Start date: 1 April 2008
End date: 31 March 2009
Funding programme: Users & Innovation: Personalising Technologies
Project website:
http://www.playthinklearn.net/argosi.htm
JISC theme(s): e-Administration, Information environment
Committees: JISC Integrated Information Environment committee
Overview
An Alternate Reality Game consists of three elements: a series of challenges, an underlying narrative, and a collaborative community. While all three elements will be facilitated online, many challenges take place in the real world, and may be collaborative or individual. The ongoing story provides coherence to the challenges, and the collaborative community provides a forum for students to share information, provide hints for each other and work together. In this pilot the focus will be a single area of induction: library and information skills.
Aims and objectives
The ARGOSI project aims to examine the potential of Alternate Reality Games as an engaging alternative method of supporting student orientation, socialisation and induction.
The project will address four research objectives. These consider the issue of whether an
Alternate Reality Game is an effective and appropriate medium for enabling students to:
- meet the intended learning outcomes of the library and information skills induction;
- create social networks during the induction period;
- improve their confidence in navigating the city and university campus;
- engage in, and enjoy, the induction experience.
Project methodology
The ARGSOI team will collaboratively develop, pilot and evaluate an ARG with students at MMU and the UoB. It will be managed by Nicola Whitton, with expertise in game design and evaluation. Technical expertise will be provided by Scott Wilson, with responsibility for implementation of the components of the ARG environment.
ARGSOI will also draw on specialist expertise: David White on the construction of digital narratives; Rosie Jones on the design and implementation of library induction; Peter Whitton on graphic design; Adrian Stevenson will act as critical friend; and Katie Piatt will bring her previous experience of designing ARGs for learning.
Anticipated outputs and outcomes
- An integrated gaming environment, drawing together relevant online tools (e.g. blogs, wikis, community-building software) to address identified user needs.
- An enhanced induction programme, providing students the opportunity to participate in an alternative model of learning.
- The technical aspects of the process model will contribute to the e-Framework and the semantic wiki as a Service Usage Model.
- A process model for the development of educational ARGs, which can be shared with the community at large. The project will engage in collaborative activities in the JISC community and disseminate the project findings as widely as possible
Technology / Standards used
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A range of existing Web 2.0 technologies, including social networking and bookmarking software, blogs and wikis.
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Development of an integrated gaming platform, bringing together narrative, challenge and community elements.
Lead Institution
Project partners