• What instructional benefits will be gained by playing?
• Who can they contact for help or practice before the game?
• What do Teachers need to know to play and direct this game?

[ Overview | Instructional Objective | Learners | Context | Scope | Object of Game | Design Details |
Competing Products | Motivational Issues | Design Process | References ]

Overview:
Living in Harmony consists of a website and game that tell the story of the San Diego Kumeyaay (koo'-me-eye); Native Americans who once roamed the San Diego region and surrounding lands. The Kumeyaay lived in harmony with nature, relying on the things that nature provided in order to survive including the water, animals and especially plants.

The main component of this website is an interactive game created using The Palace, a multiuser graphical chat environment. Students interact with a chat facilitator, and each other, while they explore various aspects of the Kumeyaay lifestyle in an 'edutaining' environment. Possible activities include online events in which students, teachers, and others interested in Native American or California history can participate.

Instructional Objective and Learners
California history is the focus of history-social science instruction at grade 4. The history of California is the story of successive waves of immigrants from the 16th century through modern times and of the enduring marks each left on the character of the state. Great emphasis is placed on the regional geography of California. As part of the grade 4 curriculum standards, student are required to analyze the different regions and the interactions of physical characteristics and cultural forces and how the landscape of California has provided different resources for different people at different times, from the earliest to the present.

Therefore, in accordance with the State of California Academic Standards Commission's draft of grade 4 History-Social Science Standards, the website and game, "Living in Harmony: The San Diego Kumeyaay," provides students with an opportunity to learn of a unique part of San Diego's history; its native people, and how they utilized their physical environment. The website and game also offer students a unique learning environment that combines use of technology, research, collaboration, and problem solving.

State of California Academic Standards Commission's draft of grade 4, California: A Changing State:

"4.2 Students describe the major social and political interactions among the people of California from the pre-Columbian societies to the Spanish mission and Mexican rancho periods, in terms of:

1. The major nations of California Indians, their geographic distribution, economic activities, legends, and religious beliefs; and how they depended upon, adapted to and modified the physical environment by cultivation of land and sea resources."

Reference: Proposed California and national standards for History/Social Science maintained by the SCORE History/Social Science site. (curricular frameworks).

Context of Use
"Living in Harmony: The San Diego Kumeyaay" is designed to be used as a supplemental teaching aid in the classroom. Ideally, teachers would have students in a computer lab with Internet access; this allows all students to play the game in groups of two's or three's. However, in a typical classroom that may only have one or a few computers, the teacher can still modify the game so that students can play in a rotating schedule; provided the computers have Internet access. In a one computer classroom, or even in multiple computer settings, the teacher could arrange to have the game played with students from remote classrooms; an added element would be the collaboration with another teacher.

The game is also flexible enough to be played many times or over the course of time as a continuous game. The game allows the teacher to control many aspects of the game itself: content, duration of play, number of players, location of players, and more. Guest speakers could be introduced to the students during the game to serve as experts or facilitators. A list of local San Diego Native Americans contacts is available from the website from which guests could be invited to the game.

Prior to playing "Living in Harmony", students should receive some form of introduction to the Native Americans of California, as well as information about natural resources, usage, and consumption. However, the game itself, used in conjunction with the website, could be used as an introductory activity with another curriculum objective. Following the game, there should be a class discussion that reviews all aspects of the game to assess student learning and interactions during the game.

Scope
"Living in Harmony: The San Diego Kumeyaay" is a unique game in that its scope can range from one classroom of students to multiple classroom participation. The duration of the game is flexible and is ultimately determined by the facilitating teacher. As a quiz game, the number of questions can be modified according to how much time a teacher allocates for students to conduct their research time on the Internet. For example, each group of students would have about 15 minutes to find answers to two to three questions.

Object of the Game
The object of  the game is for students to collaborate online to find the correct answers to quiz-like questions within a set time limit. Students are given specific questions about the Kumeyaay lifestyle and/or use of natural resources and must research provided websites to find the correct answers. Special game props are awarded to players when they find the correct responses. Once students have retrieved the answers and their game props, they are "debriefed" by the teacher. Along the way, students can ask questions or communicate with each other. The team that returns to the debriefing hut with all the correct answers to their questions and the correct game props first, wins.

Design Details
"Living in Harmony: The San Diego Kumeyaay" is a game that combines elements of a quiz, a branching story, and an adventure. The main emphasis of the game is the quiz element that encourages the collaboration of students online and acquisition of knowledge about the Kumeyaay. Students are introduced to the website first, then they proceed to the Palace site where they get directions from the facilitator and begin the game.

Universal Elements
The overall appearance of the game is intended to give the players a photorealistic environment of the Kumeyaay's lifestyle and environment. Students can move freely between the webpages and the Palace game. They can ask questions, earn "props", and communicate with others. Each of the main "rooms" within the Palace, links to a website, help, and navigation tools. 

