This document summarizes the development and outcomes of a game called "Play the Past" created by the Minnesota Historical Society to engage 21st century learners in history. A cross-disciplinary design team used an iterative process to develop the game. It was tested with over 1,200 students from 4 partner schools. Evaluations included focus groups with teachers, students, and parents. The game was successful in fostering collaboration and building critical thinking skills while making history fun. The society aims to expand such gamified history lessons and further measure their impact on learning.

1. Playing Games with History
AASLH 2013
Wendy Jones
Director, Museum Education and Lifelong Learning
Minnesota Historical Society

2. Mission

3. The path to transformation . . .

4. About MHS
Target audience:
Students grades 4-6 and their
teachers

5. If we want to be vital educational partners tomorrow . . .
How do we
creatively engage
21st Century
Learners today?

7. Play the Past Video

8. Audience: 21st Century Engagement
Prefer graphics, sound and video before text
Like to parallel process and multi-task
Thrive on instant gratification and frequent rewards
Rodgers et al, “Teaching the
21st Century Learner,” 2006

9. Outcomes: 21st Century Skills
Partnership for 21st Century Skills
www.p21.org

12. Cross-Disciplinary Design Team
Play
the
Past
Education
Exhibits
Interpretive
Staff
IT
Teachers
Game
Designers
Graphic
Designer
Media

13. Play the Past Video

14. Design team - interal

15. Iterative Design Process
Iterative Design

16. History in Our HandsOrientation

17. History in Our HandsInventory

18. History in Our HandsPhysical
Interaction

19. Feedback

20. Good design is hard!

21. Integration is essential
Collaboration is when
you are willing to work
with other students
Students can be given a
collaboration badge when you
observe that :
A student asks another student to
help solve a challenge together
A student records an audio
component or takes a photograph
with another student.
You’ve just received a
Collaboration Badge!

22. Be clear - illustrate!

23. Play
the
Past
Standards
Logistics of large
numbers of students
The 4 “C”’s: Critical
thinking, collaboration
Limits of our game
design software
Connection to the
classroom
Social engagement
between students,
chaperones, and
teachers
Emotional response
Fun!
History content
Other challenges

24. Evaluation
Front End:
• 7 teacher focus groups
• 4 student focus groups
• 4 parent chaperone focus groups
Formative:
• Tested with over 1,200 students
• 4 partner schools
• Parent chaperone focus group
• Teacher camp
Summative:
• Audience Viewpoints
• Data collected this fall and early winter
• Final report spring of 2014

25. $1 million and counting

27. The Future

28. History Quest Camps
“I enjoyed
being able to
collaborate
with other
teens to
create an
awesome
game.”
“History +
Game =
Fun!”

29. Skills

30. Keep on learning!
http://www.instituteofplay.org/

31. www.mnhs.org/playthepast