Roll for Initiative: Using Gamification to Engage Students
with Critical Information Literacy
Abstract
This board game was created using tenets of self-determination
theory and critical information literacy to not only engage students in
the learning process, while teaching them foundational research
skills, but also to open a dialogue regarding what authority is, how it
is constructed, and what groups may be left out of the conversation.
Goals
Teach students with ACRL Framework skills
Authority is Constructed and Contextual
Game enables players to learn how to differentiate between good
and bad sources and learn how sources may not be what they
seem at first. By going through cards and reading about these
characteristics themselves, players are able to become a part of
the learning process.
Searching as Strategic Exploration
The act of doing research often involves backtracking and
rethinking ideas. This process is mirrored by players exploring
rooms of the game, notating where they have been, and
backtracking so that they can discover more information.
Gameplay
The Dark Archive: The Lost Treasure of Filo Tin, is a physical board game
comprised of two boards meant to represent the different levels of the “Dark
Archive” a secret location filled with hidden treasure. The goal of the game is
for players to locate all the artifacts. One person acts as a facilitator to answer
questions and hand out the treasures to the players.
Players move around the board by rolling dice and collect cards by visiting
each room. Cards comprise of "good" and "bad" sources and players must
determine which are good to obtain the artifacts. Source types allow for
discussion of academic scholarship, peer review, authority, primary sources,
and popular sources.
Takeaways
Players responded positively to the experience.
• Players found game enjoyable and picked up the mechanics of the game
easily.
• Players felt they had a better grasp of the concept of authority
⚬ One player said she thought she had a good grasp on the concept but after making
a few mistakes, realized she knew less than she thought
⚬ Playing the game made her more interested in learning about the topic.
⚬ One player expressed he found the game more interesting than expected and
would like to learn more about information literacy in the future.
AUSTIN WATERS
JD and MLIS Candidate
Information Literacy Scholar