Stories have been at the center of human consciousness for a long time. People tell stories, and the stories they tell shape who we are. People hear stories and remember those that resonate deeply with them. Storytelling is mankind's most basic shared experience and method of transferring knowledge. It has played an integral part in the way humans have developed and evolved. Networked immersive technologies offer new avenues for storytelling and offer proven ways of humanizing an all too often impersonal and non-interactive medium.
The idea behind the Narrative-Oriented Academic Camps is that a good curriculum should consist of a story in which students play a key role. Such roles are a natural part of a story - thus providing an opportunity for an emotional connection between the learner and the underlying story. The curriculum material is interwoven with a compelling narrative, providing ample opportunities for hands-on discovery and experimentation type activities. These activities are designed to help a learner become proficient in a particular skill and knowledge - the goal of the learning process.
Thus the effect of the Narrative-Oriented Academic Camps is that as students work through the narrative to achieve the missions the story puts forth, they learn the critical skills they need to successfully accomplish their tasks. Our camps implement true learning-by-doing across an entire curriculum (i.e., entire High School Math), not just within the scope of a single course.
