2-2-1 The Oregon Trail computer game

The Oregon Trail is a computer game in which the player takes on the role of a wagon leader leading a group of settlers from Missouri to Oregon in 1848. This game helps students learn critical thinking, creativity and historical settings as they learn about what life was like on the Oregon Trail in the 1900s.

1. What gaming elements provide users the learning content and how? (Refer to the journal article page 4).

Text: students need to type in the words POW, BANG etc. in order to shoot. If the word is misspelled, points are lost.

Visual-graphic elements: students need to aim a slingshot at animals to hunt, players learn that some animals are easier to shoot while others offer more meat, hunting in different environments was displayed using different graphics (ex. winter displayed snow)

Audio elements: Actions are connected with sounds and background music provides authentic feel

2. What is the goal of the game? The goal is to make it to Oregon withstanding realistic  disasters, managing to hunt enough food. Points are earned for remaining live people and for remaining possessions.

3. What are rules of playing this game?

In The Oregon Trail, you have a number of resources to manage and decisions to make. These decisions affect the long-term health of your party members and their ability to cope with difficulties that occur along the way. There are also mini-games on hunting and river rafting that introduce a few extra challenges. To reach Oregon with the party takes planning, careful resource management and some luck.

4. Does this game have any scenario design? (Refer to the journal article page 5.) If yes, is this a fabricated or embedded in curriculum-related content? The Oregon Trail has a scenario design embedded in curriculum-related content in which the players act as those passing through the Oregon Trail and learn how life was for those who actually did.