Using augmented reality games to teach 21st century skills

Augmented Reality (AR) games can potentially teach 21st century skills, such as interpretation, multimodal thinking, problem-solving, information management, teamwork, flexibility, civic engagement, and the acceptance of diverse perspectives. To explore this, I designed Reliving the Revolution (RtR) as a novel model for evaluating educational AR games. RtR takes place in Lexington, Massachusetts, the site of the Battle of Lexington. Participants interact with virtual historic figures and items, which are triggered by GPS to appear on their PDA (personal digital assistant) depending on where they are standing in Lexington. Game participants receive differing evidence, as appropriate for their role in the game (Minuteman soldier, Loyalist, African American soldier, or British soldier), and use this information to decide who fired the first shot at the Battle. Results of initial trials of RtR suggest that AR games, when properly designed for pedagogical purposes, can motivate the authentic practice of 21st century skills.