Play the Past

This groundbreaking project is creating a new model for school field trips using mobile and web technologies to capitalize on the natural behaviors and learning styles of today's students. "Play the Past: the Field Trip for the 21st Century Learner," uses technology to create self-directed, personalized, responsive field trip experiences that deepen students' connection to history while honing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. "Play the Past," which launched in January 2014, is first being used in the "Then Now Wow" exhibit. Upon entering the gallery, students receive handheld devices pre-installed with the mobile application. The application enhances students' experience and promotes interaction with the physical exhibit by encouraging them to answer questions, solve problems and collect digital artifacts related to the exhibit and items in the Minnesota Historical Society's vast collections. Everything the students collect is stored in a "digital backpack" that students open back in the classroom and use for deeper research and investigation.