Abstract:

To progress towards the goals of the 2030 Agenda, citizens must have opportunities to develop key competences in sustainability. Mobile devices, augmented reality and outdoor games can be mobilized to promote education for Sustainable Development for diverse target publics. Thus, there is a need of research changes in sustainable development competences in citizens brought about by the exploration of a smart learning city environment sustained by mobile AR game-based resources. This is a work-in-progress report, presenting a design-based research approach for development of a smart learning city environment for education for sustainable development.

This work-in-progress study present an approach to develop a smart learning city environment towards changes in citizens’ sustainable development competences. It is expected that the EduCITY will produce a technology-enhanced intervention, using a mobile app with AR challenging games, co-created by citizens through an open and easy to use access platform supporting participatory dynamics. Citizens can also explore AR games in strategic paths in the city. The games are grounded in city-based aggregating topics, promoting education in context and lifelong learning.

The innovation lies in:
a) the use of the territory as a living experimental laboratory, moving Education to a real-life context;
b) the use of widely-used intelligent technology with AR mobile games;
c) community participation giving opportunities for all to actively contribute, in a social constructivism approach;
d) wide knowledge sharing between the university and community;
e) the applicability of this approach to any city to build a digital, green and healthy future for everyone. It is a challenging and ambitious endeavour where citizens commit to transformation and engage in it for the benefit of cities’ quality of life and sustainability.

Nevertheless, several difficulties are foreseen, that need to be addressed, such as issues regarding AR triggering and interactivity, and connectivity with environmental sensors.

Future work involves several cycles of testing the prototype and, after a functional version, the organization of sessions for game co-creation and of activities to play them. These experiences enlarge the creative, multi/interdisciplinary response that seeks to provide situated learning opportunities for all through the creation of participatory dynamics involving the academy and the community.

The EduCITY’s contribution for the knowledge progress is its innovative framework based on a grounded, participatory, and user-centred approach for the development of key competencies for sustainable development, by using smart technology, and moving Education to a Smart City. This is anchored on a community-based participatory project integrating AR location games based on challenges, to be explored in the city, in formal, non-formal and informal educational contexts, in a social constructivism approach.

Keywords:

Mobile learning, augmented reality, game-based learning, education for Sustainable Development, design-based research.