The Spirit of Europe - Origins

CONTEXT

While most disciplines can be taught through textbooks and lectures, educating values has proven an important, yet particularly difficult segment of teaching which is poorly addressed in most areas of learning. This is particularly why educating values must be done differently and they are sediment in time, considering implicit learning and learning experience.

Fortunately, today’s technology opens up possibilities which were never available before: educating through simulation, which transfers the very individual into an environment where experimentation and acquiring of information comes deeply connected to whatever the aim of the educator is, most often even without the knowledge of the learner.

AIM

Our aim is to develop an immersive simulated environment commonly known as video/digital game, in which the learner travels through Europe’s history, from its mythological beginnings to the present, actively participating in key events throughout the history and mythology that shaped today’s Europe. This approach ensures the implicit acquirement of values in addition to learning Europe’s history and mythology, culture and civilization.

OBJECTIVES

• 300 adults to gain basic knowledge of European values, history and culture during 18 months of the project;
• 30 adult learning agents/structures to introduce an e-learning GAME as a learning tool for European history and values during 18 months of the project;
• to promote European values among 1000 persons during 30 months of the project;

PRODUCT

Our game will connect some of the key values of the European Union with these eras:

• Ancient Greece: democracy as a principle, fundamental western philosophy, mythology, the Olympic Games, mathematics, archetypal stories etc.;

• The Roman Empire: legislative system, religious, sexual orientation, geographic and cultural diversity, state government systems, architecture, etc.;

• Dark Ages: Magna Carta (incipient forms of liberty, popular democracy, justice, freedom of the individual against arbitrary authority), universities, printing press, chivalry etc.;

• The Viking Age: gender equality, exploration, innovation, trade etc.;

• Renaissance: tolerance, pluralism, arts, science, cultural expression, diplomacy etc.