Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
It's the latest craze on campus. A mobile platform has partnered with over 20 colleges
and universities across Canada including Queens University to create a virtual on campus life.
The app launched tuesday through a virtual treasure hunt. News watches Braden Dragomir
has more.
It's the latest way to keep Queen's students connected.
We want to engage and connect students with their university and college through cool
mobile technologies.
The mobile phone based app called OOHLALA has partnered with the alma matters society
and the arts and sciences undergraduate society to keep students up to date on whats going
on around campus.
To provide events, job listings, and real time information updates to students so its
all in one place so they don't have to juggle everything.
The app, which is free to download has just lanched on the Queen's campus with a virtual
treasure hunt which offers prizes for students who participate.
Inside of the game, if you get within 50 meters of the treasure chest you can take the prize.
If you still have it at five o'clock you can win $300 cash or if you have it for the longest
cummulative time you win your textbooks for the semester.
It really makes you feel like a big part of the Queen's community.
Using the GPS on smartphones students can see where all the other players are and where
the treasure is. The students are getting extremely competitive.
Ya ok run [laughing] That a boy ! Prize money is yours !
Its a great feeeling when you get the prize but then it gets stolen like 2 minutes later
so it kinda sucks.
Several hundred students have already downloaded the app. OOHLALA hopes the unions can expand
the platform even more.
Their providing new strategies for the students and their encouraging them to have a great
time on campus and engage with their campus sort of in a context outside of academics.
And if the initial response is any indication OOHLALA is excited about the mobile future
for students. Braden Dragomir, CKW news watch, Kingston.