Twine is approved for academic use.

What is Twine?

Twine is a free, open-source authoring tool for creating interactive, nonlinear stories and branching learning experiences. It is particularly well suited to branching scenarios, decision-making simulations, and digital storytelling projects that can be published and shared as web pages. The scenarios can be easily shared in Canvas as HTML files that students download and open.

What is the purpose of Twine?

Twine allows creators to design interactive, branch-based narrative experiences, choose-your-own-adventure simulations, decision-making scenarios, and interactive text-based exercises without needing complex programming knowledge. 

Good educational uses include:

  • Branching case studies
  • Clinical or professional simulations
  • Ethical decision-making exercises
  • Interactive historical investigations
  • Scenario-based learning
  • Student-created interactive narratives
  • Reflective choose-your-own-path activities

Why use Twine?

  • Twine operates directly in a web browser or as a downloadable desktop app, requiring no USask login or external user registration.
  • Twine allows authors to retain ownership of their creations and use, share, or repurpose them for educational, personal, or commercial purposes.
  • Users can create interactive, branching experiences without programming knowledge, while still having access to more advanced features as their needs evolve.
  • Ideal for interactive case studies, ethical decision-making trees, clinical diagnostic pathways, creative writing exercises, historical simulations, and lightweight game design.

Learning Technology Ecosystem (LTE) Principles

Twine most directly address these LTE goals:

Active and social - Learning is a process of meaning-making, constructed through learning with others, and as a part of an intentional, deliberate system within a course and across experiences.

Designed for reflection and growth - Learning is refined and extended through prompted and supported opportunities to focus on understanding and next steps. 

Best Practices

DO

DON'T

 Use Twine for branching decision scenarios and interactive case studies to foster active learning.  Do not forget to export or save your projects regularly.
 Use Twine when choices, consequences, multiple perspectives, or nonlinear pathways contribute to the learning outcomes.  Do not use Twine simply to reproduce linear content that would be clearer in a Canvas page or document. 
 Build reflection or debriefing around branching scenarios so students explain their reasoning and connect choices to course concepts.   Do not collect sensitive or unnecessary personal information through a Twine activity. 
 Test branching links thoroughly before sharing modules with students.  
 Host published HTML files directly in Canvas pages or modules for easy student access.
 Export work regularly as an HTML file or Archive to back up progress.
 If students are expected to create products with Twine provide students with an introductory tutorial on basic formatting e.g., (Passages, links like [[Option A]], and basic variables).

Support for Twine

Technical Support

(Why isn't this working?)

Vendor Supported
  • Use the official Twine Reference and community resources for technical questions.
  • The Twine Cookbook  contains a collection of examples, tutorials, and practical "recipes" for creating interactive stories and simulations.

Training Support

 (How do I learn to use this tool?)

Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning Supported

Vendor Supported

 

Teaching Support

 (How do I teach with this tool?)

Gwenna Moss Centre for Teaching and Learning Supported

  • Email GMCTL for support with branching scenario design, authentic assessment, reflection, accessibility planning, and integration into course activities.

Tool Evaluation

Technologies are evaluated based on their alignment with the Learning Technologies Ecosystem Principles.  Click to see explanations of each principle and a justification of the rating. You can also view a complete blank rubric to see more details or read about the assessment process.

Learning must be found easily at any time, and all learners and teachers have equitable access, regardless of culture, language, ability etc. 
More Information

Rating: Moderate Concerns

  • Accessibility standards:
    • HTML output is screen-reader friendly and complies with standard web accessibility practices when plain text/semantic markup is used.
  • Cost of use for USask students:
    • Twine is free and open source.
  • Platform/device:
    • Twine is available in a web browser and as a downloadable desktop application. Twine doesn’t have an Android or iOS application.
  • Offline Access:
    • The desktop application supports local authoring. Published HTML files can also be retained.

