Reinventing New Student Orientation with an Augmented Reality Scavenger Hunt

Abstract

Augmented reality (AR) overlays digital content onto reality in real time through the use of camera-enabled devices such as a mobile phone, tablet, or headset. In educational settings, AR provides us with the ability to enrich real-world materials with digital content such as videos and instructional tutorials at point-of-need. In the fall of 2016, Berkeley College librarians, in cooperation with other departments, reinvented New Students Orientation (NSO) with AR technology. In addition, they decided to integrate LibAnswers SMS functionality into the AR activity. By fully assimilating this additional technology into the activity’s core, they put the library in a place where all conversations regarding the NSO going forward would have to involve the library. In this gamified activity, students play detective attempting to solve “The Mystery of the Stolen Laptop.” Berkeley College librarians have drawn a lot of positive attention to the library by introducing a new cutting-edge technology to the college in a practical way, while engaging students in an important learning activity.

Keywords

• augmented reality
• gamification
• orientation
• technology
• student engagement
• new student orientation
• outreach