Improving STEM Learning Experience in Primary School by Using NEWTON Project Innovative Technologies

Abstract

Nowadays school curriculum is changing and more and more teachers are incorporating STEM content and themes into their classrooms. Students need to be proficient in STEM fields in order to be ready for the new technology driven society. Game-based learning and the latest visual technologies such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Virtual Labs can motive students to study STEM topics through an immersive and engaging environment. This research introduces NEWTON project that integrates into a learning platform (NEWTELP) different innovative technologies and deploys them in various European learning environments. In particular, Final Frontier, a novel interactive educational video game about solar system designed for primary school children is presented. A research study that involved the use of the game in a primary Irish school from Dublin, has investigated the learner experience. An analysis of the results show that over 90% of students confirmed that the game helped them to learn about the characteristics of the planets from the Solar system and they enjoyed the game and the game features in particular the fun aspect, the exploration tasks, stars and meteorites collection, avatar, use of jetpack, and the interactive puzzles.