{"schemaVersion":1,"record":{"key":"mechanic/education--lab-notebook","type":"mechanic","id":"education--lab-notebook","lang":"en","title":"Virtual laboratory and experiment log","summary":"The learner links a hypothesis, experiment settings, measurement and a recorded result so an experiment can be repeated and compared.","updatedAt":"2026-10-22","status":"active","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/knowledge/mechanic/education--lab-notebook/","jsonUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/api/v1/knowledge/en/mechanic/education--lab-notebook.json","markdownUrl":"https://gamemechanics.pro/content/knowledge/en/mechanic/education--lab-notebook.md","aliases":["Laboratory and experiment log"],"tags":["Educational games","Applied learning and evidence work"],"sourceIds":["source-757ea6a8256a6907","source-a6f3fa9389ba6418","source-090ee83445744667"],"sources":[{"id":"source-757ea6a8256a6907","title":"PhET: inquiry activities with simulations","url":"https://phet.colorado.edu/files/guides/UG-Guide-HW_en.pdf","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-a6f3fa9389ba6418","title":"Minecraft Education: Chemistry","url":"https://education.minecraft.net/en-us/resources/science/chemistry","verifiedAt":null},{"id":"source-090ee83445744667","title":"The Operator","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/","verifiedAt":null}],"sections":[{"id":"principle","title":"How it works","body":"Players connect predictions, model settings, measurements and records so an experiment can be repeated."},{"id":"variants","title":"Variants","body":"### Variants\n\n<a id=\"lab-notebook-variants\"></a>\n\n- Record a prediction before running an experiment <a id=\"lab-notebook-1\"></a>\n- Save the model’s initial parameters <a id=\"lab-notebook-2\"></a>\n- Run control and modified trials <a id=\"lab-notebook-3\"></a>\n- Record measurement units alongside a value <a id=\"lab-notebook-4\"></a>\n- Compare repeated runs of one experiment <a id=\"lab-notebook-5\"></a>\n- Reproduce another player’s experiment from its log <a id=\"lab-notebook-6\"></a>\n- Separate observation from explanation in a record <a id=\"lab-notebook-7\"></a>\n- State a property the model does not reproduce <a id=\"lab-notebook-8\"></a>"},{"id":"example","title":"Design example","body":"Hypothetical laboratory: change one model parameter, record results and test a prediction with a new setting."},{"id":"context","title":"Context and limits","body":"A mechanic map for games with explicit learning goals, from first encounters with a topic to professional practice. It covers children, teenagers and adults; choose subject, difficulty, context and controls for the learner. Player actions, subject content, instructional support and assessment are distinct layers. Scores and game completion alone do not establish mastery or skill transfer."}],"relations":[],"placements":[{"catalogId":"education","id":"lab-notebook","title":"Educational games","url":"https://gamemechanics.pro/en/mechanics/education/#lab-notebook","categoryIds":["applied-learning"]}],"supersededBy":[],"attributes":{"preview":{"updatedAt":"2026-10-22","title":"Laboratory and experiment log","description":"The learner links a hypothesis, experiment settings, measurement and a recorded result so an experiment can be repeated and compared.","image":{"src":"images/mechanics/narrative-the-operator-08.webp","width":1440,"height":810,"game":"The Operator","sourceUrl":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/","originalUrl":"https://shared.akamai.steamstatic.com/store_item_assets/steam/apps/1771980/ss_53cdfb9a020be84bd244dba7817656b1c37a176f.1920x1080.jpg?t=1778485297","credit":"Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova","rights":"© Bureau 81 / Bureau 81 / indienova. All rights reserved.","caption":"An instrument reveals the examined sample’s composition","alt":"An instrument reveals the examined sample’s composition","markers":[{"x":56,"y":58,"label":"The graph adds information unavailable through ordinary inspection"}]},"tips":["Record experimental conditions alongside results, including failed tests."],"examples":[{"title":"The Operator","url":"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1771980/"}]}},"endsAt":null,"provenance":"Educational reference expanded from all 64 families and 749 variants of the original children-education taxonomy, with original editorial additions dated 2026-10-20. Sources support specific methods and examples, not the entire classification or its effectiveness.","license":"CC-BY-4.0","codeLicense":"MIT","attribution":"gamemechanics.pro contributors","catalogKey":"catalog/education"}}