The document discusses a mobile game called CityTreasure designed to teach cultural heritage. It was tested with primary and secondary school students in Lugano, Switzerland. The game involves student groups completing tasks at cultural heritage sites around the city. Evaluations found the game effectively promoted learning while being fun and engaging for students. Teachers found it a useful tool for teaching local history and culture.

1. The City Treasure
Mobile Games for Learning Cultural Heritage
Luca Botturi, Alessandro Inversini, Alessandra di Maria
Università della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland
www.newmine.org

2. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un2
Learning cultural heritage
 Is complex learning blending
– History
– Art
– Geography
– Culture
 Is often pursued through field trips to cities
 Changes over grades
– Learn about your city
– Learn about your region
– Learning about your country
– Etc...

3. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un3
Learning through games
 Can a game help?
– It is a natural form of learning
– It is not „an activity“, rather an experience
– If it is a good game, it is also fun

4. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un4
Games
(structure)
ability
inter-
action
role-
playing
strategy
infor-
mation

5. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un5
Games
(dynamic)
com-
pete
mimicry
Ilinx
chance

6. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un6
Mobile games
 Games where the location matters, as a single player‘s
action
– GPRS (geo-caching)
– Mobile phones
 Many experiences in learning
– E.g., outdoor/Wilderness games

7. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un7
eTreasure: let tourists play!
 Developed by
webatelier.net, sponsored
by Orange (telecom)
 Features
– Around the city of Lugano
– Time based
– Single-day competition /
free use

8. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un8
CityTreasure: development process
CLASSROOM
PREPARATION
EXPERIENCE DESIGN
LOGISTICS +
ON-SITE SUPPORT
CLASSROOM
FOLLOW-UP
CONTENT
DEVELOPMENT
INTERNAL
TESTING + REVIEW
TEACHER
TESTING + REVIEW
SYSTEM DESIGN
SYSTEM
REQUIREMENTS
points, not time!
aligned with
school curriculum

9. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un9
CityTreasure: system & package
TEACHER GUIDE
• Locations
• Questions
• Hints
• Answers
PARENT GUIDE
• Locations
• Questions
• Hints
STUDENT GUIDE
• Challenge
• Final meeting point and limit time
• How to start
EVALUATION FORM
(only for adults)
CONTROLPANEL
FORREAL-TIME
SUPPORT

10. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un10
City Treasure on the run
 Real use in May 2008
 Primary school
– 4 classes
– Ages 8-10
– Total 80 pupils / 16 groups
– Each group accompanied by an adult
 Secondary school
– 4 classes
– Ages 12
– Total 80 pupils / 16 groups
– Groups on their own

11. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un11

12. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un12

13. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un13

14. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un14

15. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un15

16. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un16
CityTreasure: evaluation framework
 How would you evaluate a game-based learning
experience?
– Learning effectiveness
– Memorability
– Fun
– Adequate to players
 Instruments
– Survey for all adults

17. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un17
CityTreasure: evaluation results /1

18. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un18
CityTreasure: evaluation results /2

19. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un19
Conclusions
 It works!
– Children have fun and learn
– Teachers find it useful and enjoyable
 You can learn many things
– About cultural heritage sites
– Reading a map
– Moving through the city
– Collaborating / competing
 What really makes a difference is the experience, not the
system

20. Museums & the Web 2009, Indianapolis, INCityTreasure - Luca Botturi - luca.botturi@lu.un20
Outlooks
 Use treasure hunts again
 Have classes develop their own treasure hunts and make
a treasure hunt challenge
 From Spring 2009, new network system not bound to a
single telecom provider