Transactive Art: An Inclusive Game-Based Programming Context (TRANS ART)

Through previous funding from various federal, private, and corporate sponsors, a highly successful game-based learning environment was developed, called Quest Atlantis (QA). This multiuser virtual environment is being used by teachers with over 15,000 children worldwide to support meaningful content learning. Building upon this work as well as involvement in the development of other creative programming environments, the purpose of the project is to develop and study a narrative-based programming environment and gaming context to enhance technological fluency and creativity in schools and after-school centers across the globe. Using a systems approach to creativity, narrative-based programming environment and gaming context within QA will be offered, from which students can develop original conceptual play spaces or other forms of transactive stories for peers. Using a design toolkit to develop personalized projects, students will learn fundamental computer science programming concepts and skills as they develop story-algorithms while pursuing creative and open-ended aims such as designing virtual space narratives.