Educational gaming software

Abstract

Apparatus for realizing an online multiplayer simulation game is described. The online multiplayer simulation game presents a computer-generated gameplay virtual world, where acquiring and demonstrating mastery of educational skills is a requirement for advancement of a character, associated with a user or a learner, in the game. The game provides a method for effectively teaching a set of educational skills by motivating the learner to improve understanding of the educational skills by having to demonstrate the educational skills as part of the game. Upon successful demonstration of the educational skills, components within the gaming realm are modified or enhanced.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for providing a gaming realm, the gaming realm being configured to teach education skills to a learner, the apparatus comprising:
 means for engaging the learner to learn and practice the educational skills;   means for the learner to demonstrate proficiency in the learned educational skills; and   means for advancing game performance of the learner upon successful demonstration of proficiency in a subset of the educational skills.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 means for providing feedback to the learner in response to an unsuccessful demonstration of proficiency in the subset of the educational skills.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the means for engaging the learner to learn and practice the educational skills comprising:
 a server providing an online learning game to the learner via a network;   a computing device associated with the learner, coupled to the network and configured to communicatively connect to the server via the network, the computing device comprising:
 a processor; 
 a data storage device coupled to the processor and storing program code executable by the processor; 
 a display device coupled to the processor for showing a virtual world of a gaming realm associated with the learning game; and 
 a controller used by the learner to manage functions of the gaming realm. 
   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the means for the learner to demonstrate proficiency in the learned educational skills comprising:
 a character in the gaming realm controlled by the learner using a controller;   a virtual vehicle for the learner to advance through the educational game as the avatar;   training tasks associated with an educational skill for completion by the learner in the gaming realm;   mastery tasks associated with the educational skill for demonstrating mastery of the training tasks associated with the educational skill, for completion by the learner in the gaming realm; and   a learner profile stored in the storage device to track completion of the mastery tasks associated with the educational skill.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the means for advancing game performance of the learner upon successful demonstration of proficiency in a subset of the educational skills comprising:
 at least a portion of the gaming realm not previously accessible to the learner for the learner to advance through as the character;   modification(s) of one or more components in the gaming realm; and   one or more updates to the learner profile to reflect the successful completion of the mastery tasks associated with the educational skill.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the modification of the one or more components in the gaming realm is selected from the group consisting of: components to be added to the vehicle, improvements to the efficiency of the vehicle, upgrades to the the vehicle, functions of the gaming realm to be added to the controller, and resources of the gaming realm to be acquired by the learner. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the feedback to the learner in response to an unsuccessful demonstration of proficiency in the subset of the educational skills is provided via the gaming realm. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the learner profile is updated to reflect an unsuccessful completion of the mastery tasks associated with the educational skill.