Games Atelier (games studio) is a modern learning tool which is geared at students in secondary education. They use mobile phones, GPS and the Internet to collectively create, play and watch location-based games. The goal of the project was to develop learning tools that engage pupils in an active and modern way.
The objective
Games atelier was developed in 2008 by 7scenes, Creative Learning Lab, the local authority of Amsterdam en four secondary schools in Amsterdam. The project was set up to develop a first good example of how games and simulations can be used in education. Teachers at the time lacked knowledge and experience concerning this subject. Also, there were no games created yet that focused on developing skills or that could be integrated in the learning curriculum.
The point of departure for Games Atelier was that knowledge is recalled better when students transform it into game formats themselves, and when it is experienced on authentic, relevant locations. The games that students developed during the project used the students’ direct surroundings as a source of information and as the setting for a gaming storyline. Pupils came up with a story and game rules and placed various media and assignments on a digital map. Then they navigated the real world using their mobile phones and created media while doing this.
The launch
The first game created by pupils was played on march 14, 2008 by the mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen. He then became known as the first gaming major. The game he played was selected by a jury that picked this one from 7 games that were developed by pupils of the secondary school Atheneum Lyceum in Amsterdam. As a part of the winning game, Cohen regularly hugged elderly or strange people.
At the end of 2008 all secondary schools could use Games Atelier by participating in the Mobile Game Quest, a national competition for schools.
The experiences of Games Atelier are now part of the Mobile Learning Kit, a learning package using the 7scenes platform, offered by the Creative Learning Lab.
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