Location-based games as a contemporary, original, and innovative method of seniors’ teaching and learning. Erasmus Project

Project Title

Location-based games as a contemporary, original, and innovative method of seniors’ teaching and learning.

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for adult education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Key Competences (incl. mathematics and literacy) – basic skills; Intercultural/intergenerational education and (lifelong)learning; ICT – new technologies – digital competences

Project Summary

Originally, we conducted ICT trainings for seniors with the traditional class-teaching method. However, we have observed that the same people are re-registering for courses. This phenomenon was exacerbated by changes in operating systems. The return of seniors to computer courses for us meant the ineffectiveness of traditional methods. We started to conduct research in this area and it turned out that seniors are learning to repeat certain sequences of actions, but they have serious concerns about finding their own solutions. As a result, we started to look for more effective educational methods. Games in this area gave the best results during the preliminary research. We decided to play urban games because they fully express the mobility of smartphones and, at the same time, meet the health objectives related to the need to move around in urban space on a daily basis.

This is how the idea of developing a comprehensive educational programme for the elderly was born. It was important that the proposed educational programme should not only prepare seniors to use new technologies, but also be presented in an interesting and effective way. For this reason, it was decided to test the effectiveness of the city game as an educational method. It is worth noting that in the approach to learning based on edutainment, the main goal is fun, and learning is in a way a “side effect”. Shifting the focus from learning to learning associated with taking some effort to gain knowledge or skills – for fun, which is associated with activity nice and easy, is a certain novelty in the education of the elderly.
The result of these efforts was the project Location-based games as a contemporary, original, and innovative method of seniors’ teaching and learning. (LoGaSET), carried out under the coordination of the Pro Scientia Publica Foundation (Poland), together with partners from Lithuania (Mikolo Romeiro University in Vilnius), Slovakia (Cyril and Methodius University in Trnava) and Great Britain (Kairos Europe). During the project period (01.11.2017 – 30.04.2019): a smartphone programme for senior citizens was developed, which can be implemented in both classroom and urban games; a pilot and main phase were carried out, the results of the research were developed. On completion of the project, an open-access methodology guide for senior citizens’ educators in the field of applying new technologies using the classwork method and location-based games (Good Practice Book) was published in four languages: Polish, English, Lithuanian and Slovak.
The experiment compared the classroom and lesson method, which dominates the educational offer addressed to seniors, with the method compliant with the strategy of edutainment – the location-based game.
With the implementation of educational goals in mind, an identical didactic programme was prepared, which included training for seniors in the following fields:
Mobile application installation,
QR code scanner handling,
Taking photographs and sending them by MMs,
Creating films and audio files,
Using WhatsApp,
Using Google Maps navigation,
Applying Google Maps to plan travelling by public transport
Using Google Translator,
Using Trip Advisor,
Combining work using different applications (evaluation of classes)

Original application operating manuals in versions for Android and iPhone were prepared for each module. The study programme, instructions and all teaching tools were translated into the partners’ mother tongues.

They were involved in the project: 4 partner institutions, 23 supporting institutions, 153 senior citizens, 14 researchers, 66 educators and observers, 7 photographers.

The research carried out during the LoGaSET project shows that the use of the location-based method is more effective, results in a higher level of independence of seniors, the development of automation in the use of smartphones. Seniors who took part in the game definitely showed less fear of using new technologies, looked for solutions to the problems encountered, explored new possibilities of smartphones. The use of mobile phones by seniors in the field, where it is natural to have a number of distractions, allows them to make a smooth transition from the game situation to the daily use of a smartphone. This way of learning also results in a more flexible approach to new technologies, and seniors are prepared to use the phone even if icons change or application features are upgraded as a result. In addition, game-based participants in the course are more likely to use apps they did not know before.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 52300 Eur

Project Coordinator

Fundacja Pro Scientia Publica & Country: PL

Project Partners

• Kairos Europe Limited
• UNIVERZITA SV. CYRILA A METODA V TRAVNE
• MYKOLO ROMERIO UNIVERSITETAS