Educational Platform Promotes Mobile Game-Based Learning

Eleven European organizations have banded together to develop the mobile Game-Based Learning project, a platform that will provide instruction and educational services through mobile games. The platform is targeted at young adults between the ages of 16 and 24, and focuses on education in career guidance, health, and commerce. Instruction will be provided in a classroom setting, in which students and instructors will use mobile devices for quizzes and interactive scenarios. The platform currently supports three types of games. "Ahead of the Game" quizzes students on health-related issues, and then presents them with a crisis situation that must be solved using concepts learned during the quiz portion. "Mogabal" is a multiplayer 2D adventure game, in which student actions in-game can trigger classroom instructional content. "Pervasive Games" provides a variety of SMS-based team-building exercises. The mGBL Platform also provides a game authoring tool, which allows teachers to modify game text and content within all three game types. Software development for the platform was recently completed, and open-source modules will soon be available for download.