Researchers create games to learn from intelligent devices – publico

                 

                         
                     

                 

 
 

A multidisciplinary team of researchers from Coimbra developed games to study literature, history or mathematics through smartphone or tablets , providing a learning “much more attractive and interactive “said the University of Coimbra (UC), on Monday.

” from a smartphone or tablet , it is possible to study the Maya , by a similar contest to challenge Slumdog Millionaire and complete a book of virtual trading cards, “said the statement. The games also allow learn history “during an adventure that involves being a journalist”, solving polynomials, to “advance in levels of a temple,” or explain “the evolution of human communication using an alien,” exemplifies the UC.

Designed to be used in schools, from mobile devices, at different levels of education (2nd and 3rd cycles of basic education, secondary and tertiary) the games were previously tested “successfully in schools” of North and Central regions of the country where the perpetrators “have been realizing, with the students, what their preferences for games on mobile devices.”

According to Ana Amélia Carvalho, project coordinator funded by the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and Professor university professor of the Faculty of Psychology and Sciences Coimbra education , the reaction of students and teachers “has been very positive.” The aim is to “monetize the most popular devices among the younger generations” to “implement a much more attractive and interactive learning,” he explains.

“You need to change teaching practices, going beyond the traditional lecture,” argues the expert, considering that for this, “nothing better to resort to technologies that students use most. ” If students like to play games and take the devices to school, “then we must take advantage of to teach and learn, thus also contributing to the fight against school failure,” argues Ana Amélia Carvalho, cited from UC.

Only available for now, for the operating system Android, the games will be officially launched on 7 May, the third meeting on games and mobile-learning , in Coimbra, in the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences. Made available to all interested schools, four games already developed by the multidisciplinary team of researchers from UC in collaboration with a developer and a group of designers, are The Maya. Becoming expert an! 1910 Tempoly and Konnecting, Man, be communicating .

Intended primarily for students of 11 years, the first of these games is made up of 448 questions with multiple choice answers, divided into several levels, and includes a similar challenge to the game show Who Wants to Be millionaire . second 1910 , whose main recipients are students between the 6th and 9th grade, is “an adventure game” in which the player is “invited to assist a journalist while unfold several episodes that led to the establishment of the Republic in Portugal.”

Aimed at students from 7 to 12 years, Tempoly involves solving various puzzles, while Konnecting, Man, be communicating , for undergraduate students in Education, “portrays the evolution of human communication from pre -history “but fitting to an alien” report how terrestrial beings communicate. “