The
Learning-Based
Virtual World
Career
Exploration in
Whyville
An intrinsically
interesting
environment to
teach kids
something.
© 2008 Numedeon, Inc.
Whyvillians Meet a VIP for
Discussion at the Greek Theatre
Ion
Engine
Design
© numedeon, inc. 2006
Whyville Beach
© numedeon, inc. 2006
Learning-based virtual world for teens and tweens
100,000 unique users a month, 3.3 million served
since 1999.
Its own newspaper, economy, government
Educational games in math, science, journalism,
art, government and economics
In 2006, The Texas Workforce
Commission funded Whyville to
help attract “tweens and teens” to
Texas high-tech, high wage
careers in Biotechnology &
Advanced Manufacturing.
Here’s what Whyville has done to
accomplish that goal …
Whyville
Biotech
Whyville
Biotech
© numedeon, inc. 2004
Whyville
Planeworks
OUTREACH
CAREER
SIMULATION
Career
Pipelines
OUTREACH
J
O
B
S
20,000 Engaged
1,000 Referred
Welcome to Whyville’s first live concert! Singer Stacie
Orrico was our featured guest for over 3,000 Whyvillians
online in the Greek “Ampitheatre!”
© numedeon, inc. 2003
But there’s more here than fun and games. Whyvillians are
being polled about the questions being asked of Stacie.
Before this question, the prior one was “Stacie, what was
your favorite subject in high school?” She said “Science!”
Can you find the Whyvillian who also likes science? By the
way, can you find the Whyvillian with WhyPox?
Lessons (Re)learned
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
(again) Game play should start simple, and draw people in
A portal is essential to orient first-time ADULT users
Clams make Whyville go ‘round
Access in schools in not automatic
Client relations – pretty good actually, we do magic
Early adopters – teachers and students
• Mainstream adopters – the student’s other teachers!
Plans
1. Drive statewide adoption in the standard, 21st Century
ways
2. Attend summer statewide middle school conferences, with
white papers and curriculum
3. Platform upgrades
4. Invade () formal education
The
Learning-Based
Virtual World
Career
Exploration in
Whyville
An intrinsically
interesting
environment to
teach kids
something.
© 2008 Numedeon, Inc.
Getty Museum
©©numedeon,
numedeon,inc.
inc.2006
2006
100
articles
submitted
each week
© numedeon, inc. 2006
Some other things you’ll find in Whyville …
©©numedeon,
numedeon,inc.
inc.2006
2006
Evaluator Cathleen Galas in Why Whyville
Studying WhyPox Epidemiology
•
•
•
•
a meaningful problem
collaborative
think critically about the spread
gathering data … making
Whyville has been studied for its successes in exploratory
hypotheses
learning. This National Science Foundation-funded study
the lessons
of disease
spread (epidemiology)
•explored
manyhow
hours
outside
school
were learned in Whyville.
• deep questions, researched
answers
• took responsibility for their own
open-ended learning
• productive citizens
© numedeon, inc. 2006
Our partners.
© 2007 Numedeon, Inc.
Whyville’s kids are engaged in…
• Nutrition education (obesity & type II
diabetes)
• Music (and dancing, of course)
• Science – from astronomy & physics to
rocket science & marine biology
• Global warming
• Art
• History
• Entrepreneurship
• Film & tv
• Economics
• Fashion & design
• Work force development (robotics,
advanced manufacturing, biotechnology)
• Mathematics
• Hearing loss education
• Learning about disabilities –
physical & learning
• Infectious disease
• Civics & governance
• Journalism
• Reading
• Recycling
• Finance & credit
• Philanthropy
• Automobile engineering
• Internet safety
• Games
There’s room for more!
What sets Whyville apart is not what it teaches
kids about the world, but how it teaches them.
© 2007 Numedeon, Inc.
How the education works.
Pedagogy
Healthy Diet
Not-So-Healthy Diet
• Hands-On
• Inquiry Based
• Constructivist
• Fun!
Whyville’s Grocery Store – 496 Foods
Whyville’s Cafeteria
Hotwired Education Site…Don’t
you wish this kind of stuff was
around when we were in school?
© 2007 Numedeon, Inc.
Hey, our teachers like it too.
Whyville is the leading web-based educational community for children…”
Learning Landscapes
Introduce this site to your students for months of science fun! My sixth graders
love it! Whyville supports the use of computers by kids the way that scientists
use computers: for data collection, data visualization, simulation and modeling,
and scientific communication. The site also reflects what we know about
learning communities and the kinds of interaction kids seek while learning and
having fun.”
Wendy Li, sixth grade teacher
We are including a Whyville experience in the pilot distance education piece of
our science elementary methods curriculum. After visiting Whyville, I am
convinced that it would be great for pre-service teachers to experience Whyville
over the course of several weeks to see what excellence in electronic learning
for kids really can be.”
Dr. Maureen McMahon, Dept. Chair, Cal State Long Beach
© 2007 Numedeon, Inc.
Behind Whyville.
Dr. James Bower - CEO, Founder
 Professor of Biology at Caltech 1985-2002
 Founder and Director of Caltech Pre-College Science Initiative
 Authored 100+ scientific publications and edited or authored 15+ books
 Ph.D. in Neurophysiology – University of Wisconsin
Dr. Jennifer Sun - President, Co-founder
 Founding member of Idealab’s Learning.net
 Director Educational Development – Electric Schoolhouse
 Ph.D. in Neuroscience – Caltech
Mark Dinan - Chief Technology Officer, Co-founder
 B.S. Physics – Caltech
Ann Pickard - Senior Art Director, Co-founder
 Pasadena Art Center College of Design
Jay Goss - Chief Operating Officer
 Built and ran businesses for Execusurv, Reed Elsevier, ClickOf Time
Technologies (founder; sold company to SBC/Idealab), Disney/ESPN,
UCLA, Gary’s Leather Creations
 MBA – USC Marshall School of Business
Whyville, the place girls love
to go for science.
© 2007 Numedeon, Inc.