Using game design elements in non-game settings to engage participants and encourage desired behaviors is gamification. This technique was used in a project of Web Adventures developed by Rice University. Their goals were to increase students' science and health knowledge through free, online serious games, and to inspire science-related careers. This presentation shows the available resources and suggests some alternative applications in humanities and non-STEM coursework.

1. Gaming STEM in Humanities Courses
Ken Ronkowitz

2. USING SERIOUS GAMES or using game design elements
in non-game settings to engage participants and encourage
desired behaviors
Project Goals 

3. Web Adventures were developed by Rice University's Center for
Technology in Teaching and Learning with the educational goals to:
• Increase students' science and health knowledge and
• Inspire science-related careers
• through serious games
The site serves as a vehicle to distribute grant-based game projects
to engage students and assist teachers in enhancing their core
curriculum.
All games and companion materials are FREE.

4. This technique was used in the
hopes of improving students’
engagement which could have a
positive impact on learning.
A CASE STUDY USED
A study that evaluated the
learning effectiveness and
engagement of a gamified
learning activity targeted at the
learning of C-programming
language found that there were
positive effects on the
engagement of students toward
the gamified learning activities
and a moderate improvement
in learning outcomes.
“Gamification for Engaging Computer
Science Students in Learning Activities: A
Case Study”
http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/stamp/stamp.jsp?
arnumber=6827214

5. • In CSI Rookie Training, students learn the
underlying science of different forensic
disciplines such as forensic biology,
ballistics, toxicology, and medical
examination.
• In subsequent cases, players apply what
they learned in Rookie Training to solve a
crime.
• They also explore new areas of forensic
science, including fingerprint analysis,
digital forensics, fire investigation, and
facial reconstruction.
• Players collect and analyze evidence
from a crime scene, question suspects,
and present their findings to solve the
case.

6. 6 thematic adventures covering STEM careers:
Neuroscience (Cool Science Careers, Reconstructors, and
NSquad), Microbiology (MedMyst), Forensic Science (CSI),
body systems (NSquad), and Clinical Trials (Virtual Clinical
Trials).
Player analyzing
a blood sample
for alcohol
using gas
chromatography.
youtu.be/MMtoeCd7UDM

7. STEM sure, but Humanities?
Skills that can be addressed
• Specialized and technical vocabulary
• Gathering different types of evidence
• Problem-solving (following protocols)
• Notetaking, graphic organizers, flowcharts
• Investigating evidence for validity
• Many technical writing opportunities
• Presentation of evidence
• User testing of products created by students by
other students
• Analysis

8. Student-created Game Documentation
• Web Adventures provides teacher materials and student
handouts for middle & high school level that can be used
as models.
• Students take notes and create materials WHILE playing
the game.
• AUDIENCE – having students create materials for
higher-ed or special audiences (chemistry, problem-
solving, criminal justice, law, First Year Writing etc.)

9. Sample available resources

10. TYPES OF PRODUCTS
THAT STUDENTS CREATE

11. CRIME SCENE: Any physical location in which a crime has occurred or is
suspected of having occurred.
Source: http://www3.sc.maricopa.edu/ajs/crime_scene_technician.htm
PRIMARY CRIME SCENE: The original location of a crime or accident.
SECONDARY CRIME SCENE: An alternate location where additional
evidence may be found.
ALIBI: Statement of
where a suspect was
at the time of a crime.
ACCOMPLICE: Person
associated with someone
suspected of committing a
crime.
SUSPECT: Person thought to
be capable of committing
a crime.
Have Students Collect Basic Vocabulary

12. Testimonial evidence includes oral or written statements given to police as well as
court testimony by people who witnessed an event.
Physical evidence refers to any material items that would be present at the crime
scene, on the victims, or found in a suspect’s possession.
Trace evidence refers to physical evidence that is found in small but measurable
amounts, such as strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells.
Source: http://www3.sc.maricopa.edu/ajs/crime_scene_technician.htm
What may evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation?
• May prove that a crime has been committed
• Establish key elements of a crime
• Link a suspect with a crime scene or a victim
• Establish the identity of a victim or suspect
• Corroborate verbal witness testimony
• Exonerate the innocent.
• Give detectives leads to work with in the case
Types of Evidence

13. Step 1: Interview
The first step in investigating a crime scene is to interview the first officer at the scene or the
victim to determine what allegedly happened, what crime took place, and how was the
crime committed. This information may not be factual information but it will give the
investigators a place to start.
Step 2: Examine
The second step in the investigation of a crime scene, which will help identify possible
evidence, identify the point of entry and point of exit, and outline the general layout of the
crime scene.
Step 3: Document
The third step in the protocol involves creating a pictorial record of the scene as well as a
rough sketch to demonstrate the layout of the crime scene and to identify the exact
position of the deceased victim or other evidence within the crime scene.
Step 4: Process
The crime scene technician will process the crime scene for evidence, both physical and
testimonial evidence. It is the crime scene technicians responsibility to identify, evaluate
and collect physical evidence from the crime scene for further analysis by a crime
laboratory.
Crime Scene Protocol (Problem Solving Steps)
Adapted from http://www.feinc.net/cs-proc.htm

14. 1. Drug Chemistry – Determines the presence of controlled substances and the
identification of marijuana
2. Trace Chemistry – ID & compare materials from fires, explosions, paints, and glass.
3. Microscopy – Microscopic identification and comparison of evidence, such as hairs,
fibers, woods, soils, building materials, insulation and other materials.
4. Biology/DNA – Analysis of body fluids & dried stains such as blood, semen, and saliva.
5. Toxicology – Tests body fluids & tissues to determine the presence of drugs and poisons.
6. Latent Prints - Identification and comparison of fingerprints or other hidden
impressions from sources like feet, shoes, ears, lips or the tread on vehicle tires.
7. Ballistics (Firearms) – Study of bullets and ammunition through the comparison of
fired bullets, cartridges, guns, and gunpowder patterns on people and objects.
8. Toolmarks – Examines marks left by tools on objects at a crime scene or on a victim,
such as a hammer used to break a door or a screwdriver used to pick a lock.
9. Questioned Documents - Examination of documents to compare handwriting, ink,
paper, writing instruments, printers, and other characteristics that would help to identify
its origin.
Evidence – 9 common types
Source: http://www.isp.state.il.us/forensics/

15. Many videos are also available standalone on YouTube
and can be used independent of the games.
youtube.com/user/cttl1

16. http://webadventures.rice.edu/
videos https://www.youtube.com/user/cttl1/videos
This project was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation
and the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health
Partners include the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, the
American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and CBS Broadcasting Inc.

17. Gaming STEM in Humanities Courses
Ken Ronkowitz
ronkowitz@njit.edu
@ronkowitz
serendipity35.net