Knowledge of how to prepare for flooding remains an important educational need as illustrated by the devastation caused by recent flooding events across the USA and in other global locations. To address this need, we are developing Flood Adventures, a two-stage VR learning game with best practices for flood preparation focusing on how individuals can prepare for flooding and communities can mitigate flood risk. We present our VR game learning model that guides our design and development work. Our prototype development work on the first game stage that focuses on flood preparedness is presented. We conducted usability testing with the initial prototype version of the game with twenty-four adults. Findings from our usability testing found that players used spam clicking strategies during game play. Recommendations to enhance the game are presented.

A prototype desktop Virtual Reality (dVR) exploration game was developed as a curriculum enhancement activity for promoting watershed literacy with middle school students. It focuses on the spatial components, geography, and history of their local watershed. The dVR exploration game was implemented in the summer of 2021 in eastern USA during the COVID-19 pandemic with 35 learners aged 10–14 during summer school. Immediately before and after gameplay completion, the participants answered a 9-item watershed literacy measure assessing essential elements of watershed understandings. The preliminary findings revealed players’ improved ability to identify their own local watershed and how it connected to the ocean by rivers, creeks, and human-made structures. The watershed literacy measure was found to be a valid and reliable instrument.

This work-in-progress paper overviews the development of a multidisciplinary place-based virtual reality learning game to increase learners' watershed literacy by playing guided exploration of the Lehigh River watershed's historical and environmental issues. This desktop VR game aligns to the National Geography Standards to support schools' adopted curricula. Its design is informed by digital game-based and situated learning theories focusing on place-based and gaming features that support learning. “Watershed Explorers” may assist learners' emotional connection to their region through authentic and relevant learning experiences that might inspire them to support their local community welfare. The usability studies with the prototype version showed that players were engaged, felt immersed, and experienced a sense of presence. The game storyline is presented.

An immersive game-based Virtual Reality (iVR) module for secondary students to learn about locations in their watershed with a primary focus on their city was designed and developed. A design model and associated theory that focuses on elements that lead to engagement and learning with iVR gamebased experiences is described. A series of design principles that were used in the iVR environment are discussed. The iVR game was implemented in an urban school in the eastern USA with 54 economically disadvantaged adolescents ages 16-18 who typically are unengaged in traditional school-based learning environments. After game completion, the participants completed a 10-item survey measuring elements of flow and a 12-item survey designed to measure attitudes toward learning with VR games, immersion and presence. The findings revealed that all students experienced a flow state when they played the VR learning game. Almost all users (98.1%) had positive attitudes towards using the VR game. Student responses noted that they experienced high immersion and presence. In addition, students responded with favorable attitudes towards learning with iVR games in school environments.

This work-in-progress paper describes an immersive virtual reality (iVR) learning game for informal education to promote enhanced engagement, improved spatial thinking, and broader understandings of the Lehigh River watershed's cultural history, geography, and environmental issues. Our instructional design includes game design features in addition to learning elements. We provide design guidelines for adolescents and adults who are English language learners, including (a) autonomous learning, (b) fostering learners' use of metacognitive strategies, (c) adaptive, supportive, and motivational feedback to maintain engagement, d) sustained time on task, and e) content knowledge learning and language comprehension.