Leveling Up Campus Life with Interactive Missions
In a bid to make the transition to college smoother and more engaging for incoming students, Lehigh University is using a novel approach: a game that combines creativity and learning. Guided by Michael Spear, associate professor of computer science and engineering, the game “Leveling Up to Lehigh Life” introduces students to campus life through a series of nine dynamic quests. These missions, ranging from locating classrooms to attending football games, offer students the chance to customize their character and immerse themselves in various scenarios.
Interactive Learning with Campus Navigation
One of the key missions developed by the team is the “Find Your Buildings” quest. The creation of this quest involved coordination with the office of the registrar, which oversees Compass, the class scheduling system at Lehigh. Given that class locations may be adjusted to enhance accessibility, the game encourages students to consult their class lists on Compass for the latest location updates. “While you’re playing, pull up your class list on Compass and we’ll help you find those buildings, but don’t forget to check again because it will change,” Spear emphasized, highlighting the importance of this learning component.
Beyond aiding new students, the game is a learning tool for the development team. Collaborations across campus have led to “powerful and useful transformations” within the game, according to Spear, shedding light on potential areas for improvement. Stefanie DiDomenico, assistant dean and director of the office of first year experience (OFYE), noted, “The game isn’t meant to replace our orientation programming—it’s a fun, engaging way to reinforce it while helping students navigate some of the common challenges they face.”
A Journey to Goodman Stadium
Another engaging quest takes students to a football game at Goodman Stadium, familiarizing them with the bus system for such events. Players choose from different bus options like the Packer Express, the Goodman Connector, or the Mountaintop Connector, with the Goodman Connector being the correct choice. Successfully navigating this earns them a reward: a mini-game that allows players to earn points by cheering for the Lehigh team. Spear commented on the camaraderie aspect, “There’s that Lehigh attitude we’re bringing in: caring about each other, helping each other, being on the same team.”
Building a Supportive Campus Community
The game also addresses various challenges students might face, such as academics, health, and time management. It emphasizes community and support, urging students to engage with non-playable characters (NPCs) for guidance. Though the game will be closed after the Class of 2030’s arrival to promote real-life interactions, the team remains open to feedback. The game is continuously evolving, with plans to analyze data on its effectiveness in helping students adjust to campus life. Spear summed up the effort, “It takes a lot of love and effort to make something like this, and we’re really lucky at Lehigh that we have students who have that love.”
Read More Here
Comments are closed.