Designing Interactive Learning Environments For Children, The Implications Of Using Storytelling & Play forms Such As Treasure Hunts In Museums

There are a many examples of museums trying to create a playful environment for children, using Ubiquitous computing, Virtual Games and Physical Computing. However, are these cultural spaces creating a learning environment, which fosters Play? The first part of my thesis concentrates on the theoretical groundings of Play, Storytelling and Learning and examples of how technology supports the creation of a tangible interactive environment. I then interpret these findings and look at how they can be incorporated in creating a fun learning experience, incorporating cultural artefacts. The second half of the thesis shows empirical research in the area and the final design concept. The design process is formulated around a Participatory Design approach, and the final concept derived using a video scenario