A game-based mobile-learning platform – description and evaluation

This paper presents a platform for mobile educational games, named "Quest for Knowledge." The platform allows for creation of interactive educational games that include a multimedia content (video, audio, documents, maps) and playing of games outside classrooms. Students access the games using personal computers and mobile terminals (phones, PDAs). The usual game scenarios include team-based solving of specific tasks and missions. The games are remotely monitored and managed by the teacher who interacts with teams, gives hints and guidance which lead to the final result. The concept of development and playing of mobile educational games has been developed under the project eMAPPS, 6 EU Framework Programme and tested in groups of more than 200 students and teachers in Slovenia and other European countries. The evaluation of games played in Slovenia has indicated a very strong acceptance of the concept, especially by elementary-school children.