Technical Elements
The Palace client software is required in order to play the Palace game and can be downloaded from the Palace website.. As a bare minimum, workstations should be:

• Macintosh or PC (minimum 486-66Mhz equivalent)
• 16 MB RAM
• Faster Internet connection improves speed of game. However, game will work with 28.8 modem
• 256 color, 640x480 screen resolution.
• sound capabilities preferred
  

Competing Products
 "Living in Harmony: The San Diego Kumeyaay" is believed to be an original, first of its kind, game. It combines the learning objectives of a webquest with a flexible interactive chat environment that allows students to collaborate online. The game is extremely flexible in that the overseeing teacher, or game facilitator, can manipulate the duration of play, change the quiz questions to better fit the level of his/her students, and/or provide additional depth to the game by introducing a 'guest speaker' online, as well as remote participants from other school sites.

Motivational Issues
Engaging elements of the game are the graphical representations of Kumeyaay living environments and artifacts, as well as the interaction that takes place between players and the facilitator. The game models much of Keller's ARCS theory:

Attention

The learners perceptual arousal is enhanced by the graphical chat rooms and external websites. Learners actively think and collaborate their efforts during the game and create much of the variability of the game in their interactions with each other.

Relevance

Although the Palace chat format may not be a familiar environment for first time players, the chat room graphics and directions are clear and easy to follow. Because the research component of the game is timed, students must stay focused on their task in order to maintain the competition during the game. Competitive motivation during the game also keeps the arousal of the players.

Confidence

Learners may have difficulties when using the Palace format during the first game. However, the teacher can provide practice prior to playing the game. Previous experience with the technology and researching is also a prerequisite to the game that lends to the players' confidence level. Learners receive support from the game facilitator as well as each other during collaboration in the chat rooms.

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Motivation

Interpersonal motivation, as it relates to Malone and Lepper's theory, develops through the competition between players. Cooperation and social recognition are major components of the game and aid in the motivation of the learners during the game. An element of mystery also motivates the players in that the teams are not aware of the other teams' progress until all players return to the 'hut' room.

Although not yet thoroughly beta tested, we feel confident that the level of the players' enjoyment of the game, according to Csikszentmihlyi, will be consistent with his philosophy that the players will be so involved in the game that the learning will be a positive experience for all players.

Design Process
The game idea came originally from a concept that we had related to navigation (i.e. how to use a compass.) As we thought more about a scenario for this idea, we decided to delve into a Native American theme. Since there is a strong emphasis on Native Americans in California state curriculum for social studies, we decided to make this the main learning objective.

The idea of using The Palace developed as we thought more of making the game accessible from the Internet and involving multiple players. We also wanted to have an opportunity that would allow guest speakers to appear during a game and a chat room was an ideal choice. The Palace also provided a chat environment that would be entertaining to young children.

We began our research on background information of San Diego county native Americans by looking at websites, journals, brochures, and books. We also found a lot of information about the Kumeyaay from the Mission Trails Visitors Center. As we found more information to support the curriculum objectives of teaching about Native Americans and we learned more about The Palace capabilities, the game strategies began to become more clear. Bernie Dodge and his son Alex, a Palace expert, provided much of the feedback that helped give direction to the game.

Learning how to create a Palace server proved to be the biggest challenge in the development of the game. Technical problems arose quite frequently, but did not deter our efforts to find solutions. However, we did discover that thorough documentation (job aids) must accompany the game so as to keep the game's interface user-friendly.

References
We would like to extend a special thanks to the volunteer staff at the Mission Trails Regional Park for their patience and assistance during our research. A special thank you is also extended to Alex Dodge for his expert advice using "The Palace."

Books & Journals

Alter, Ruth. (1995). The painted rocks. San Diego, California: San Dieguito River Valley Regional Open Space Park Joint Powers Authority.

Cabrillo Historical Association. (1986). Impact of European exploration and settlement on local Native Americans. San Diego, California: Cabrillo Historical Association.

Carrico, R. L. (1987). Strangers in a stolen land: American Indians in San Diego,1850-1880. Newcastle, California: Sierra Oaks Publishing.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. New York: Harper & Row. (Chapter 3: Enjoyment and the quality of life; Chapter 4: The conditions of flow)

Harvey, K., Harjo, L., Jackson, K. (1997). Teaching about native americans. Washington, DC: National Council for the Social Studies.

Hedges, K. E. An analysis of Diegueño pictographs. A thesis presented to the faculty of San Diego State College. 1970, August.

Keller, J. M., & Suzuki, K. (1988). Use of the ARCS motivation model in courseware design. In D. H. Jonassen (Ed.). Instructional designs for microcomputer courseware. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Lee, M. (1989). Indians of the Oaks. San Diego, California: San Diego Museum of Man.

Malone, T. W., & Lepper, M. R. (1987). Making learning fun: A taxonomy of intrinsic motivations for learning. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.). Aptitude, learning and instruction. Volume 3: Cognitive and affective process analysis. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Mills, J. R. (1985). San Diego: where California began. San Diego, California: San Diego Historical Society. (4thed).

News from the Native Californian: an inside view of the California Indian world. (12, 1). (1998, Fall).

Schultze, C.A. (1992, Fall). A reconstruction of Ystagua village. A thesis presented to the Faculty of San Diego State University.

Shipek, F. (1987). Pushed into the rocks: Southern California land tenure 1769-1986. Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. Electronic