Become a Secret Agent: Transform Your Teaching Through Narrative-Based Instruction

Purpose & objective

The purpose of our presentation is to show the effectiveness of narrative-based instruction, when enhanced with appropriate technologies, to create an immersive learning environment for students. This model encourages rich student engagement, problem solving, higher order thinking, and appropriate use of technology. Narrative-based instruction can be used across all content areas.

Participants will be able to:
- successfully use technology to create a learning environment that engages students by making them part of an immersive narrative.
- understand the role technology plays in creating an effective learning space in the classroom.
- use the app Halo AR to create interactive experiences where students are engaged in problem solving supported by AR technology.

Educational challenge/situation:
- use technology to build and support immersive, educational environments.
- use narrative-based instruction to create a sense of wonder and excitement in the classroom.

Technology intervention:
- use Siri voice assistant and shortcuts for classroom use.
- use the app Halo AR to bring augmented reality into the classroom with an educational purpose.
- use video and audio to create an immersive environment and enhance a narrative.

Models employed:
- Narrative-based instruction - creating a narrative and immersive environment around specific standards to build excitement and enthusiasm while learning. Specifically, we will be modeling transforming the classroom into a secret agent headquarters to teach specific standards.

Lesson plans or instructional activities/strategies:
- Participants will use an implementation plan/graphic organizer as a guide to bring narrative-based instruction into their own classrooms/schools.
- Additional detailed information regarding the lesson plan can be found in the "outline" section below.

Evidence of success:
We created a narrative-based camp for 3rd - 5th grade students that was pushed to a 100% virtual model. Our virtual Elementary CyberCamp grew over 350% in total campers from year 1 to year 2. Year 2 included over 100 sponsor provided scholarships to students underrepresented in the field of cybersecurity (women and non-white students). We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from both parents and students in regard to our narrative-based camp experience which taught students basic cybersecurity concepts while immersing them in a world of secret agents, moles on the inside, and outside threats.

Parent Feedback:
"Before camp, she was very mad at me for signing her up because she didn't think she would have fun, or that it would be interesting. She really hated e-learning for school and thought it would be like that. By Wednesday I got an unprovoked hug and thanks for signing her up. She liked it so much that she actually told her friends about it. I wanted her to learn about cyber, and show that this is a field that is interesting, exciting, and fun and that it's something she could do and I think that camp really helped her see that. Now she knows what binary is, what blocking is, what lock picking is, and these are things she has more confidence because she knows that she can do it. Agent A and Agent N did a great job."

"I just wanted to take a moment to say thank you for the amazing CycberCamp for the elementary kiddos. My daughter really enjoyed this camp. The animations, the tasks, and the items provided in the box really kept her engaged. Prior to camp, she admittingly said she had no idea what the camp was going to be about. Each day when I'd arrive home she would begin telling me all about her adventures with President Freeman, Agent X & Y, and the fight against Hexacorp. Today, she was at the Florida Aquarium with me all day as I finished up one of my camps. When we got home, she jumped on the computer to complete her last day of Cybercamp. I was so impressed that she knew exactly what to do to decode each piece and why she was doing what she was doing. When I asked her what could have made this camp better, she said "to do it in real life." Not sure if she meant in person or as a job, but either way, I take it as a good thing! Thank you for all the hard work you and your team have put into this camp. It was a great week for her!”

Outline

Setting the scene:

Our goal is to have the participants walk into our space and immediately become part of an immersive experience where they take on the role of a secret agent recruit or trainee. The physical space will be transformed into the headquarters of the fictional global organization at the heart of the narrative we will be modeling. The HQ design will complement the curriculum and the activities, creating an immersive experience for participants. Because we feel the immersion aspect of this presentation is so critical, the design of the space will be inspired by headquarters of superhero and spy organizations seen in movies, TV shows, and comic books. The projector will display a spinning agency logo and maps/surveillance footage will be visible on other screens in the room. The presentation will also incorporate alarms, music, and specific lighting to support narrative elements, as is common in escape room designs.

As participants enter the room, they will be greeted by the presenters playing the role of secret agents. Presenters will be dressed in black suits with dark sunglasses. As participants enter, they will receive a recruit welcome box containing materials needed for the presentation (black light pen, welcome letter, popsicle sticks cipher, stickers, lesson plan, narrative-based design checklist) as well as a few additional surprises.

Title: Welcome to C.A.G.E. (Cybersecurity Agency for Global Engagement)
Time: 5 minutes
Process: The president of C.A.G.E. will welcome the new recruits and explain the purpose and goals of the presentation. The presenter will also explain that this will be an immersive, narrative-based presentation. While in the classroom it is important to not break away from the narrative, during the session we will break away to discuss different elements of the presentation itself, including the technology used and how to make adaptations for individual classroom use.

Title: Decipher the Welcome Letter
Time: 25 minutes
Process: The participants will be asked to open their welcome boxes, take out the C.A.G.E. Welcome Letter, and very carefully read the letter with their small group. The welcome letter will be the recruits’ first test of team-work, problem-solving, and higher-order thinking as they work together to find the secret code embedded within the letter. In an activity similar to an escape room, the answer to the first code will provide access to a second challenge. Participants will input their answer verbally into an Apple HomePod and Siri will provide the next clue.

The second challenge will require each group to find a rabbit that has been hidden in the room. Using their secret agent black-light pens, participants will reveal a cipher to solve.

Once the cipher is solved, the group will be given their last clue which will reveal how to solve the popsicle sticks cipher from their recruit boxes. Participants will put the popsicle sticks in the correct order and then use the Halo AR app to scan their sticks and see the completion video.

Title: Sound the Alarm
Time: 5 minutes
Process: An alarm will begin playing over the room speakers and a video call will appear on the screen. Agent X will be calling from headquarters to warn that there is a mole within the agency and the only agents that can be trusted are the participants. This models the twist of the story and the importance of a hook that draws in the students. We will model and discuss how technology is used to build tension, excitement, and an urge to continue.

Title: Break It Down
Time: 5 minutes
Process: The presenters will describe the impact of the narrative structure of the first activity and discuss the technology integration involved. They will also discuss how the activity was adapted for a 100% virtual environment. This discussion will include pictures, videos, and testimonials from students on the effectiveness of the strategy.

Title: Implementation Planning
Time: 15 minutes
Process: Participants will then take 15 minutes to discuss and plan how the strategies, techniques, and/or activities presented can be adapted for their own classrooms or schools. Participants will use a graphic organizer to record thoughts and ideas as they discuss with their small groups. Participants will leave the session with an implementation plan for narrative-based instruction.

Titile: Closing
Time: 5 minutes
Process: The presenters will open up the floor for questions and will allow teachers to share ideas.

Supporting research

1. Mawasi, A., Nagy, P., Wylie, R., (2020). Systematic Literature Review on Narrative-Based Learning in Educational Technology Learning Environments (2007-2017). Proceedings of the 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences, 5, 1213-1220.

2. Grimaud, J., Harding, T., & West, R. E. (2018). Narrative in instructional design. Available at https://idnarrative.pressbooks.com.

3. Andrews, D. H., Hull, T. D., & Donahue, J. A. (2009). Storytelling as an instructional method: Definitions and research questions. Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning, 3(2). https://doi.org/10.7771/1541-5015.1063