Quest+Atlantis

> Quest Atlantis is a multiuser game which utilizes a virtual world where students can apply critical thinking skills to solve problems or quests.
 * Quest Atlantis http://atlantisremixed.org

Resources and links

 * [|Quest Atlantis Student Reflections]
 * [|Quest Atlantis Example on The Learning Channel]

Strengths:

 * Provides students with an authentic task rather than studying isolated, abstract concepts.
 * Students become personally invested in the outcome.
 * The virtual world allows students to apply learned skills and higher-level thinking in order to explore and solve various problems or quests.
 * Students are able to take risks and better understand consequences as a result of their choices.
 * Improves student confidence and teaches learners to persevere despite their failures.
 * Engaging activities and compelling storylines that motivate students and promote participatory learning.
 * Incorporates cross-curricular skills, such as science, social studies, and language arts.
 * Quests focus on seven social responsibilities: compassionate wisdom, creative expression, diversity affirmation, social responsibility, healthy communities, personal agency, and environmental awareness.
 * Ability to qualitatively and quantitatively measure student growth.
 * Students can log into the game outside of the classroom to continue playing.
 * Communicate with other students in the virtual world using a chat field.
 * Allows a student to see the “bigger picture”.

Weaknesses:

 * Logistics of maneuvering your way through the virtual world can be difficult at times for students.
 * Directions can be difficult for students to understand.
 * Formatted for students ages 8-15.
 * Problems with keeping graphics as dynamic and advanced as games students play on their own outside of the classroom.

Opportunities:

 * Students are able to personalize their learning experience.
 * Participants can take on many roles in order to solve problems within the virtual community.
 * Students are able to collaborate through chat, telegrams, email, and bulletin boards and utilize the group’s collective intelligence to solve real-world problems.
 * Learners are able to apply a variety of cross-curricular skills in relevant contexts.
 * Through online discourse, students can practice writing and typing skills.
 * Students can choose quests based upon their interests or the teacher may assign particular quests based upon the content being studied.
 * Teachers may create their own quests based upon their students’ needs.
 * Current quests are based on national and moving towards incorporating local standards so teachers can tailor the game to meet students’ learning goals.
 * The game provides students with the ability to reflect upon their work and construct meaningful knowledge.

**Threats**:

 * Due to non-structured chat environments, student communication should be monitored to ensure learners are interacting in a respectable manner and not sharing personal information.

Ideas for the Classroom:

 * Utilize Quest Atlantis to create classroom knowledge communities where students collaborate, share their expertise with others, and improve student confidence by feeling like their contributions are valuable.
 * Relate real-world current events to the problems within the virtual world. Allow students to debate potential solutions based upon their experiences and outcomes of the associated quest.
 * Utilize Quest Atlantis to reinforce concepts and higher-level thinking using authentic experiences.