A new Finnish educational game is set to take this year's Frankfurt Book Fair by storm
07.10.2014
German school pupils are set to be inspired by Finnish culture thanks to the FINNLAND.HOT. game being showcased at this year's Frankfurt Book Fair.
The Book Fair is attended by thousands of primary and secondary school pupils and their teachers. While at the Fair, both the pupils and their teachers alike will get the chance to play the FINNLAND.HOT.educational game. The game sees players completing fun and active tasks all around the Fair area.
The game was developed during the we.learn.it collaborative project coordinated by Aalto University. It is based on the SmartFeet platform developed by Finnish teachers.
Playing mobile games together
The school pupils' gaming platform of choice is the tablet computer. The players begin their tasks on the virtual game board and then return their answers to the teacher in charge, who then marks the answers in the online workspace.
The use of mobile technology makes it possible for teachers to follow the game in real-time, even when the teams are spread out all over the Fair area.
The SmartFeet platform is based on a new pedagogical approach in which smartphones and tablets support experiential and explorative learning. The game allows pupils to learn outside of the traditional class room, in authentic real-world environments. Teachers can easily create games for their pupils.
The SmartFeet platform is already being used in several schools and universities in Finland. Students have really been inspired by the new way of learning that the platform facilitates.
– The game was really fun. You learn things without even realising it. The best thing about it was getting to work in teams, says fifth-grader Teemu after playing the game.
European collaboration
Funded by the EU, the we.learn.it project offers schools all across Europe the opportunity to innovatively develop their educational provision in partnership and beyond the standard school experience in the form of so-called research visits.
– The aim is to enrich school work, make learning more fun, and inspire interest in the possibilities afforded by ICT. The game developed by the project is a pedagogically-advanced package that combines both classroom-based learning assignments with post-learning reflection, says project coordinator Anna-Kaarina Kairamo from Aalto University.
The we.learn.it project offers schools support from scientists, artists, and other experts from Aalto University and all around Europe. Aalto University is represented in the project by the university's Design Factory, LUMA Centre, Strategic Support for Research and Education unit, and a host of researchers and teachers from every part of the university.
The FINNLAND.HOT. game is part of this year's FINNLAND.COOL. theme. You can find out more about the game by visiting the Classroom of the Future exhibit at the Frankfurt Book Fair 8—12 October 2014. Thewe.learn.it project is a partner of the Classroom of the Future.
Further information:
Anna-Kaarina Kairamo, +358 50 560 5313, anna-kaarina.kairamo [at] aalto [dot] fi
SmartFeet, Riku Alkio, +358 50 531 8044, riku.alkio [at] lentavaliitutaulu [dot] fi