Power Spots

1. Power Spots A City Wide Learning Game for CCOL 2014

2. “What would it mean to think of education as the responsibility of a distributed network of people and institutions, including schools, libraries, museums and online communities?” –Mimi Ito & Katie Salen, Connected Learning “Let’s make the city of Chicago into a learning campus” – Sybil Madison-Boyd, CCOL Kickoff Meeting December 2013

3. Overview • Power Spots (working title) is a game proposal for CCOL (Chicago City of Learning) 2014. The game works best if played by groups of players accompanied by a mentor. This game creates a fun opportunity for players to visit and explore museums and learning institutions in the downtown Chicago area … and adds a simple, competitive twist.

5. Gameplay • Groups of 4-12 players are assigned to a mentor and a team color • Each team mentor is given an iPadto use for the activity. • Teams travel between participating learning spots in Chicago (ie. Shedd Aquarium, The Art Institute, The Field Museum, and many more.) • On a mobile device, each learning institution is represented as a colored dot on a simple background • The team explores the learning site • The team takes a quiz (or learning challenge) together, aggregating what they have learned at the location • If the team successfully completes the learning challenge, the spot on the map turns to their team color on the Power Spots map. All teams playing the game can see the colors changing on the map as different teams take different learning locations. • Teams work across multiple days and multiple locations to convert patterns of dots on the map to their color • Certain patterns of dots on the map unlock rewards for the team (ie. free cookies from a downtown bakery, movie passes, 50% off lunch for the team, etc.)

6. Strategy • Players must strategize (as a team) about which spots they want to convert to their color on the map. • Players must choose their next conquest carefully because other teams can sabotage their plans – both accidentally and intentionally. • It is similar to playing a giant game of tic-tac-toe on a grid the size of a city.

7. Rewards • Power Spots partners with local Chicago businesses to offer rewards for players • Players who create certain patterns on the grid, or map (by converting spots to their team color on the map) can unlock rewards for the team • Examples of rewards include: • 50% off of lunch at a Chicago restaurant • Movie Passes for team members • Museum Passes for team members • Cookies from a local bakery • And more…

8. Learning Objectives • Players learn from the exhibits at museums and other learning spots • Players become familiar with a vast number of learning opportunities in the city. This includes where these learning opportunities are and what they offer. • Young learners start to think of their city as a CAMPUS • Players learn to collaborate and strategize with team mates about the team’s next move • Players learn from hanging out with mentors • Players learn from mentors how to effectively navigate the city

9. Possible Research Questions • Pre/Post Test: After playing the game, do players have increased knowledge of the learning opportunities available to them in the city? ON A MAP can they accurately label more learning spots after playing the game than before? • Does the game cause young learners to explore a learning institution more thoroughly than an average visitor? (Randomized Controlled Trial) • Does a Power Spots player retain learning longer than a casual visitor to the museum? (Longitudinal. Randomized Control Trial) • Does the game cause players to continue to visit the participating learning institutions even after the experience is over? (Longitudinal. Randomized Control Trial)

10. GCC Fellow Involvement • Design • Grad/Undergrad Fellows can help design additional games using the same Power Spots “grid.” These may include games for individuals to play as well as groups. • Modular Design Methodology (ie. If student work is high quality it can be included in the app. But this does not impact the main Power Spots Game – student games are add-ons.) • Development • Youth Fellows and Grad/Undergrad Fellows can help with going to learning spots and generating the hundreds of quiz questions for each participating learning organization • Grad Fellows may be asked to help setup and negotiate partnerships for the game with learning organizations and Chicago businesses • Grad Fellows will research best practices for this type of game (ie. method for public display, awareness raising, scalability)

12. Timeline • Although Power Spots is not made exclusively for The Source 2.0, it can be timed to premiere during The Source in summer 2014 • After The Source 2.0, Power Spots can be opened up to a larger, citywide audience

13. Why is This is a Good Idea? • Low Cost • High Impact • Highly Scalable (to more people in Chicago, as well as other cities) • Leveraging one of our most significant assets: connection to The Hive network • This is perfect for CCOL 2014. It turns the city of Chicago into a learning campus.

15. Technology • Can be made in Unity3D, Native Android (Java) or Native iOS (Objective C) • Downloadable on both phones and tablets • Makes great use of the location-based app recommendations in iOS 7.0

16. Future Implications • Opens the opportunity to create more networked Mobile Games

18. Basic Equation • This game creates a simple equation between knowledge and ownership. • By demonstrating their knowledge of a location, players are able to convert it to their team color. • The game is incredibly simple, but also deeply strategic.

19. The Hive Network will love us forever!

20. Thank You! James A. Taylor Learning Technology Director Game Changer Chicago (Ci3) jtaylor@ci3.uchicago.edu 323-743-0758 Let’s make this happen!