Abstract:

Computers and technology have influenced the nature of the "digital native citizens" life and the most recent generation of students have grown up with these technologies (Wang et al. 2014). Despite our increasing technological dependence, the decline in high quality scientific vocations is current. Kier (2014) stated that negative attitudes and lack of interest about Science, Engineering and Mathematic skills are two of the main problems to be addressed facing the loss interest of youth in increasing and consolidating their school knowledge. The need to propose new approach and innovative teaching methods is increasingly present. In the framework of ERASMUS+ Programme has been developed and financed DIGITgame project. DIGITgame “Digital Improvement by Game In Teaching” is aimed to improve scientific skills and competence through more effective and innovative teaching methods.

DIGITgame proposes a new approach to communicate and teach traditional topics of environmental sciences using the new thematic of Smart Cities and taking advantage introducing the videogame solution. This didactic strategy will permit to reinforce the achievement of advanced and high quality competences, both in scientific topics and digital knowledge. It is the way to reinforce the consciousness on sustainable and smart cities policy and management in the citizen of the future. The mini-game that will develop during the project is organized around a set of "basic variables" (climate, industrialization, green level, green transports) that design the virtual city contest, the students challenge is to project and build the "assets" (urban trees, urban climate detection by weather station positioning, green transports, solar panel and recycle stations distribution, smart building) from a dare point of view, balancing costs, scores, constrains and final goal.

A preliminary research was conducted on measuring STEM knowledge and how ICT (Information and Communication Technology) are used to study and deepen the topics treated at school.

The instrument of the research was a survey developed according to approach proposed by Kier et al. (2014), suggested in a revised version with additional questions to students and also teachers regarding the use of ICT to deepen STEM subject. The survey was carried out in the schools involved in the project, Italy and Turkey in March 2017. The survey is administrated at students (from 12 to 17 years) and to their teachers with the aim to know their perception on the knowledge of skills and the use of devices (smartphone, PC, tablet) to study and deepen STEM subjects treated at school.

The questionnaires were carried out to 113 students and 23 teachers. The results of the study will be integrated with others data collected at the end of the project at the same students and teachers, in order to have a framework related to the knowledge on STEM subject.

Keywords:

Gamification, ICT, STEM, Smart City, teachers and students’ perceptions.