Spationomy 2.0: Spatial and economic science in higher education – addressing the playful potential of simulation games

This project aims to innovate the way of teaching about the distinct field of economics, business, geoinformatics and geography, all encompassed by game studies, via modern methods of informal teaching (gamification and playful education) and virtual telecollaborative techniques. The project tackles the issue of learning-by-doing by playing a serious and scientifically based simulation game. This game-based learning transforms traditional means of higher education classes into innovative, creative learning environments in which all participants (teachers and students) will be engaged in solving real-world issues through gaming scenarios.

The project also aims to share best practice across disciplinary and national boundaries. The project will encourage to develop deep interdisciplinary cooperation and research sharing among the involved institutions in the field of geoinformatics/geography, economics/business and game studies. This unique combination will be accompanied by the idea of bringing more spatial and economic science into the gaming domain by tackling the issue of “lacking science and real-world situations in educational games.” During the blended mobility, students will learn and adopt joint methodologies/techniques/tools and they serve as actors in “spatial economic/business analytics games”, deployed to structure group-based and student-led investigations of advanced spatial economic data analyses. Students will be enrolled in the process to think, use, write and talk about their experiences. The project will entail more attractive and relevant pedagogy than lecture or seminar based approaches.