Elements of Harry Potter
Deconstructing an edu-larp

Malik Hyltoft & Jakob T. Holm

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"I cast upon you the curse of lead!" says the wizard`s apprentice with a touch of triumph. "I counter thee with lithium", the opponent responds with confidence. The two cloak-clad youngsters then engage in a magic contest, exchanging questions countered by answers, snarled like words of power: "What`s the atomic weight?", "Which group does it belong to? Is it a subgroup or primary group?" Accompanying the words are dramatic sweeps with wands and protective gestures with spell books. The questions and answers are about the chemical characteristics of the two periodic elements in question.

The point of this article is to elaborate on game-based teaching methods, as used in Østerskov Efterskole, on the basis of a case study. We will describe a learning game used in lessons in August 2008, then we will explain how it functions in relation to the larger narrative framework of the teaching in that period. Subsequently we will offer a theoretical background and terminology for the praxis. The study also compares experiences had when applying the above-mentioned learning game to different groups of pupils, one group inside a narrative frame and one outside. The first group is a group of students from Østerskov Efterskole who are on a narratively situated field excursion; the other is an ordinary class in the public school system. In the discussion we will offer our view on how the structure strengthens the learner’s concentration and motivation by ensconcing the learner in layers of narrative frames and “Chinese boxes” of game levels.