The Project
T
his project corresponds to a KA201 – Strategic associations for school education in which four organizations from three countries (Spain, Greece and Romania) are involved. Its main purpose is to design and implement an educational model based on gamification and game-based learning with its corresponding manual to contribute from the very beginning to the causes that could make the reduction of early school leaving and social inclusion possible.In Spain there is the highest percentage with 17.9% of early school leaving. Despite the fact that in the Community of Madrid the rate is 11.9%, the area where CEIP Cuba is located exceeds even 17.9%. Located in one of the most culturally diverse areas of the community with a 44% population of different nationalities and a low social and cultural level, with serious economic difficulties, we must add that the data provided by the center is far below the national data in terms of PISA (481 points).
In the case of Romania, there is a 16.4% of early school leaving. In the area where the SPG center is located, the average is again higher than the national average, among other things identified because there is a high percentage of families with economic difficulties and low qualifications. They are well below the OECD average with just 429 points.
In the case of Greece, it presents a percentage of the lowest in the European Union with 4.7%. In this case, the city of Karditsa, where this project will be developed, finds the same figures. This is one of the reasons why we include this Greek center in the consortium. However, it also presents academic difficulties due to the few educational measures that are being carried out and reflecting this are the 451 points of PISA, with a downward trend.
In all cases, a clear association between poor academic results and socio-economic status is identified, confirming the needs analysis carried out at the national level and in each of the centers and areas where the centers are located (Rumberger, 2012 & PISA, 2019)
Taking into account the needs and context set forth above, the following OBJECTIVES are established:
● Improving the MOTIVATION of students to learn so that during their educational process they have good experiences that make it easier for them to continue learning.
● Increasing the ACADEMIC LEVEL of the students, thus increasing their motivation and preparing them to face higher stages successfully.
● Increasing SOCIAL INCLUSION, the improvement of social relations and coexistence among students, thus contributing to the improvement of key competences such as personal, social and learning to learn, citizenship and civic responsibility and in cultural awareness and its expression.
● Improving FAMILY INVOLVEMENT in the education of students so that they have strategies that allow them to actively contribute to the child’s school life.
To achieve the objectives, two IO will be carried out:
● I LEARN BECAUSE IT’S MY TURN. A pedagogical methodology and strategy based on a gamification program applicable to the 6 primary education courses which includes a methodology to increase family participation in the educational center, as well as school and family coexistence with each other.
● MANUAL I LEARN BECAUSE IT’S MY TURN. Professional methodological manual and report of results for the validation and improvement of the gamification program that will allow any teacher to implement this methodology in their classes and centers. The obtained results will be included in the manual so that the teacher can implement those.