One aim of the Global Educational Community is that children, their parents and their teachers can learn from, and teach each other as they are welcomed into a community where all can become more competent as global citizens. I decided to welcome parents to join our panda project by creating a game night for the whole family.

I used a game platform by Smartfeet (http://www.smartfeet.fi/?lang=en) It’s an online platform for educational games. I used the map from our school’s surroundings. The map I got from Google earth. Gamification is an easy and motivating way to get children to learn things when they don’t even realize that learning is happening. 

The game night started by the students, sisters, brothers and parent coming to school. I gave brief instructions on how the game works and then the teams were off.

The story behind the game was:

Panda rescue 

Great news! Ähtäri zoo has finally been given the ok from China and are getting a panda. And not just one panda but an exceptional panda twins! All the hard work has payed off. But there now lies a huge problem! Ähtäri has been collecting money for only one panda and is now lacking the missing 1 000 000 $ for the second panda. You have to help! Otherwise the twins might be separated. Or even worse -there might be no pandas coming to Finland!

By completing exercises on the blue checkpoints in the map you will be able to collect money for the panda. One checkpoint exercise can give you up to 200 000 $. The team that collects the most money for the panda wins! Go -quickly!

Each blue marker on the map marked an exercise. I stayed at school controlling the game and scoring the exercises. 

In the exercises the teams had to work for example with math, gaining data, problem solving, teamwork, orienteering and drawing. The answers were sent straight to the teacher from the iPad or the mobile phone they were working with. Some selfie exercises were included.

All in all a fun night! The parents said they especially enjoyed working outside in the fresh air with the kids. And what’s best? We did save the panda twins!

Class 3K, Jalavapuisto school, Espoo, Finland