UNC Teaching and Learning with Technology Conference

Place-based educational games supported by handheld technologies employ concepts of augmented reality, and are an emerging type of learning tool that integrate game-design principles with rich media content. This type of teaching model has the potential to support inquiry-based science projects, and to provide students with rich and authentic learning experiences related to local environmental issues that impact their daily lives. This paper describes the Wherigo mobile platform for building place-based learning games for science education, and aims to introduce science teachers to the use and development of place-based games for engaging students in issues related to groundwater and environmental science.