Learning is a process of meaning-making, constructed through learning with others, and as a part of an intentional, deliberate system within a course and across experiences.
More Information

Rating: Moderate Concerns

  • Collaboration:
    • Twine supports active choice-making and student creation, but it does not provide native real-time co-authoring. Social learning must be designed through discussion, peer review, group planning, or debriefing outside the tool.
  • Sharing:
    • Projects export as lightweight, standalone html files that can be easily shared, uploaded to Canvas, or hosted online.

Learning is refined and extended through prompted and supported opportunities to focus on understanding and next steps.
More Information

Rating: Works well

  • Reflection and revision:
    • Excellent tool for modeling cause-and-effect decision making, encouraging iterative drafts, and developing critical reflective thinking.

Learning is most effective when systems are designed to help learners find, create, and/or repurpose significant content for the value of themselves and others.
More Information

Rating: Works well

  • Creating:
    • Users can author nonlinear narratives, branching case studies, and interactive demonstrations of learning.
  • File format:
    • Twine publishes directly to HTML. Authors can also use CSS and JavaScript when more customization is needed.

Learners create and control spaces for learning, understanding and retaining ownership, and purposefully choosing how and when they share.
More Information

Rating: Works well

  • Archiving, saving, and exporting data: 
    • Users retain 100% control over local files and can export or archive projects instantly.
  • Data privacy and ownership:
    • Data created in browser Twine is stored only in the browser and app Twine data is stored on the user’s computer. Work must be published elsewhere to become publicly visible.
  • Bias:
    • Twine does not generate or recommend content. Authors control the story content, choices, and outcomes; however, bias can still be introduced through the scenarios they create. Review branching paths for stereotypes, missing perspectives, or inequitable consequences, and involve students or colleagues with relevant perspectives when appropriate.
  • Sign Up/Sign In: 
    • No account creation or sign-in required.
  • Customization: 
    • Authors can choose story formats and extend projects using variables, conditional logic, images, CSS, and JavaScript.

Learners need to work in a system that is fluid and requires a minimum number of steps in systems that are intuitive and integrated.
More Information

Rating: Works Well

  • Interface: 
    • The visual passage map supports planning and viewing branching narrative flow.
  • Additional Downloads: 
    • No download is required for browser Twine. A desktop application is also available.
  • Functionality: 
    • Simple projects can be created without coding. More sophisticated projects may require story-format syntax, CSS, or JavaScript.
  • Environmental impact: 
    • Twine can be used in a web browser or through an optional desktop application and does not require specialized hardware. A detailed assessment of energy use or e-waste is not provided by Twine.

Learners exist in accessible networks, and connect to the experiences, concepts, people, and ideas that they need.
More Information

Rating: Moderate Concerns

  • Scale: 
    • Published HTML can be distributed broadly, but instructors must establish an appropriate and accessible hosting or delivery approach.
  • Communication flexibility: 
    • Twine supports text and can include images, sound, and video, although the official Reference cautions that heavy multimedia workflows may be awkward.
  • Engagement: 
    • Branching pathways can connect course concepts with decisions and consequences. Connections among learners require intentional activity design outside Twine.
  • Representation and inclusivity:
    • Twine gives authors control over text, media, choices, and outcomes, so activities can represent diverse perspectives and contexts. The tool does not itself ensure inclusive representation; authors should review language, media, branching options, and consequences for alignment with USask commitments to ohpahotân | oohpaahotaan and EDI.

Learning and feedback are iterative, and assessment comes from multiple sources, including self, peers, teachers, and outside experts.
More Information

Rating: Moderate Concerns

  • Feedback: 
    • Twine can display authored outcomes or feedback in response to choices.
  • Sources for feedback: 
    • Twine does not include built-in tools for peers, educators, or outside experts to comment on student work. Feedback from these sources must be collected through another tool or learning activity.
  • Learning data: 
    • Twine does not provide instructors with built-in access to learner activity or performance data. If evidence of learning is required, instructors should design a separate submission, reflection, discussion, or feedback process.