Relevant initiatives

Arguing for multilingual motivation in web 2.0

University of Paisley Glasgow

2007-2010

European

Yes

LIFE LONG LEARNING PROGRAMME - COMENIUS

ARGuing for multilingual motivation in web 2.0

University of Paisley Glasgow, UK

133909-LLP-1-2007-1-UK-COMENIUS-CMP

Teaching Methodology, On-line Game, Didactical resource

Technology, ICT

Bulgarian, Other EU, Spanish, English

Teachers, Students

ARGuing is a cutting-edge project that addresses two fundamental needs in European education in a totally innovative manner. Firstly, how to bridge the widening technological gap between educators and their students and secondly, how to motivate students to understand the benefits of learning languages at a level that impacts on their existing personal lives.
This project will answer these important needs by building a methodology for educators that includes Web 2.0 technology, i.e. using digital technology to create content and communicate. Secondly, the project will construct a special type of puzzle game called an Alternate Reality Game (ARG) that utilises digital technology as a communication tool for international, multilingual, peer student communities that have to solve the puzzle by working as a massively, multiplayer, collaborative group, in multiple
languages.
The project includes a very diverse mix of specialists, as only a combination of skills can achieve the innovation envisaged. Included in the partnership is one of the largest university computing departments in the UK with expertise in games development and games-based learning, language pedagogic expertise, University teacher trainers, an expert in Alternate Reality Games (ARG) and an Internet communication specialist. Our research indicates that this project will be the 1st globally to apply an ARG at secondary school level; to create an ARG that embeds multilingualism within its core framework; to
use the techniques and technology, as utilised within an ARG, to build a replicable educational methodology; to motivate language learning by placing language at the core of a game that appeals to and engages young students at a personal level.
In D4 below, an ARG is described in depth, but it is important to understand here, that an ARG is not a computer game that is played solely in front of a computer screen by an individual, but is a collaborative puzzle that can include online and offline elements and can only be solved by multiple players working in groups. The participants are not in competition to solve the puzzle.

The project boasts to be the 1st globally to apply an ARG at secondary school level; to create an ARG that embeds multilingualism within its core framework; to use the techniques and technology, as utilised within an ARG, to build a replicable educational methodology; to motivate language learning by placing language at the core of a game that engages young students at a personal level; as such the project develops when planning and creating its deliverables an international team of experts able to experiment a new methodological approach that is collaborative and problem-solving, using a resource that is similar to a collaborative puzzle with online and offline elements.

My main interest lies in projects that focus on multilingualism . The fact that this project has as a main aim the support of an approach to stimulate multilingualism through a collaborative puzzle with online and offline elements is a novelty. The potential of building a replicable educational methodology represents for me one of the main strengths of this project. I intend to contact the Alternate Reality Game expert to discuss possibilities of using the developed methodology in the context of my own teaching language and content in HE.

The project idea is very good, and bringing games and IT in focus for sure the project will get the students attention. Learning languages or any other subject is not easy, especially when the approach is not applied to the students needs. We as students are different, we have different ways of learning, different interests, so is not easy for the teachers to find the correct methods and tools to respond to all these needs, and most of the time their are not very into finding new and innovative ways. The handbooks are the "Biblia". We would like to be involved in these kind of projects and to have these opportunities for learning. It would be interesting to have access to the games.