JISC

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This project aimed to provide a novel and engaging alternative to traditional student induction. Through the use of an Alternate Reality Game, which combines a series of collaborative challenges within an unfolding storyline, it aimed to provide a mechanism for new students to make friends, orientate themselves to the City of Manchester and learn basic information literacy skills.

Executive Summary

This project used a user-centred development methodology to produce the Alternate Reality Game (ARG) software coupled with a mixed-methods research methodology to evaluate the project. The project workflow consisted of an initial concept design leading to a development strategy including iterative testing, during which phase the project software, game design and artefacts were refined. Deployment of the game followed, between September and December 2008, supported by ongoing formative and summative evaluation. The game was deployed in September 2008 and ran until December 2008 with a total of 173 players, 23 (13%) of whom were active. Although this proportion of active players is fairly typical for games of this nature, the overall sign-up rate was disappointing. The final roll-out phase involved the development of training materials and delivery of a series of courses.

The project website will act as a repository of the resources created by the project, such as the software produced, reports, graphical artefacts, guides to designing and running ARG elements, and materials from the training courses developed. This site will act as a growing resource for the ARGs in education community and will grow as new resources become available. The research findings (documented in detail in the project Evaluation Report) include insights into players’ motivations for playing ARGs and the ways in which educational ARGs are necessarily different from those designed purely for recreation.

There is evidence that the project has achieved its aim of developing and piloting an ARG for induction, as well as achieving the majority of its objectives. It also offers a number of insights:

• There may be some design issues (e.g. difficulty of challenges, order of challenges) that require modification but the ARGOSI team believe that the overall design is sound
• Timing is a critical factor and running any activity during freshers’ week is problematic
• The true ARG aesthetic may not work for education; it cannot be assumed that students will be motivated by games or autonomous enough to engage without prompting
• To generate larger player numbers, ARGs need either a) ensure a larger initial sign-up from the target population or b) ensure a greater percentage of active players from those who do sign up. Ways in which to achieve both of these outcomes deserves further consideration and research

There were a number of big questions surrounding alternate reality games in education, which emerged from the evaluation of the ARGOSI project:

• How can students be encouraged to engage without making it compulsory?
• How large does the game have to be to be workable as a voluntary activity?
• At what point does the game become value for money?
• What is an effective marketing strategy?
• ARGs support the autonomous student, but can they also be used to develop autonomy?
• How can the tension between the niche nature of the ARG be resolved with the inclusively that is desirable in Higher Education?

Report available electronically only