eMapps.com - Motivating Active Participation of Primary Schoolchildren in Digital Online Technologies for Creative Opportunities through Multimedia
In eMapps.com, schools and education authorities explored the use of computer games and mobile technologies for linking education and creativity, and to increase motivation.
- Strategic objective: Strengthening the Integration of the ICT research effort in an Enlarged Europe
- Project type: Specific targeted research project (STREP)
- Start date: 1 October 2005
- Duration: 30 months
- EU funding: 2 827 000
- Number of partners: 13
- Project coordinator: Cross Czech a.s., Czech Republic
- Contact: Mrs. Romana Krížová
Focus of this project was on demonstrating how games and mobile technologies can be combined to provide new and enriching experiences for children in the school curriculum and beyond.
Project partners have developed and validated adaptable interactive tools, which enable games designed for schoolchildren to be played on a mobile platform. Through the use of alternate reality and other facilities for dynamic and creative experiences, the games bring to life subjects such as history and geography. The eMapps.com games platform runs on digital devices such as mobile phones, PDAs and Tablet PCs over GPRS and UMTS networks and includes game control mechanisms, forums, chat facilities and pre-set map-based local scenarios. Weblogs, podcasts and videocasts are key components.
The games were implemented in 15 schools in countries that became EU Member States in 2004. Teachers participated in defining the learning objectives, the type of game (e.g. competitive, collaborative, role play, simulation), assessment, feedback and levels of difficulty. Parents have been involved in contributing stories and content relevant to their localities. The teachers received extensive support in the early stages of implementing and testing the games platform, following initial training at summer schools.
The multilingual, multicultural local content created through the games is available for sharing and repurposing in the wider context of technology-enhanced learning in European schools. Teachers and children are enabled to draw on content held in other repositories while creating and playing games.
Both the eMapps platform and the eMapps learning objects repository are available from the project website.