An Educator’s Guide to Interactive Digital Narrative: Syllabi and Resources From Around the World

The Association for Research in Digital Interactive Narratives (ARDIN), in collaboration with Carnegie Mellon University Press, proudly presents the first edition of An Educator’s Guide to Interactive Digital Narrative: Syllabi and Resources from Around the World. This global, transdisciplinary, and continuously evolving collection is dedicated to educators, scholars, and practitioners who teach and develop Interactive Digital Narratives (IDNs) across diverse fields—including storytelling, game development, journalism, AR/VR/XR, digital humanities, and more.

Featuring 45 syllabi from university programs worldwide, this first edition offers a kaleidoscopic view of IDN as it solidifies into a recognized academic discipline. Each syllabus spotlights unique approaches to interactive storytelling, from foundational theories to hands-on best practices. To keep pace with the rapid innovations in industry and academia, new editions will be proposed every five years—ensuring educators always have access to the latest insights, tools, and teaching methodologies.

What You’ll Find Inside

• Syllabi & Teaching Materials: From survey courses and introductory workshops to advanced graduate seminars, each syllabus shares resources, assignments, grading rubrics, and platform recommendations (Twine, Unity, Inky, Adobe XD, and more).
• Theoretical Foundations & Practical Guidance: Dive into transdisciplinary approaches that blend game design, media studies, literature, and computer science for holistic IDN instruction.
• Community-Driven Perspectives: Learn from instructors worldwide who contribute unique insights shaped by their local context, audience, and institutional structures.
• Collaborative & Flexible Pedagogies: Get inspiration for mixing lectures, peer critiques, project-based learning, and real-world playtesting.