The first modeling quest asks the s

The first modeling quest asks the student to match an actual photo of the island with a model that represents the corresponding
part of the island. The second modeling quest has the student create a model of the village using a modeling app
provided by the cartographer on the virtual tablet, which allows the student to drag and drop 2D icons of the various huts in
the village to construct their model. In addition to these quests, the student’s problem-solving activities are scaffolded
through several mechanisms. Her virtual tablet includes a reference app that provides multimedia presentations on topics
about landforms, maps, and models.
Throughout the game, non-player characters communicate with the student through dialogue and text messages to offer
context-sensitive advice. She can take notes in her journal to record details about her adventure, and the mayor provides her
with a Problem-Solving app, which uses the Polya framework to dynamically guide her problem-solving activities throughout
her quests. Once she has successfully completed the six quests in the village, she is granted access to a new area of the
island where she must solve a complex puzzle that requires all the skills she has developed completing her earlier quests:
problem solving, map reading, and navigation. Upon completing her final quest, the student constructs a communication device,
which she uses to contact the outside world for rescue, and wins the game.
To provide problem-solving scaffolding and create engaging learning experiences, a virtual tablet computer was introduced.
The virtual tablet is a multi-functional device that provides a set of tools for students to use throughout their quests:
the IslandPedia app, the Problem-Solving app, the Camera app, the Photo Journal app, the Text Message app, the Map app, and
the Quest app. Each of these tools is discussed below.
IslandPedia app. To address the need for students to access learning resources throughout their problem-solving episodes,
the virtual tablet includes the IslandPedia app (Fig. 3). IslandPedia provides students multimedia presentations of
key content. They are available on demand as students solve problems to successfully complete quests in the game, and
characters opportunistically recommend that students consult IslandPedia when needed. Accompanied by voiceover narration
with close captioning, IslandPedia’s presentations dynamically highlight salient visual elements. Presentations draw
connections between virtual objects and real-world phenomena. Authored in Flash and imported into CRYSTAL ISLAND through
the Unity game engine, some presentations are diagrammatic, while others are photographic.
The IslandPedia app includes presentations on the following topics: