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    a match made in heaven| THE Campus Learn, Share, Connect

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    Education offers a variety of opportunities to engage students through game-based learning. Here at Polytechnic Institute of Monterrey, our group (academic librarians and educational professionals) has developed a digital learning experience aimed at helping students become more information literate. This helps with critical thinking, collaboration, and understanding cyberculture. This is accomplished by having students solve puzzle-like tasks related to techniques for identifying and evaluating reliable information, all in a virtual environment. I hoped that by providing a memorable experience, students would be interested and result in a little-knowing discovery/appraisal of the value of the library and its resources.

    Named “BeLIEvers: Is everything real?”, the activity took place within the university’s educational metaverse known as the “Virtual Campus” and was hosted on the platform. WilberaOver the course of a week, 15 sync sessions were run with a team of 10 students (and a member of staff acting as a “game master”). There were three sessions each day and each session he lasted 60 minutes. In total, 150 students registered for the activity.

    The experience is based in an imaginary world where fake viral news becomes a reality online, and information literacy is key to defeating misinformation and halting its negative effects. Participants work together to “save the world”.

    To help students learn while having fun, we used basic library tools as the basis for three digital challenges. To get the key passwords to pass the first assignment, students had to master different types of sources (primary, secondary, and tertiary) to determine their relevance and validity. . The second challenge required identifying fake news using metrics and deciphering color-coded patterns. Finally, they found themselves in the library and had to find three lost books and escape using search strategies to find reliable sources on her web portal in the library.

    Based on the experience above, I would like to share the following helpful advice for anyone considering making the leap to the Metaverse for educational purposes, regardless of whether they are using a 3rd party platform or building their own virtual environment. I think. scratch.

    start at tutorial level

    The first stage of the game usually serves as an introduction to building your character and getting a basic overview of the gameplay elements. In addition to customizing their avatars, you should provide enough time for students to get together, plan teamwork strategies, practice basic movements, and experiment with communication tools. This often takes the form of a “waiting room” for both new and experienced players to familiarize themselves with the technology.

    think game master

    Virtual environments are often very user-friendly, but you still want to guide students around the world and to the resources they need to develop important competencies. That’s why the “Game Master” is so helpful. obi wan kenobi again GandalfThis can be done either by a virtual companion or by a real subject matter expert who can answer queries, provide tips and guidance, record sessions, and assess performance and behavior.

    From storytelling to story-living

    Full immersion in the metaverse depends on a good story. “story livingpoint to have experienced It’s a story as a participant, not just read or seen from the outside. For students to achieve this, they need to set memorable and actionable goals. By first conceptualizing the virtual world as a narrative, you create the foundation for the entire experience.

    learner power up

    While we create the experience, it is the students who make it happen. So try to empower your students with flexible activities. You can form your own communities and teams without having to adhere to strict rules for socializing. They may develop their own customs and meanings over time, from victory dances to unique vocabularies to describe the world. and may help.

    don’t forget to rate

    The effectiveness of a learning experience can be assessed using rating strategies. Finally, be sure to specify key performance and behavioral indicators that you can share as good moves, achievements, highlights, and feedback. After the activity, interview the students to find out more about what they learned and how the virtual dynamics worked.

    We are waiting for the metaverse to take its final form, which could take several years, but we hope that these ideas will help form the basis for your own projects. , in the meantime, it is imperative to keep an eye out for the best aspects of video games, virtual worlds, additional media and technology to provide a unique learning experience.

    José Vladimir Burgos Aguilar is Director of the National Library, Lorena Guadalupe Rodríguez Leal is the Learning and Experience Leader in Libraries, and Lorena Quilantán García is the Learning Solutions Design Leader, all at Polytechnic University of Monterrey, Mexico.

    If this sounds interesting and you would like advice and insights from academics and university staff delivered directly to your mailbox each week, Sign up for THE Campus newsletter.

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