropriate, for example, creation of a rainforest in which content is linked to and related to current research.
• The Game Plan: Team members, coaches, and mentors develop a shared plan for the final project.
• (Year-long Program: Student/coach/mentor contract defining the scope of the project for the rest of the year and identifying opportunities to showcase the students’ work for the community.)
• Ongoing Building: Students set to building their projects in a new space. Staff and mentors introduce additional features of the technology on a need-to-know basis and encourage use of online documentation (all of this information has been available through the documentation from the beginning). Mentors also support content research and creative efforts based in other media. Opportunities include programming interactive plugins for the worlds (bots), deeply planning game interaction, learning to create custom objects for the space (again a staged process).
• SciFair Showcase: Student teams and mentors present their work to each other and members of their community, as well as special guests. These events range from school board presentations to showcase opportunities at CTC-Manhattan and teen-led workshops at national conferences. Every program must plan some kind of Showcase in order to complete the process.
• (Professional Development: Reflection and planning for next steps; program evaluation.)