Reality vs Truth
A digital immersive experience for secondary students exploring source checking, fake news, and media power through Alexandra Palace's history.
Reality vs Truth was an adventure in learning created in 2020, inciting its players to unpack how history is written and how to digest the stories that are presented to us as ‘truth’. It introduced the idea of individuals’ autonomy and agency in how stories are communicated and understood.
Learning Objectives covered:
Explore the impact of the phenomenon of ‘Fake News’ and the rise of user generated content on truth.
Awareness of the processes involved with creating a narrative from archive material.
Gain an understanding of why certain groups have been missed out of mainstream history and consider the effect on re-writing history with previously marginalised groups.
School groups arrived at Alexandra Palace tasked with uncovering the ‘truth’ of the Palace’s history - through diving into historical archives and piecing together who has constructed the history we learn. The experience saw students working in groups in the on-site classroom before venturing out into the wider environment to actively explore for source codes.
Credits
Project Lead Toby Peach
Producer Eliza Cass & Harriet Bolwell
Lead writer Mel Frances
Additional writing Toby Peach
Actor Naomi Sheldon
Filming DMLK
Programmer Suzannah Hurst
Ear Tassos Stevens
Project original developed at Coney