End of Web - An Alternate Reality Game

 

What is an alternative reality game (ARG)?

An ARG consists of three elements: a series of challenges, an underlying narrative, and a collaborative community, and while all three elements can be facilitated online, many challenges take place in the real world, and may be collaborative or individual. In education for providing purposeful and motivating collaborative activities to contextualise

learning. While they do require some expertise and creativity to design, they are far cheaper and faster to create than developing high-end software, and can ensure that specific learning outcomes are met. As they involve the integration of web technologies such as blogs, wikis, and social networking software, they provide users with the experience of different technologies.

 

 

Overview

 

This project is designed to allow students to engage in playful exploration of technology and take part in a massive mutliplayer project. The aim of the game development - is to create a safe-fail environment for teachers and students to develop learning activities and strategies based upon the conditions that make 'video games' motivational. These are re-aligned to specific learning outcomes; as playing a game, which motivating may have little to do with educational outcomes - but everything to do with 21st Century skills'.

 

• Used an equiry approach to learning, based on a 'what if', plausible scenario
• Allows students to focus their input though methods they enjoy
• All students will be good at something;
• Allows teachers to explore a limited range of technology; and learn about online facilitation
• Allows teachers to explore using technologies within an authentic project

 

 

"active, critical learning should lead to learners becoming designers, either by physically designing extensions to the game or by cognitively extending the game design and using that to inform their play."

Gee, J.P. 2003. What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.

 

Development Objectives

 

The game is developed with objective in mind; these should align with the activities and assessment. The objectives should augment existing outcomes or standards.

 

For example: A teacher might wish to teach civics; what is it in the standards that they wish to teach? - Can they augment that though partipating in the game - and if so - can they then do it in such a way, using tools and techniques that meet at least one of these objectives.

 

• The environment should support active learning by encouraging exploration, problem- solving, and enquiry, providing opportunities to test ideas and gain feedback, practice and consolidation
• Opportunities for collaboration should also be provided and, as much as possible, game goals should align with learning outcomes.
• Rote or didactic approaches can be effective in complex skill and competency development (medical, engineering, mathematical algorithms, forluma, scientific etc.,)
• The environment should engender engagement, with explicit and achievable goals, provision of a large world to be explored with a high level of interactivities, multiple pathways, and different ways in which success can be achieved.
• Provide an appropriate level of challenge and control of the environment.
• The gaming world should be appropriate for the learning context, in that it fits with, or is at least relevant to, curriculum and assessment, is suitable for the subject area, matches the time available, and is personally relevant to and acceptable by the

  students.

• The environment or associated activities should support and provide opportunities for reflection, allow students to debrief from the game and contextualise their learning, and highlight the process of learning.
• The environment must provide an equitable experience for all users, taking into account and accommodating differing prior knowledge and experience of that world and similar environments. Ideally it should allow for personalisation and customisation

  and provide equal opportunities for all students to participate. Alternative pedagogic approaches should be available to students aligned to their personal learning preferences.

• The gaming world needs to provide ongoing support, from initial orientation to early tasks that provide quick initial success, with a gradual introduction of increasing complexity, supported with help, hints or clues to ensure that the environment does

  not become limiting. The gaming experience should aim to extend players to their extreme level of competence.

 

Team

• Dean Groom; (started the project)
• Add your name.

 

Timeline

• Kickoff: August, 2009
• Game Development/ Process Complete: October 2009
• Resources Complete: November 2009
• Platform for participation complete: January 2010
• Testing Complete: February 2010
• Release: March 2010
• Celebration: Sunday

 

Tasks/Milestones

 

• Game outline
• Development Objectives
•