Design Planning for an Alternate Reality Game to Support Learning of Informatics Concepts

The project assessed approaches to creating an alternate reality game (ARG) for students to learn baseline concepts and skills of informatics in the introductory informatics course at the University of Washington Information School. The objective was to design a framework for a pilot ARG, explicitly outlining opportunities and constraints for the execution of such a game to enhance learning related to existing subjects on the course syllabus. We sought to ensure 1) instructor support for elements of the game, and 2) student participation during the game duration. We gathered information from experienced course teaching assistants and students who had taken the course previously.