Students-experts evaluate educational games and interactive CDs
Starting from January this year, the team of the Project has on a regular basis been cooperating with the students-advisors that together with the experts in natural sciences and mathematics have been approbating the electronic materials for students of grades 7 through 9 prepared within the framework of the Project. From 22 April similar practice has been introduced also for approbation of the didactic educational games for grades 7 through 9 prepared within the framework of the Project.
The Project experts and members of working groups are currently developing educational games in mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry in order to ensure active teaching-learning process at schools in which all students would be involved, as well as to develop their cooperative skills and give students a possibility to learn in a way which is attractive to them.
On 22 April, seventeen students of grades 7 through 8 from Riga Secondary School No. 49 and Riga City Grammar School No. 2 met in order to evaluate the educational games and the grade 8 self-training chemistry CD prepared within the framework of the Project. Students started working as experts by playing educational games and then answering several questions put by the game developers. Thus it can be ensured, with the help of users themselves, that the games do comply with the students’ interests.
After having played the games students said that they have spent a great time, repeated what they had learned and obtained new knowledge. Experts in natural sciences and mathematics took notice of what was going on and listened to recommendations offered by the students concerning necessary future improvements.
When students had already loosened up playing games they went on by evaluating electronic materials in chemistry. Agnese Brangule, an expert in chemistry, said that the students had actively engaged in the approbation process and put forward several useful recommendations for improving the electronic material. The overall young experts’ evaluation of the chemistry CD was positive. Students indicated that information is more comprehensible by means of the CD rather than books. They also said that the CD is not only a very good self-training aid, but also a convenient way to repeat what has already been learned.
The Project experts and members of working groups are currently developing educational games in mathematics, biology, physics and chemistry in order to ensure active teaching-learning process at schools in which all students would be involved, as well as to develop their cooperative skills and give students a possibility to learn in a way which is attractive to them.
On 22 April, seventeen students of grades 7 through 8 from Riga Secondary School No. 49 and Riga City Grammar School No. 2 met in order to evaluate the educational games and the grade 8 self-training chemistry CD prepared within the framework of the Project. Students started working as experts by playing educational games and then answering several questions put by the game developers. Thus it can be ensured, with the help of users themselves, that the games do comply with the students’ interests.
After having played the games students said that they have spent a great time, repeated what they had learned and obtained new knowledge. Experts in natural sciences and mathematics took notice of what was going on and listened to recommendations offered by the students concerning necessary future improvements.
When students had already loosened up playing games they went on by evaluating electronic materials in chemistry. Agnese Brangule, an expert in chemistry, said that the students had actively engaged in the approbation process and put forward several useful recommendations for improving the electronic material. The overall young experts’ evaluation of the chemistry CD was positive. Students indicated that information is more comprehensible by means of the CD rather than books. They also said that the CD is not only a very good self-training aid, but also a convenient way to repeat what has already been learned.