What is a Digital Scavenger Hunt?

Treasure hunts or scavenger hunts, we are all familiar with. Add technology and we have a Digital scavenger hunt at our finger tips. Armed with digital cameras or a mobile phone with camera facility, students can set out to explore their learning in a new and puzzle solving manner.

The objective:

Students are allotted into groups of 5 or more and instructed to crack the codes and take pictures of objects, people or anything that is decided by the teacher. After completing the list in the assigned time frame, students are instructed to upload and create a power point presentation that is later presented to the class.

Material required:

All a simple digital scavenger hunt requires is a digital camera and a workstation to prepare the presentation for each group. But based on the type of technology that best fits your classroom, you can include various applications like SCVNGR, blogs, YouTube, and any other to make your hunt interesting and challenging for your students.

Rules to be followed:

Students are given clear instructions to discuss among their team members and to finish both taking pictures and creating the presentation within the allotted time. If the hunt involves the students to search the school premises, they are instructed to do so quietly and without disrupting others. Students are also given instructions regarding their power point presentation like including captions, arranging the pictures in the order.

The right track?

You know that your hunt is successful if students are engaged and enjoying the process of brainstorming, solving, searching, capturing and creating their presentations. Behind every successful hunt is a well thought out and carefully designed outline, so teachers should take time preparing and choosing the technology that is to be used.

Try out:

Here are some ideas to help you kick start your digital scavenger hunt:

Know your surroundings: Explore and find the various corners in and around your classroom, hallway or even the campus. The list can comprise clues of buildings, banners, a memory plaque even a bench that should be decoded and photographed.

Uniqueness scores: When we say A for, the first thought is an Apple. Instead, encourage students to photograph unique objects starting with the letters of the alphabet. Points are assigned based on the number and uniqueness of the objects. For e.g. picture of antlers, an astronaut etc

Capture the movement: Hustle and bustle everywhere. Let your students capture the movements of individuals in their day to day life.

I spy: “I spy something that has takes you both up and down”. The answer can be a photograph of a staircase, an elevator or even a slide.

Be it science, language or any other subject, digital scavenger hunts comprises a wonderful blend of students expertise of technology and the process of active learning and results in students that enjoy learning.

Discuss here: What are some interesting scavenger hunt ideas that you have tried in your classroom?

Learn more: Take a course