Simulation-Based Game Learning Environments: Building and Sustaining a Fish Tank

This paper describes an approach, where an exploration-based simulation environment for conducting and observing science experiments is combined with a game environment to provide a learning environment that supports learning with understanding and transfer. We describe the components of the learning environment that includes active controls to create an "inspectable" simulation, and a formative assessment scheme that aids monitoring and learning for novice learners. A preliminary experiment demonstrates the effectiveness of the simulation environment. In future, we will extend this environment by linking it to our teachable agent system, Betty\´s Brain, and develop a simulation-based "game" environment that includes a sequence of challenges to further motivate the student and expand their learning abilities.