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Designing an Educational Alternate Reality Game

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Designing an Educational Alternate Reality Game Running Head: EDUCATIONAL ALTERNATE REALITY GAME Designing An Educational Alternate Reality Game Randall Fujimoto Shoyu Learning Solutions Abstract An educational alternate reality game (ARG) is a social learning experience that takes place in both the real and online worlds using various puzzles and activities tied together though an emerging storyline. This project described the design, development, and prototype testing of Finding Identity, an educational, social studies ARG about the history of the Japanese Americans during World War II. The three research topics that this research project addressed were (a) the definition of an educational ARG, (b) the pedagogical benefits of an educational ARG, and (c) the features that could be included in an educational ARG instructional design model. Evaluation of the Finding Identity ARG found that ARGs have pedagogical benefits that can foster significant learning of new topics. However, because ARGs are a relatively new phenomenon, additional research is needed to fully ascertain their instructional potential. ii Table of Contents Abstract............................................................................................................................... ii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION................................................................................. 1 Statement of Purpose ...................................................................................................... 3 Rationale ......................................................................................................................... 3 Operational Definitions of Terms ................................................................................... 4 Alternate Reality Game Terms ................................................................................... 4 Japanese American History Terms ............................................................................. 5 Assumptions and Limitations ......................................................................................... 5 Overview of Remaining Chapters................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF LITERATURE............................................................... 7 Defining an Alternate Reality Game............................................................................... 7 Completed Alternate Reality Games .......................................................................... 7 Alternate Reality Game Features................................................................................ 9 Pedagogical Benefits of Alternate Reality Games........................................................ 14 Collaborative Learning ............................................................................................. 14 Scaffolding and the Zone of Proximal Development ............................................... 15 Situated Learning...................................................................................................... 16 Problem-based Learning ........................................................................................... 16 Multimodal Learning ................................................................................................ 16 Motivation................................................................................................................. 17 Educational Alternate Reality Game Design Model..................................................... 17 Existing Game Design Models ................................................................................. 18 Additional Model Features ....................................................................................... 20 Discussion..................................................................................................................... 22 Missing Literature..................................................................................................... 22 Future of Educational Alternate Reality Games ....................................................... 22 The Finding Identity Alternate Reality Game .......................................................... 23 CHAPTER THREE: EVALUATION PLAN................................................................... 24 Participants.................................................................................................................... 24 Research Methodology ................................................................................................. 25 Instruments.................................................................................................................... 26 Procedures..................................................................................................................... 27 CHAPTER FOUR: DESCRIPTION OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL PRODUCT............. 29 Needs Assessment......................................................................................................... 29 Instructional Problem................................................................................................ 29 Proposed Solution ..................................................................................................... 30 Instructional Strategies.................................................................................................. 30 Learning Goals and Objectives................................................................................. 31 Learning Task Analysis ............................................................................................ 31 Audience Analysis .................................................................................................... 32 Project Description........................................................................................................ 32 Media Selection ........................................................................................................ 32 Scenarios and Puzzles............................................................................................... 33 Activities................................................................................................................... 34 Website ..................................................................................................................... 34 Assessment Items...................................................................................................... 35 Production Work Plan................................................................................................... 36 Website ..................................................................................................................... 36 Scenarios, Puzzles, and Activities ............................................................................ 36 Discussion Board ...................................................................................................... 36 Assessment Items...................................................................................................... 37 Schedule.................................................................................................................... 37 Estimated Budget.......................................................................................................... 39 CHAPTER FIVE: FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND CONCLUSIONS ....... 42 Findings......................................................................................................................... 42 Single Person Evaluation .......................................................................................... 42 Subject Matter Expert Evaluation............................................................................. 42 Field Trial Evaluation ............................................................................................... 43 Recommendations......................................................................................................... 44 Conclusions................................................................................................................... 45 Additional Research.................................................................................................. 46 Summary....................................................................................................................... 47 References......................................................................................................................... 48 Appendices........................................................................................................................ 54 Appendix A: Single Person Evaluation Questionnaire................................................. 55 Appendix B: Subject Matter Expert Evaluation Questionnaire.................................... 56 Appendix C: Field Trial Survey Questions................................................................... 57 Appendix D: Screenshots.............................................................................................. 59 Educational Alternate Reality Game 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Video games have become a part of today’s mainstream culture. About 75% of children in the United States now play video games (Thai, Lowenstein, Ching, & Rejeski, 2009). The video and computer game industry generated nearly $20 billion in 2009, up from $8 billion in 2000 (Boston Herald, 2010), and people are spending more than twice the amount of money on video games than on going to
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