Quelling the Boredom with Alternative Instruction: Augmented Reality, Escape Kits, and Scavenger Hunts

Abstract

From 2016-2019, Jacksonville State University (JSU) librarians embraced the call to incorporate increased active learning into traditional library information instruction. Librarians began this process by integrating the use of a scavenger hunt into the Houston Cole Library’s new orientation tailgate event. Breakout EDU Escape Room kits with a custom-built storyline were added to teach basic research skills and help lessen library anxiety in First Year Freshman Experience courses. Augmented reality (AR) was incorporated into Business Orientation classes to increase student understanding of specialized business information resources. These activities helped librarians fulfill Houston Cole Library’s mission of creating a student-driven learning environment focusing on the Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL) information literacy framework. The research, planning, and implementation processes involved in the initiation of scavenger hunts, escape activities, and AR interactive stories at JSU have numerous applications across all educational levels and disciplinary focuses.