NASA IS Playing Around!

Who’d a thunk it… MMO game development for NASA… Correct! NASA Learning Technologies sponsored a workshop that presented their concept of delivery NASA content through a Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO) educational game to interested development partners. The environment would find players drawn into a synthetic environment that would serve as a powerful tool for teaching a range of complex subjects in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The daylong workshop provided more than 200 potential development partners the opportunity to learn directly from NASA officials about the vision, goals, and expectations for the development of an MMO educational game. Participants heard top NASA scientists and education officials talk about NASA’s future plans for space exploration and how the agency is planning to leverage the game to enhance education efforts across the country.

The Learning Technologies Project Office is collaborating with the Innovative Partnerships Program Office at NASA‘s Goddard Space Flight Center to develop the project’s business strategy, which includes a formal request for proposals for development partners and planning for today’s workshop. The Innovative Partnerships Program Office acts as a matchmaker between NASA and commercial businesses, research institutions, and other government laboratories to form mutually beneficial collaborative agreements for research and licensing. Workshop sessions underscored the importance of stimulating STEM, the value of NASA partnerships to the U.S. economy, and information about current and future science missions. Participants at the workshop also were provided with the opportunity to register for one-on-one briefing sessions with NASA officials to discuss specific questions about the request for proposals.