Abstract:

The paper emphasizes some important research results obtained in the framework of the project “Using Mobile Augmented Reality Games to develop key competences through learning about sustainable development” (UMARG) with reference number 2019-1-RO01-KA201-063778, which is financed with support from the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme. As globalization continues to confront the European Union with new challenges, each citizen will need a wide range of skills to adapt flexibly to a rapidly changing and highly interconnected world. These skills emerge today as key to allow people develop good-quality jobs and fulfil their potential as confident, active citizens. Based on the European Commission’s reports, early acquisition of these skills is the foundation for the development of higher, more complex skills which are needed to drive creativity and innovation. Implementing key competences in schools involves not only specifying them in curricula, but also developing structures, innovative teaching methods as well as proper ICT tools that are open to teachers and pupils. In this context, there is need to support teachers during their teaching with new tools and procedures to cultivate the development of certain 21st Century Skills and key competences in their pupils and the idea of an open, democratic and multicultural Europe. Mobile Augmented Reality Games (MARGs) are among such new tools. Researches on the use of MARGs have shown potential benefits in fostering pupils’ key competences such as collaboration, critical thinking, problem solving, social and civic competences as well as cultural awareness. However, there is a lack of an organized effort to sum up the potential benefits of these games and more importantly to incorporate them in the teachers’ practice to foster their pupils' key competences. This paper presents findings from the research study performed in Romania during the intervention phase of the UMARG project. Within the intervention, teachers have been first trained how to design, develop and incorporate MARGs in their teaching to increase pupils’ digital and civic key competences and then they practically applied 5 MARGs each, in classroom teaching contexts. We have assessed, through questionnaires administered online, teachers’ pre- and post-intervention perception toward using MARGs in terms of usefulness, ease of use, satisfaction, anxiety, attitude, behavioral intention and social norms. The analysis and interpretation of results showed improved attitude and increased interest of teachers for using MARGs in the teaching-learning process.

Keywords:

Mobile Augmented Reality Games, intervention, teachers, attitude.