I have been exploring the use of SCVNGR to make a location-based treasure hunt using mobile phones. We have now got to the stage where the 6 way points are ready and I went out with the class and their teacher to test the route just over a week or so ago. Being out and actually there alerted the children to some things which needed adjusting. For example they directed us to a road but did not specify where in the road we should head for, so I had chosen a random house to aim for. It’s only by standing in a small group of confused people that it comes home to you that this post really needs tightening up.
One thing which has struck me is the way in which the potential audience for this treasure hunt has grown and grown. When the teacher and I initially discussed it, we foresaw that the other half of the class would be the main users of the game but the children are well aware that in the summer there will be up to half a million people streaming to the local theme park and golf resort and that’s who they want to target!
This means that we now have to devise a little marketing plan about how to make people aware that the game exists as they drive through the village. On our test run, the group I was with decided to visit the local supermarket immediately and ask the manager if he would be willing to put up posters with QR codes to get visitors started and he agreed. So we have a plan!
You can hear more about it at the upcoming Virtual Round Table where I will be presenting the project at 6.30 pm GMT tomorrow Saturday 21st April.
You can find a lesson plan for this activity at The Consultants-E in their repository. Note that although my version has stretched over many months, this activity can in fact be done in a few consecutive lessons.