WiP Poster

This paper describes various design considerations and challenges concerning the use of augmented reality (AR) and gaming for gardening education. In particular, it focuses on a system we developed called SeedMate - a combination puzzle card game and AR app which teaches the basics of how to spatially plan an actual garden plot. Building on ethnographic research we conducted with urban gardeners and agricultural specialists in Italy, SeedMate teaches a gardening technique called “companion planting,” which involves planting certain crops in proximity to each other to increase growth and productivity. In modeling companion planting techniques within SeedMate, we hope to demonstrate the value of AR and gaming for education even outside the agricultural domain; specifically, for their ability to: 1) simulate complex systems and 2) provide real-time, encyclopedic information within a real-world context.