Conference Paper: Online Educational Simulations: Exploring Questions, Context, and Moral Development

Jonathan D’Angelo (1) & Susan L. Kline (2)

1. University of Wisconsin, jdda...@wisc.edu

2. Ohio State University, klin...@osu.edu

Abstract

Critical thinking and argument skills are significant for developing a range of competencies for participating in society, including moral development. Hence, the focus in this research is on argument discourse skill, and on exploring the effectiveness of a particular intervention – online educational games – as a context for enhancing argument skills, and serving as a platform for moral development. This research examined a specific computer simulation called Place Out of Time, which involved 168 students in five schools from middle through graduate school over a 10 week time period. Here two studies are presented. The first focused on argumentative discourse, finding that students utilize questioning in distinct ways not before accounted for in literature. The second situated these findings by exploring evidence of larger educational development. It is concluded that this context, and online educational simulations, may present a unique and especially effective context for development of argumentation skills, as well as moral development.