Gamers as Scientists? The Relationship Between Participating in Foldit Play and Doing Science

• In Event: Designs for Learning and Practice

Abstract

The University of Washington’s Center for Game Science (CGS) in collaboration with the Baker Laboratory created a protein-folding game, Foldit, which combines computational power and player’s ability to recognize patterns to generate innovative solutions to constraining puzzles. Through analysis of public data and interviews with expert players, we consider whether players engaged in Foldit game-play and participation in the Foldit community learn the science of protein structures from the puzzle-based mechanics and whether players engage in scientific practice regardless of their understanding of the underlying science. This analysis contributes to understanding how non-traditional emergent learning environments can support science learning as well as challenge our very definition of what it means to do science.

Authors

• Mark Chen, Independent Consultant

• Theresa Horstman, University of Washington